The Ellen G. White Letters and Manuscripts: Volume 1

Inspiration and Authority

The question naturally arises as to whether we should recognize the same inspiration and authority in Ellen White's letters and manuscripts as we do in her published books and articles. Some draw an artificial distinction in authority between prophetic writings that derive from visions and prophetic dreams, and those personal testimonies or counsels making no direct appeal to divine revelation. 1EGWLM 33.1

Uriah Smith proposed this idea in a letter he wrote in 1883 to D. M. Canright suggesting that the writings of Ellen White comprise both the truly inspired “visions” and the noninspired “testimonies.”² A century later George E. Rice, in his book Luke, a Plagiarist? demonstrated that the Gospel of Luke is a clear example of an inspired book that came into existence through human “research” (reading and oral interviews), under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, but without any known supernatural revelations (prophetic visions and dreams).³ 1EGWLM 33.2

Consequently, the above-mentioned distinction does not imply artificial degrees of inspiration within the prophetic writings. The mere fact that an item belongs to the literary category of personal correspondence does not necessarily lower its inspiration and authority. In his book Messenger of the Lord Herbert E. Douglass points out that the notion of inspired personal letters derives from the New Testament canon itself. He writes, “Letters to congregations and individuals was the most common method used by New Testament writers. Some of the letters were private; others were meant to be read publicly. It seems most probable that Paul never thought that his letters to Philemon, Timothy, and Titus would become public. But we are all thankful that they did. In these letters we see a mix of common matters with obviously spiritual counsel and instruction. These New Testament letters help us understand better how to relate to Ellen White's many letters that often were private and frequently mixed the common with the sacred. 1EGWLM 33.3

“If the Lord permitted Paul's private letters to be included in the canon for universal distribution, it would be appropriate to believe that the letters of His modern prophet might also bring encouragement and corrective counsel to those who do not have the benefit of her personal ministry.”⁴ 1EGWLM 33.4

However, the reader should recognize that there were also many occasions in which Ellen White addressed “common” subjects with no expectation that the recipients should think she received divine instruction regarding them. Elaborating on this point, she wrote: “But there are times when common things must be stated, common thoughts must occupy the mind, common letters must be written and information given that has passed from one to another of the workers. Such words, such information, are not given under the special inspiration of the Spirit of God. Questions are asked at times that are not upon religious subjects at all, and these questions must be answered. We converse about houses and lands, trades to be made, and locations for our institutions, their advantages and disadvantages.”⁵ 1EGWLM 33.5

Ellen White's statement suggests that it is more the nature of the subject addressed than the literary category of the writing that should guide us on the matter of inspiration and authority. The challenge is that it is not always easy to identify when she dealt with common matters from a noninspired perspective and when she addressed them in an inspired way. 1EGWLM 34.1

In reality, it is much easier to acknowledge in general terms the existence of noninspired elements than to identify them on a practical level. Only another genuine prophet could handle this task in a trustworthy way. But since none of the canonical prophets ever tried to make such a distinction within the writings of other prophets, it seems evident that such a distinction is not critical for accepting and understanding the essence of Ellen White's prophetic messages. 1EGWLM 34.2

Fortunately, in most instances Ellen White made it clear when she intended her words to be taken as conveying divine instruction. This is illustrated in a letter she wrote to her son William that began with observations about the weather: “My dear son: This is one of the coldest mornings we have had this winter. The ground is white with frost, and we can hardly keep warm, even with our fireplace packed with long, heavy chunks.” 1EGWLM 34.3

She continued in the first few paragraphs to describe her bookmaking activities, then on page 2 the letter took a different turn: “The light given me now by the Lord is that we are to be careful not to spend our precious time and money unwisely. Many things may suit our fancy; but we are to guard against the expenditure of money for that which is not bread. We shall need much means to advance the work decidedly in our cities. Everyone is to have a part to act in the Lord's work. Parents are to instruct their children in lessons of economy, in order that the younger members of the flock may learn to share the responsibility of supporting the cause of God at this time.”⁶ 1EGWLM 34.4

Here we find a clear claim to divine revelation, yet embedded within what at first appears to be a “common” letter. Rather than being an exception, this is what the reader of Ellen White's letters and manuscripts will find again and again throughout her correspondence. 1EGWLM 34.5

Once we realize that inspiration may be at work in Ellen White's letters and manuscripts as fully as in her published writings, it is important also to understand that inspiration is a supernatural and multifaceted divine assistance that gives to the prophetic writings a trustworthy nature. Not only “the wholistic scope of inspiration” but also the “overall thematic interrelationship” of her writings makes it almost impossible for someone to speak of them “in dichotomous terms as being reliable in some topics and not in others.”⁷ 1EGWLM 34.6

This is not to say that in those writings one will not find “orthographical or grammatical mistakes, as well as other kinds of language imperfections such as lapsus linguae (a slip of the tongue) or lapsus memoriae (a slip of the memory).” But the Holy Spirit was “in control of the inspired message” and always corrected her “in matters important to the church.”⁸ 1EGWLM 34.7