Understanding Ellen White

Ellen White’s passion for the love of God in Christ

Ellen White grew up in a deeply religious home. Her father was a class leader in the Methodist Church, and even helped start a branch congregation on the south side of Portland, Maine, U.S.A., during the early 1840s. Ellen’s childhood and teenage personality was introverted and melancholy. She had an intense inner life with high personal expectations. Probably her principal fault as a child was keeping things bottled up inside. This resulted in a lengthy emotional struggle without answers to vital questions. Her conversion spanned a period of about seven years and went through three phases. She experienced a deathbed conversion, and wrestled with justification and forgiveness of sin and, finally, the issue of sanctification and holiness in terms of the second coming of Jesus. ¹ UEGW vi.2

Her accident, which probably occurred in 1836 or 1837, set a new course for her life. A stone thrown by an older schoolmate broke her nose and made her a virtual invalid for the remainder of her childhood. Due to her injury, it was thought that she would die. In her weakness, she simply gave her heart to Jesus and found peace. However, as she recovered from her accident, she entered a new phase in her conversion process. UEGW vi.3

Her accident interrupted her educational plans and produced bitter thoughts toward God. Her fear of an eternally burning hell, which she had inherited from her Methodist faith, caused her to view God as an unjust tyrant. Being an avid reader, she was influenced by contemporary Christian biographies that idealized the Christian experience by avoiding the ongoing need for forgiveness of sin. This caused her to feel that she was not a Christian because of her feelings toward God. A pivotal experience in her conversion was realizing that Jesus could forgive her sins, which she experienced at an 1841 Methodist camp meeting in Buxton, Maine, U.S.A. This led to her baptism on June 26, 1842. UEGW vi.4

While her view of Jesus was transformed by His forgiveness, she was still fearful of God. After her baptism, a continued sense of her sinfulness and the necessity of holiness in preparation for the second coming of Jesus caused her to doubt her salvation. UEGW vii.1

At some point after her baptism, and at perhaps the lowest point in her experience, she had a dream of seeing Jesus. UEGW vii.2

There was no mistaking that beautiful countenance; that expression of benevolence and majesty could belong to no other. As His gaze rested upon me, I knew at once that He was acquainted with every circumstance of my life and all my inner thoughts and feelings. UEGW vii.3

I tried to shield myself from His gaze, feeling unable to endure His searching eyes; but He drew near with a smile, and laying His hand upon my head, said, “Fear not.” The sound of His sweet voice thrilled my heart with happiness it had never before experienced. I was too joyful to utter a word, but, overcome with emotion, sank prostrate at His feet. ² UEGW vii.4

Ellen White did not identify this view of Jesus as a prophetic dream. It was rather a personal God-given dream that gave her courage to talk with her mother about her doubts and fears. This led to the final step in her conversion process. Eunice Harmon, Ellen’s mother, arranged for Ellen to talk with Levi Stockman—a Methodist Adventist minister whom she trusted. Stockman, who would die of tuberculosis before the 1844 disappointment, was a man of deep spiritual experience. Perhaps for the first time, Ellen opened her heart and told all of her troubles. When she had finally poured out her sorrows, doubts, and fears, she saw that Stockman was weeping as well. The deeply practical help he gave her would affect her for the rest of her life. He changed her view of God, and she remarked in later years regarding this interview: UEGW vii.5

My views of the Father were changed. I now looked upon Him as a kind and tender parent, rather than a stern tyrant compelling men to a blind obedience. My heart went out towards Him in a deep and fervent love. Obedience to His will seemed a joy; it was a pleasure to be in His service. ³ UEGW vii.6

In later years, the parental or paternal love of God became Ellen White’s favorite theme. ⁴ She also taught that it was Jesus’ favorite theme. ⁵ Her favorite song was “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” by John Wesley. ⁶ The following illustrates her passion on this topic: UEGW vii.7

All the paternal love which has come down from generation to generation through the channel of human hearts, all the springs of tenderness which have opened in the souls of men, are but as a tiny rill to the boundless ocean when compared with the infinite, exhaustless love of God. Tongue cannot utter it; pen cannot portray it. You may meditate upon it every day of your life; you may search the Scriptures diligently in order to understand it; you may summon every power and capability that God has given you, in the endeavor to comprehend the love and compassion of the heavenly Father; and yet there is an infinity beyond. You may study that love for ages; yet you can never fully comprehend the length and the breadth, the depth and the height, of the love of God in giving His Son to die for the world. Eternity itself can never fully reveal it. Yet as we study the Bible and meditate upon the life of Christ and the plan of redemption, these great themes will open to our understanding more and more. ⁷ UEGW vii.8

The Holy Spirit led Ellen White to frame the presentation of her lifelong great controversy theme, portrayed in the five-volume Conflict of the Ages Series, in these terms. The first book, Patriarchs and Prophets begins with the words: ” ‘God is love.’ 1 John 4:16. His nature, His law, is love. It ever has been; it ever will be.” The last book, The Great Controversy, ends with the following words: “One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. . . . From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love.” ⁸ Her most translated and widely read book is Steps to Christ (1892). The first chapter of this book is on the love of God. Other Christ-centered books include Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing (1896), The Desire of Ages (1898), Christ’s Object Lessons (1900), Education (1903), and The Ministry of Healing (1905). UEGW viii.1

During the 1890s, while she was in Australia, Ellen White did much writing for The Desire of Ages. The work on this book brought out strong emotions that were expressed in her personal diary and in her correspondence. The following comments from her diary and other writings reveal the depth of her feelings toward Jesus. UEGW viii.2

Oh, how inefficient, how incapable I am of expressing the things which burn in my soul in reference to the mission of Christ! . . . I know not how to speak or trace with pen the large subject of the atoning sacrifice. I know not how to present subjects in the living power in which they stand before me. I tremble for fear lest I shall belittle the great plan of salvation by cheap words. ⁹ UEGW viii.3

My whole being longs after the Lord, I am not content to be satisfied with occasional flashes of light. I must have more. ¹⁰ UEGW ix.1

In writing upon the life of Christ I am deeply wrought upon. I forget to breathe as I should. I cannot endure the intensity of feeling that comes over me as I think of what Christ has suffered in our world. ¹¹ UEGW ix.2

I awoke at three o’clock a.m. I feel deeply the need of casting my helpless soul upon Jesus Christ. He is my helper. He is my all and in all. I am weak as water without the Holy Spirit of God to help me. ¹² UEGW ix.3

I find tears running down my cheeks when I think of what the Lord is to His children, and when I contemplate His goodness, His mercy, [and] His tender compassion. ¹³ UEGW ix.4

Ellen White had a lifelong core passion for Jesus and the love of God. It has been necessary to limit the examples and illustrations, but perhaps one can begin to capture the strong pulse of her Christian experience. This personal experience and her prophetic visions were permeated with this reality and were blended in a harmonious way throughout her life and ministry. UEGW ix.5

The discussion of Ellen White’s prophetic revelation is not merely an academic exercise. The very nature of her message draws a person to a loving God who is revealed in the gift of Jesus. UEGW ix.6