The Testimony of Jesus

Unwarranted Distinctions

Some have made a fine distinction between the various writings of Mrs. White. They have claimed that articles written by her for different periodicals should be regarded merely as we regard articles from any other writer, and that they should not be received with the same appeal as her printed books; that many of her communications should be classed merely as letters. We have the utmost confidence in the honesty and sincerity of the one whom God appointed as His special messenger to His church. Assuredly, if she was true to her sacred trust, she would not write out her own personal ideas, and send these out as messages from the Lord. To credit her with doing this would be to charge her with rank dishonesty and gross misrepresentation. TOJ 63.4

This does not say, by any means, that every letter that Mrs. White ever wrote was written under the inspiration of the Spirit of the Lord. It does not imply that what she said in ordinary conversation was necessarily directed of God. She never made any such claim as this. Mrs. White sometimes gave expression to her own personal views, but she always pointed to the Bible as the guidebook which all should follow, and frankly and honestly altered or reversed her personal opinion if God revealed to her through the Bible or by a vision of His Spirit that she was in error, even as did Nathan the prophet in the personal advice he gave King David regarding the building of the temple. (See 2 Samuel 7:1-17.) She considered herself a sinner saved by grace, and like the apostle Paul, was earnestly pressing forward toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. TOJ 63.5

We must believe that what she gave, by either voice or pen, in printed page or through the medium of correspondence, as the messages of God, was true to this representation. We must accept her statement as true relative to this, or else reject altogether her call to the prophetic office. Regarding her communications, sent out in these various ways, the messenger of the Lord, in a letter addressed to the church in Battle Creek, says: TOJ 64.1

“When I went to Colorado, I was so burdened for you, that, in my weakness, I wrote many pages to be read at your camp meeting. Weak and trembling, I arose at three o’clock in the morning to write to you. God was speaking through clay. You might say that this communication was only a letter. Yes, it was a letter, but prompted by the Spirit of God, to bring before your minds things that had been shown me. In these letters which I write, in the testimonies I bear, I am presenting to you that which the Lord has presented to me. I do not write one article in the paper expressing merely my own ideas. They are what God has opened before me in vision—the precious rays of light shining from the throne.”—Testimonies for the Church 5:67. TOJ 64.2

Some years later, speaking of her books, she wrote: TOJ 65.1

“Sister White is not the originator of these books. They contain the instruction that during her lifework God has been giving her. They contain the precious, comforting light that God has graciously given His servant to be given to the world.”—The Colporteur Evangelist, 36. TOJ 65.2

On another occasion she appealed to some in the church not to make those criticisms and fine distinctions which would take all the point and power from the Testimonies. She argued that the Testimonies must be inspired of God, and therefore accepted as such; or they must come from Satan, and therefore be rejected in their entirety. We read: TOJ 65.3

“And now, brethren, I entreat you not to interpose between me and the people, and turn away the light which God would have come to them. Do not by your criticisms take out all the force, all the point and power, from the Testimonies. Do not feel that you can dissect them to suit your own ideas, claiming that God has given you ability to discern what is light from heaven, and what is the expression of mere human wisdom. If the Testimonies speak not according to the Word of God, reject them. Christ and Belial cannot be united. For Christ’s sake, do not confuse the minds of the people with human sophistry and skepticism, and make of none effect the work that the Lord would do. Do not, by your lack of spiritual discernment, make of this agency of God a rock of offense whereby many shall be caused to stumble and fall, ‘and be snared, and be taken. ’”—Testimonies for the Church 5:691 TOJ 65.4