Why Did Ellen G. White Borrow?

As A Writer

Ellen White obviously was not isolated from others. She was ever an interested observer. Her writing was large in quantity, with more than 25 million words preserved. This writing was of great variety as well. It included insights into the secret lives of her contemporaries. There was educational counsel, inspirational writing, detailed commentary on Bible doctrines, and practical counsel for the home. But we will concentrate on two areas—health counsel and the controversy theme. These subjects are ones where she apparently did most borrowing, so will best illustrate her use of aids. WDEGWB 5.2

1. Health WDEGWB 5.3

Ellen White was given several health visions, beginning in 1848. They gradually opened up the important relation that exists between a healthy body and spiritual experience. Her major vision on this subject, given on June 6, 1863, greatly changed her personal habits: WDEGWB 5.4

I was astonished at the things shown me in vision. Many things came directly across my own ideas (Ms 1, 1863; Selected Messages 3:281).

She determined to write out her message of health before she compared it with others: WDEGWB 5.5

I did not read any works upon health until I had written Spiritual Gifts, Volumes 3 and 4, Appeal to Mothers, and had sketched out most of my six numbers of How to Live (The Review and Herald, October 8, 1867; Selected Messages 3:276).

Then she took a further step: WDEGWB 5.6

After I had written my six articles for How to Live, I then searched the various works on hygiene, and was surprised to find them so nearly in harmony with what the Lord had revealed to me (Ibid).

Finally, after this search through other authors she did the following: WDEGWB 5.7

To show this harmony, and to set before my brethren and sisters the subject as brought out by able writers, I determined to publish How to Live in which I largely extracted from the works referred to (lbid).

In 1864 James and Ellen White visited a “water cure” institution in Dansville, New York, operated by a Doctor Jackson. He was not an Adventist. They wanted to observe his methods. WDEGWB 5.8

The next year the Whites returned to Dansville. James White had suffered a physical breakdown because of overwork. Again Ellen White compared the work of this institution with what she had seen in vision. She found many things that were in agreement. But much that disturbed her. After three months there she left, and wrote the following caution to other Adventists who might consider such a place for treatment: WDEGWB 5.9

They have to carry along with them at all times the gospel sieve and sift everything they hear, that they may choose the good and refuse the bad (Testimonies for the Church 1:490).

She summed up her experience at Dansville as follows: WDEGWB 6.1

We did not feel that the three months passed at this institution was in vain. We did not receive all the ideas and sentiments and suggestions advanced, but we did gather many things of value from those who had obtained an experience in health reform (Ibid). WDEGWB 6.2

She then concluded: WDEGWB 6.3

We did not feel that there was any necessity of gathering the chaff with the wheat (Ms 1, 1867; The Story of Our Health Message, 135).

Some of the points of disagreement were the following: WDEGWB 6.4

The American costume (dress). Ellen White said it was too mannish and immodest. She developed an alternate style earlier noted. (Ibid, 126, 127)

Salt. They called it poison. She said that some salt should be used. (Ibid, 135; and Counsels on Diet and Foods, 344)

Amusements, dancing, card playing, and theater going. These were encouraged, but Ellen White saw dangers. (Ibid, 136)

Prayer was forbidden because it was suggested that too much religion had made some invalids. She believed in prayer for healing. (Ibid, 138)

Complete mental and physical inaction was prescribed for invalids. Ellen White rejected this concept. (Ibid)

After leaving Dansville, the Whites went to Rochester, New York, where she had a vision on December 25, 1865, which included the following instruction: WDEGWB 6.5

I was shown that we should provide a home for the afflicted and those who wish to learn how to take care of their bodies that they may prevent sickness.... Sabbathkeepers should open a way for those of like precious faith to be benefited without their being under the necessity of expending their means at institutions where their faith and religious principles are endangered (Testimonies for the Church 1:489, 490).

