Contents. Part One. Chapter One. Chapter Two. A Word to the Reader ELLEN WHITE S LIFE AND MINISTRY

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2 Copyright 1996 by Review and Herald Publishing Association The author assumes full responsibility for the accuracy of all facts and quotations as cited in this book. Contents This book was Edited by Gerald Wheeler Designed by Patricia S. Wegh Cover photo by PhotoDisc Typeset: 12/13 Garamond 3 PRINTED IN U.S.A R&H Cataloging Service Knight, George R. Meeting Ellen White: a fresh look at her life, writings, and major themes. 1. White, Ellen Gould, Biography. 2. White, Ellen Gould, Writings. I. Title. ISBN A Word to the Reader Part One ELLEN WHITE S LIFE AND MINISTRY Chapter One PROPHECTIC GUIDANCE FOR THE DISAPPOINTED MILLERITES /13 ( ) Who Is This Young Visionary? Ellen White s Experience in the Millerite Movement Called to the Prophectic Ministry Role in the Development of Sabbatarian Adventist Doctrine The Relationship of Ellen White s Gift to the Bible Responses to Ellen White s Gift Ellen White s Role in the Gathering Time Chapter Two PROPHECTIC GUIDANCE FOR A GROWING CHURCH /35 ( ) Were the Visions a Test of Fellowship? Disseminating the Prophectic Message Receiving and Communicating the Visions Pointing Toward Church Organization Counsel on Healthful Living Counsel on World Mission Early Counsel on Education Family Matters and the Death of James White

3 Contents Chapter Three PROPHECTIC GUIDANCE FOR AN INTERNATIONAL CHURCH /61 ( ) Uplifting Jesus at Minneapolis Educational Revival and Ellen White s Activity in the South Pacific Stimulating the Black Work in North America The Return to the United States and the Call for Denominational Reorganization Conflict in Battle Creek and Reestablishing the Medical Program Meeting Inadequate Views of Inspiration Ellen White s Editorial Assistants and the Role of W.C. White Closing Years and Death Chapter Four PROPHECTIC GUIDANCE SINCE 1915 /82 The Ellen G. White Estate Adventism s Official Position Regarding the Work of Ellen White Will There Be Another Prophet? Contents Part Two ELLEN WHITE S WRITINGS Chapter Five AN INTRODUCTION TO ELLEN WHITE S WRITINGS /91 Books and Compilations Periodical Articles Letters and Manuscripts Indexes to the Ellen White Materials Part Three ELLEN WHITE S INTEGRATIVE THEMES Chapter Six AN EXAMINATION OF ELLEN WHITE S MAJOR THEMES /109 The Love of God The Great Controversy Jesus, the Cross, and Salvation Through Him The Centrality of the Bible The Second Coming The Third Angel s Message and Adventist Mission Practical Christianity and the Development of Christian Character

4 List of Abbreviations A Word to the Reader AH Advent Herald CM Colporteur Ministry COL Christ s Object Lessons CT Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students DA The Desire of Ages Ed Education 1888 Materials The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials (4 vols.) Ev Evangelism EW Early Writings FE Fundamentals of Christian Education GC The Great Controversy GCB General Conference Bulletin GW Gospel Workers LS Life Sketches of Ellen G. White MC Midnight Cry MH The Ministry of Healing MR Ellen G. White Manuscript Releases (21 vols.) MS Ellen G. White manuscript MW Morning Watch PP Patriarchs and Prophets RH Review and Herald SC Steps to Christ SG Spiritual Gifts (4 vols.) SM Selected Messages (3 vols.) SR The Story of Redemption SW The Southern Work T Testimonies for the Church (9 vols.) TM Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers WLF A Word to the Little Flock Ellen G. White ( ) has undoubtedly been the most influential Seventh-day Adventist in the history of the church. Her personal presence and her writings did much to shape and guide Adventism during her seven decades of prophetic ministry. Since her death in 1915 her counsel and insights have continued to direct the denomination. But you may be thinking, Who is Ellen White? This short volume seeks to answer that question. The first two thirds of the book presents a biographical overview of her life. The standard biographies at present are her 500-page autobiographical Life Sketches and the six-volume biography published by Arthur L. White between 1981 and The present study offers a concise biography for the average reader. The second section of Meeting Ellen White categorizes and surveys her writings. Thus the section serves as an introduction to her various books and manuscripts. The third section introduces readers to the major themes that run throughout her work. These themes tie her writings together and provide the perspectives that give her individual books and articles cosmic meaning in the struggle between good and evil. While it can be argued that I could have selected other themes, I

