The Pocket Ellen G. White Dictionary

D

daguerreotype — duty

daguerreotype

An early photographic process that was popular in the United States during the 1850s and 1860s. The process exposed a picture on a piece of silvered metal, usually copper. Ellen G. White used the term as a metaphor: “The word of God is to us a daguerreotype of the mind of God and of Christ” (3T 538).

Dammon (also Damman, Damon), Israel (1811—1886)

A Millerite who was an early supporter of Ellen G. Harmon’s ministry in early 1845. He was twice arrested for disturbing the peace on different occasions. The first instance resulted in a trial in 1845. He later claimed to have received a vision and rejected Ellen’s ministry. In 1874, *Miles Grant used the Israel Dammon incident to undermine the credibility of Ellen G. White’s ministry, but *D. M. Canright dismissed Dammon as a *fanatic whose followers had disrupted his own evangelistic *work in Maine. Even after Canright’s later apostasy, with all of his systematic attacks against Ellen G. White’s prophetic ministry, he did not believe the incident of Dammon’s trial as credible enough to use in his own assaults against Ellen G. White’s prophetic ministry.

Daniells, Arthur Grosvenor (1858—1935)

Adventist minister and administrator. He worked with *R. M. Kilgore in Texas beginning in 1878. He served briefly as a literary assistant to James and Ellen G. White. He later served as an evangelist in New Zealand in 1886. After moving to Australia, he again worked closely with Ellen G. White. In 1901, he led a bold move to reorganize the General Conference and was afterward elected president of the General Conference, a position he held until 1922. He played a pivotal role—after Ellen G. White’s death—in the *1919 Bible Conference. He strongly affirm

daysman

A mediator. Ellen G. White refers to Jesus as our D “Daysman” (DA 25).

death

The cessation of life. Ellen G. White accepted the biblical view that when a person dies, they “sleep,” or do not know anything until resurrected by Jesus at the *Second Coming. In this respect, she was sympathetic to the teachings of George Storrs and other Millerites who adopted the nonimmortality of the soul.

declension

A state of deterioration or decline. A term often associated with a spiritual danger. Ellen G. White warned against “spiritual declension,” “religious declension,” or “moral declension” (GC 253, 260, 279). Ellen G. White sometimes used the term in contrast with the need for spiritual insight (5T 211). Only those who could see things from Heaven’s perspective had spiritual insight in contrast to those whose sensibilities were beclouded in “spiritual declension.”

Deism

A philosophy that emphasizes that God is not actively involved in the affairs of human beings in this world. Deism became very popular during the time of the American Revolution. *William Miller was a Deist prior to his conversion and subsequent adoption of views about the *Second Coming. Ellen White warned her readers about the “infidel productions” of the deist philosopher Thomas aine (ST April 21, 1890).

deleterious

Harmful. Workers at the *Battle Creek Sanitarium, for example, were admonished to be aware of their influence and to avoid any “deleterious influenc ” that might sway them “from the path of right” (4T 562).

dilatory

Slow to act. Ellen G. White warned against those who “delay” or are “even dilatory” before it is too late (4T 343).

disaffection

In the phrase “the poison of disaffectio ” (4T 195), disaffectio refers to a rebellious spirit.

discipline

A common term most often referring to *church discipline, or Christian discipline, which was a common way to maintain church order. Another important use of the word related to discipline of children. Such discipline must be redemptive. On the one extreme are parents who neglect discipline, and on the other are parents who are harsh. Neither one, according to Ellen G. White, is condoned by the *Bible. She also spoke about the importance of self-discipline, particularly as related to one’s *habits and *character.

discrimination

The act of carefully distinguishing between right and wrong. Ellen White urged believers to have “keen discrimination” (PP 378). Although she never used this term in the sense of racial discrimination, Ellen White spoke often of the concept with the word *caste.

disinterested

Benevolence. Service to others with no respect to oneself. Jesus is the ultimate model of disinterested benevolence by leaving heaven to come to Earth and die.

dissemblers

People who disguise or conceal themselves behind false appearances or who disguise their real natures or motives (5T 299). Ellen G. White referred to Achish (1 Sam. 21:11—15; 28:1—2; 29:2—11), who complained as part of those “dissembling” elements (PP 673).

dissipation

Overindulgence in sensual pleasures, or squandering resources, such as money. Ellen G. White compared the time of Noah to the present time in which “the transgressors of God’s law are filling the earth with wickedness. Thei betting, their horse racing, their gambling, their dissipation, D their lustful practices, their untamable passions, are fast fillin the world with violence” (DA 633). Similarly, she described how *Martin Luther was horrified at the “dissipation” of the monks and citizens during his visit to Rome (GC 125).

doctrine

The organization of the church’s teachings into various theological articles based on the Bible’s teaching. Ellen G. White, like most Adventists of her time, cautioned against creeds, yet she was not against the careful articulation of doctrines from Scripture. In contrast with much of the *Protestant world, Ellen G. White rejected tradition and taught that *truth should be adhered to as progressive *light revealed in the *Bible. The earliest statement of Seventh-day Adventist doctrines was articulated by *Uriah Smith in 1872.

domestic wine

A *Victorian term used to describe grape juice that could be slightly fermented. In one instance, Ellen G. White admonished a husband for not giving his pregnant wife enough nutritious food. She said that some “domestic wine” would have helped this woman to get the nutrition that she needed (2T 383).

dress reform

Ellen G. White urged that Seventh-day Adventists “dress plainly”; the garments should be both healthful and

drudgery

Anything that is burdensome, especially used in conjunction with household *duties. “Nothing is drudgery to the one who submits to the will of God” (9T 150).

drug(s)

A broad term in the nineteenth century for any kind of medication. Ellen G. White noted that the majority of drugs available during her lifetime, especially at the time of her *health reform vision in 1863, were poisonous substances prescribed by medical doctors (2SM 276— 303). These drugs included alcohol, opium, and cocaine. She commended “ simpler remedies” (2SM 279); but as medical science increased, she did not oppose all medications, dietary supplements, or inoculations.

duty

Also: duties. Frequently used in the phrase “ sense of duty, ” this was a well-known term from Ellen G. White’s time to indicate responsibility. “ Obedience to God is the first duty of