Don't Quote Sister White

Hi,

Recently, a portion of Manuscript Releass, Vol. 13, pages 192-207, Manuscript Release #1028 entitled A Call to Reconsecrate, Reorganize, and Advance by Ellen White was brought to my attention. I wanted to see the context of the quote, so I went to the White Estate vault today and copied the entire document. This manuscript represents a talk presented by Ellen White in the Healdsburg College library on April 1, 1901. There are several themes in her presentation which intertwine with each other throughout her talk which I loosely outline as follows:

1. The urgency for individuals to enter new fields of work.

2. The need for those in position of responsibility to get fresh experience in the field.

3. The necessity of connecting the medical and evangelistic efforts as one work.

4. The importance of the health reform work and self-denial.

5. The importance of trusting in God, being united in our work, and being tenderhearted.

6. The importance of relying on scripture, and not herself, as the word from God.

The quote sent to me has to do with this last item where she specifically instructs those in the audience to not quote her as if she is to have the last word on these issues. While these quotes do not represent the bulk of her speech, she makes several significant statements about how her words are not to be used.

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page 192:

"Over and over again men have said, "The voice of the conference is the voice of God; therefore everything must be referred to the conference. The conference must permit or restrict in the various lines of work." As the matter has been presented to me, there is a narrow compass, and within this narrow compass, all the entrances to which are locked, are those who would like to exercise kingly power. But the work carried on all over the field demands an entirely different course of action. There is need of the laying of a foundation different from the foundation which has been laid in the past."

page 196:

"We need men who will stand as true to principle as the needle to the pole. God will test the men who are given responsibilities in His work, and unless they show that they have a true idea of what Christlike principles are, He will remove them and put others in their place. God wants us to know what it means to work on the principles of heaven. He wants those in the office to know what it means for everyone to stand in his lot and place, obeying the words, "Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity' [2 Peter 1:5-7]."

page 199:

"We should be filled with joy and gladness to think that God has given us the privilege of being co-laborers with Him. We may have all the power which God has pledged Himself to give us when we consecrate ourselves to Him. In heaven the pledge was made that all the facilities and riches of heaven would be imparted to every sincere, faithful worker who feels his entire dependence upon God."

page 200:

"How can the Lord bless those who manifest a spirit of "I don't care," a spirit which leads them to walk contrary to the light which the Lord has given them? But I do not ask you to take my words. Lay Sister White to one side. Do not quote my words again as long as you live until you can obey the Bible. When you make the Bible your food, your meat and your drink, when you make its principles the elements of your character, you will know better how to receive counsel from God. I exalt the precious Word before you today. Do not repeat what I have said, saying, "Sister White said this," and "Sister White said that.' Find out what the Lord God of Israel says, and then to what He commands. Christ said, 'I must work the works of Him that sent Me.'" [Bold emphasis supplied]

page 203:

"Do not refer to what Sister White has said. I do not ask you to do this. God has told me that my testimony must be borne to this conference, and that I must not try to make men believe it. My work is to leave the truth with the people, and those who appreciate the light from heaven will accept the truth. God wants you to make straight paths for your feet, lest the lame shall be turned out of the way."  [Bold emphasis supplied]

page 207:

"May God help you all and help me. I want help and strength and power. But do not quote Sister White till you stand on vantage ground, where you know what you are doing. Take the Word of God. It is full of meat and drink. Study the Bible, and you will know more of God than you do now. You will have something fresh to impart to others. You will not go over the same ground again and again. You will realize that there is a world to save. I ask you to put on the whole armor, and be sure that your feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace."

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Clearly she is emphasizing that God's Word is to be the evidence we rely on and our rule of faith must rest on that and not her words. She specifically instructs those in the audience to not quote her as if she is to have the last word on health reform, the work in new fields, and other issues. I take this to be a principle that applies beyond the specific issues she dealt with in her talk and has a rightful application in other areas of understanding. Her instruction to not quote her or rely on what she has said seems particularly appropriate where we find on close examination that her words in one place are unwittingly contradictory to what she has written in another place. It seems to me to be even more important to lay Sister White aside when her writing is contrary to scripture as I have shown her statement on page 667.3 of Desire of Ages regarding prayer to be contrary to Jesus' statement in John 16:26.

When she says that "We should be filled with joy and gladness to think that God has given us the privilege of being co-laborers with Him", she is exalting our position with God without the need to rely on her words as an interpreter of His Word. We are not to place Ellen White in the position of a "Virgin Mother Mary" so that everything we understand about the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ must be filtered through her lens. We are to gain understanding directly from the Father and Holy Spirit as a result of our prayerful study of scripture. Where we find a discrepancy between her words and the evidence of scripture, I believe that, based on the sentiment expressed in her talk quoted above, she would be the first to request that her words be laid aside.

Please take this into consideration as you study the apparently contradictory statements on page 557.3 of Desire of Ages that Jesus arrived in Bethany on Friday which was six days before Passover, which places Passover no later than Thursday of Passion Week, which would indicate a Wednesday crucifixion, and other statements on pages 769.1 and 794.2 that indicate that He was crucified on the sixth day of the week. These statements do not appear to be compatible with each other. At least some portion of the words of Ellen White must be laid aside. I intend to lay aside that portion that does not agree with scripture. If anyone can explain how they are compatible, I'd like to hear the explanation.

Considering the pattern for the observance of Passover established by Jesus in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, it is not possible to have the Passover on Thursday and the crucifixion on Friday. The Pascal lamb is to be slain and roasted before it is eaten. If Passover is Thursday, but Jesus is crucified on Friday, then the lamb is eaten alive and then slain and roasted after it is eaten. Such a concept is nonsense! As I've said before, a Friday crucifixion is not possible. Teaching a Friday crucifixion and Sunday morning resurrection where Jesus is in the tomb only for one and one-half days is the basis for the promotion of Sunday as the Lord's Day and is the basis for man thinking that he can change God's appointed times. Man can no more change God's appointed times than he can change gravity.

Thanks for reading.

Cordially,
Jerry

----- Original Message -----

Hi Jerry,

I hope that this season finds you in good health and spirits. The articles that you gave me have made me few friends....I think most people tend to want to move away from such radical ideas. But there have been a few that have looked at it and are agreeing after careful study.

I think the greatest obstacle for most is to be told that Ellen White made a mistake. Most cannot accept that.

You once mentioned that there was a historical error found in Matthew, would you elaborate on this. Perhaps people would be better able to see and understand that man, even under inspiration can make mistakes. I'm not sure if I put that write but I think you know what I mean.

If you could elaborate a little on this it might be helpful as well. And if you have any updates or changes that you have made to your documents, please pass them on to me.

God's blessings to you and yours during this season.
Bob