5 have done my best to choose those that provide the fullest interpretive framework for her thoughts. Perhaps the reader should consider my list as the beginning of one that each of us needs to complete as we continue to study Ellen White s life and work. A companion volume, entitled Reading Ellen White, will extend this study by exploring the basic principles that we should keep in mind as we read her writings. The principles themselves will come from her own counsel as she related to people who used her writings, and in some cases misused them, over the years. Another book closely related to Meeting Ellen White is my short history of Adventism entitled Anticipating the Advent. That volume provides the historical context in which the developing ministry of Ellen White took place. I would like to express my appreciation to Bonnie Beres, who entered my handwritten manuscript into the computer; to Merlin D. Burt, Paul A. Gordon, Jerry Moon, Jim Nix, Robert W. Olson, and Tim Poirier, who read the manuscript and offered suggestions for its improvement; to Gerald Wheeler and Tim Crosby for guiding the manuscript through the publication process; and to the administration of Andrews University for providing financial support and time for research and writing. For some years there has been a need for a concise introduction to Ellen White s life, writings, and integrating themes. Meeting Ellen White has been written to fill that need. It is my hope that the book will be a blessing to both members and nonmembers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church as they seek a better understanding of a truly remarkable woman and her work. Dedication Dedicated to Robert W. Olson my first Bible teacher and an inspiration in my personal walk with Jesus George R. Knight Andrews University Berrien Springs, Michigan

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7 Chapter One Prophetic Guidance for the Disappointed Millerites ( ) While I was praying at the family altar, the Holy Ghost fell upon me, and I seemed to be rising higher and higher, far above the dark world. I turned to look for the Advent people in the world, but could not find them, when a voice said to me, Look again, and look a little higher. At this I raised my eyes, and saw a straight and narrow path, cast up high above the world. On this path the Advent people were traveling to the city, which was at the farther end of the path (EW 14). WHO IS THIS YOUNG VISIONARY? Those words record 17-year-old Ellen G. Harmon s first heavenly vision in December Ellen and her twin sister were born as the youngest of eight children in Gorham, Maine, on November 26, Her father, a maker and seller of hats, eventually moved the family to Portland, Maine. It was in Portland that 9-year-old Ellen experienced an accident that deeply affected her life. Hit in the face by a rock thrown by a classmate, she hovered near death for several weeks. Eventually she recovered, but the experience left her in such poor health that she was unable to continue her formal schooling, even

8 Meeting Ellen White though she tried with all her heart. Poor health would continue to plague her for much of her life. Her inability to attend school, however, did not stop her informal education. Her autobiographical sketches reflect a young woman with both a probing mind and a sensitive nature. That sensitivity appears not only in her relationship to other people, but also toward God. In fact, even a casual reading of her autobiography leads to the conclusion that she was desperately in earnest about religion from her earliest recollections. Young Ellen was especially traumatized by the thought that Jesus might return in a matter of years. She first came across that teaching at age 8 when she picked up a scrap of paper on the way to school indicating that Jesus could come in a few years. I was, she wrote, seized with terror.... Such a deep impression was made upon my mind by the little paragraph on the scrap of paper, that I could scarcely sleep for several nights, and prayed continually to be ready when Jesus came (LS 20, 21). Those feelings intensified in March 1840 when she heard William Miller preach in Portland that Jesus would return about the year Ellen s fears of the Second Coming stemmed from two sources. The first was a deep sense of unworthiness. There was in my heart, she penned, a feeling that I could never become worthy to be called a child of God.... It seemed to me that I was not good enough to enter heaven (LS 21). Her feelings of unworthiness were directly related to her belief in an eternally burning hell. Because of her sins, she feared that she would endure the flames of hell forever, even as long as God Himself existed. Not only did she fear for herself, but the idea of an eternally burning hell raised theological issues in her mind. When the thought took possession of my mind that God delighted in the torture of His creatures... a wall of darkness seemed to separate me from Him.... I despaired that so cruel and tyrannical a being would ever condescend to save me from the doom of sin. Such thoughts led her into almost total darkness (LS 31). For years Ellen struggled with those issues. Her problem was compounded by two false beliefs: first, that she had to be good, or 14 Disappointed Millerites even perfect, before God could accept her; and second, the idea that if she was truly saved, she would have feelings of spiritual ecstasy. Her darkness began to dissipate during the summer of 1841 when she attended the Methodist camp meeting at Buxton, Maine. There she heard in a sermon that all self-dependence and effort were worthless in gaining the favor of God. She realized that it is only by connecting with Jesus through faith that the sinner becomes a hopeful, believing child of God. From that point forward she earnestly sought pardon for her sins and strove to give herself entirely to the Lord. All the language of my heart, she later penned, was: Help, Jesus; save me, or I perish! Suddenly, she tells us, my burden left me, and my heart was light (LS 23). But, she thought, this is too good to be true. As a result, she tried to reassume the load of distress and guilt that had been her constant companion. As she put it: It seemed to me that I had no right to feel joyous and happy (LS 23). Only gradually did she understand the wonder of the fullness of God s redeeming grace. Soon after returning from camp meeting, Ellen was baptized by immersion and joined the Methodist Church. Ignoring the arguments of those church members who rejected immersion, she chose it because she believed it to be the only biblical way to be baptized. But in spite of her new understandings she was still plagued by doubts because she did not always have the ecstatic feelings that she believed she had to have if she were truly saved. As a result, she continued to fear that she was not perfect enough to meet the Saviour at His advent. About that time William Miller returned to Portland for a lecture series in June ELLEN WHITE S EXPERIENCE IN THE MILLERITE MOVEMENT Miller preached that Jesus would return about the year Part of his explanation for that date was his understanding of Daniel 8:14 ( Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed ). He interpreted the sanctuary to be the earth and the church, the cleansing to be the purification by fire at the second coming of Jesus, and the end of the 2300 days to be the 15

