Manuscript Releases, vol. 15 [Nos. 1136-1185]

MR No. 1148—Ellen G. White and the Apocrypha

[A statement prepared by Arthur L. White in 1969 and now requested for classroom use by Ron Jolliff, religion teacher at Southwestern Adventist College. The paragraph from Manuscript 4, 1850, has not heretofore been released.—R. W. Olson.] 15MR 65.1

While Ellen G. White is not known to have quoted from the Apocrypha there is some documentation of the early years which may be of interest in connection with a study of her relationship to it. James White, in his pamphlet, A Word to the Little Flock, in his first article entitled “The Seven Last Plagues” includes two references to the Apocrypha. 15MR 65.2

Page 2: “The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down, for the corn is withered.”—See Joel 1:15-18; Jeremiah 30:23, 24; Daniel 12:1; Habakkuk 3:12, 13; Zephaniah 1:17, 18; 2:10-13. 15MR 65.3

Page 3: “I will bring them (the saints) with a mighty hand and a stretched-out arm, and smite Egypt with plagues as before,” etc.—2 Esdras 15:11. 15MR 65.4

As he furnished scripture references to two Ellen G. White visions, incorporated in A Word to the Little Flock, he also incorporated some references to the Apocrypha. His explanation which precedes the publication of the first vision states: 15MR 65.5

“The following vision was published in the Day Star, more than a year ago. By the request of friends, it is re-published in this little work, with scripture references, for the benefit of the little flock.”—A Word to the Little Flock, 13. 15MR 65.6

At the bottom of pages 15 and 17 there are references keyed to the E. G. White text, one reference to 2 Esdras 2:43, (p. 15) and the other to 2 Esdras 2:19, (p. 17). 15MR 65.7

It is clear that James White saw some similarities between what Ellen White wrote and some things he had read in Esdras, and so used these references as he did scripture references which he says he supplied. 15MR 66.1