9 Meeting Ellen White date that fire would cleanse the earth. Along with many other interpreters, he predicted that the fulfillment of the 2300-day prophecy would take place in the 1840s about 1843, to be more precise. Thus Miller taught that Jesus would appear at that time. Tens of thousands accepted his teaching as the date approached. Ellen Harmon was one of them. But that very belief continued to trouble her, since she still had a nagging fear that she wasn t good enough yet. Beyond that, the thought of never-ending hellfire also still disturbed her. While Ellen was in that mental state, her mother suggested that she counsel with Levi Stockman, a Methodist pastor who had accepted Millerism. Stockman relieved Ellen s mind by telling her of the love of God for His erring children; that instead of rejoicing in their destruction, He longed to draw them to Himself in simple faith and trust. He dwelt upon the great love of Christ and the plan of redemption. Go free, he told her; return to your home trusting in Jesus, for He will not withhold His love from any true seeker (LS 36, 37). That interview was one of the great turning points in Ellen Harmon s life. From that time forward she looked upon God as a kind and tender parent, rather than a stern tyrant compelling men to a blind obedience. Her heart went out toward Him in a deep and fervent love. Obedience to His will seemed a joy; it was a pleasure to be in His service (LS 39). About that same time Ellen came to a fuller understanding of the condition of people in death. Her conclusions on the topic were three in number: (1) the soul is not naturally immortal; (2) death is a condition in which people sleep in the grave until the resurrection at the second coming of Jesus; and (3) the Bible gives us no proof that there is an eternally burning hell (LS 49). Those insights brought great relief to Ellen s mind and heart. After all, as she put it, if at death the soul entered upon eternal happiness or misery, where was the need of a resurrection of the poor moldering body? (LS 49, 50). Her new grasp of conditional immortality not only helped her make sense out of the Bible teaching of the resurrection, but also freed her from the miscon- 16 Disappointed Millerites ception of a fearsome God who tortured people in hellfire throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. She would later explain that it is beyond the power of the human mind to estimate the evil which has been wrought by the heresy of eternal torment. That teaching has made millions into skeptics and infidels. It could not, she held, be harmonized with the Bible s teaching of God s love (GC 536). Ellen Harmon s discovery of God as a tender parent energized her to sound the news of the Second Coming so that others could prepare for the joyous event. Thus, contrary to her naturally shy nature, she began to pray in public, to share with others in the Methodist class meetings her belief in Jesus saving power and His soon return, and to earn money to buy printed material to spread the Advent doctrine. That last activity particularly taxed her. Because of her poor health she had to be propped up in bed to knit stockings at 25 cents a day to do her part. She was desperately in earnest, and that conviction showed up in every aspect of her life. It led many of her young friends to faith in Jesus. Not only was Ellen zealous for the Advent truth preached by Miller, but so were her parents and siblings. But their local church, which taught that Christ would not come until after 1,000 years of peace and plenty, did not appreciate the doctrine of the soon return of Christ. As a result, in September 1843 it expelled the Harmon family from the Methodist Church. Their experience reflected that of many others as Millerite Adventists everywhere refused to remain quiet on the topic of the return of Jesus in the near future. The conflict reached a crisis point as the predicted date neared. But the Millerite Adventists were not overly concerned with their expulsion from the various denominations. After all, Jesus would arrive in a few short months, and then all their troubles would be over. With that hope in mind, the Millerites continued to meet together for encouragement as the predicted time approached. Joy filled their hearts. As Ellen would later put it, the year extending from 1843 into 1844 was the happiest year 17