What did she do? Evaluating, comparing, she saw that everything must be accepted based on vision. It was necessary to use the “gospel sieve.” There was to be no gathering of “the chaff with the wheat.” It is evident that there was no dependency on other health reformers as sources of truth. Some of what they did was accepted, and some rejected—based on what God had shown her. WDEGWB 7.1

D E Robinson, one of Ellen White’s secretaries, and author of the book The Story of Our Health Message, acknowledges that other health reformers were lecturing and writing in many of the same areas she was, but observed: WDEGWB 7.2

That fact was not left for the discovery of critics many years later, who might thereby assume that Mrs White merely copied from others in her advocacy of health principles (The Story of Our Health Message, 80).

J H Waggoner made the following observation at the time: WDEGWB 7.3

We do not profess to be pioneers in the general principles of the health reform. The facts on which this movement is based have been elaborated, in a great measure, by reformers, physicians, and writers on physiology and hygiene, and so may be found scattered through the land. But we do claim that by the method of God’s choice it has been more clearly and powerfully unfolded, and is thereby producing an effect which we could not have looked for from any other source.

As mere physiological and hygienic truths, they might be studied by some at their leisure, and by others laid aside as of little consequence, but when placed on a level with the great truths of the third angel’s message by the sanction and authority of God’s Spirit, and so declared to be the means whereby a weak people may be made strong to overcome, and our diseased bodies cleansed, and fitted for translation, then it comes to us as an essential part of present truth, to be received with the blessing of God, or rejected at our peril (The Review and Herald, August 7, 1866; The Story of Our Health Message, 79, 80).

Early in her experience as a health reformer, Ellen White said she avoided reading what others had written “lest it should be said that I had received my light upon the subject of health reform from physicians and not from the Lord (The Review and Herald, October 8, 1867; Selected Messages 3:277).” WDEGWB 7.4

In her later writing, however, she purposely compared what others had written with what she had written. Her health message was a unique program, and not a duplication of any health reformer of her day. WDEGWB 7.5

2. History and the controversy theme WDEGWB 7.6

Ellen White wrote history of several kinds. She recorded the early Advent experience in which she participated. She made detailed commentary on the Bible record. She also traced church history after Bible times, with special focus on the Protestant reformation. Important differences can be noticed between her early and later writing of history. WDEGWB 7.7

First, the early history was filled with such phrases as “I saw,” “I was shown,” or “I was carried back,” indicating that her writing was based on visions. The earliest controversy account, written in 1858, contained many such phrases. Written for an Adventist audience, this account is today the latter part of the book Early Writings. The first half of this same book is a reproduction of her first book published in 1851. It also contains many of the same phrases. WDEGWB 8.1

Second, as Ellen White developed the controversy story into the books we call the “Conflict of the Ages,” which include The Desire of Ages and The Great Controversy, these phrases disappeared. She did this deliberately. As later readers included many non-Adventists, she did not want such phrases to raise questions or bring confusion to those who were not acquainted with visions. WDEGWB 8.2

Third, she did something else. She concentrated in later writing on well-known historical events, both in the Bible and secular history. Marian Davis, her major literary assistant in the preparation of The Desire of Ages, makes this point: WDEGWB 8.3

Since these books are sent out without explanation as to the authority by which the author speaks, it was thought best to avoid, as far as we could, statements for which the Bible seems to furnish no proof, or which to the ordinary reader appear to contradict the Bible. Better to give the reader what they will accept and profit by than to excite criticism and questioning that will lead them to discredit the whole (Marian Davis letter to Edson White, December 22, 1898).

What is Marian Davis saying? Simply that as The Desire of Ages was prepared with a large non-Adventist readership likely, that Ellen White chose to comment only on clear Bible accounts. WDEGWB 8.4

The same procedure was followed in The Great Controversy in its later editions. When the 1888 edition appeared after her years in Europe, Ellen White wrote an introduction that really serves for the entire expanded controversy story in the five books of the “Conflict of the Ages” series. In this introduction she speaks of her use of historians as follows: WDEGWB 8.5

In some cases where a historian has so grouped together events as to afford in brief, a comprehensive view of the subject, or has summarized details in a convenient manner, his words have been quoted; but in some instances no specific credit has been given, since the quotations are not given for the purpose of citing that writer as authority, but because his statement affords a ready and forcible presentation of the subject. In narrating the experience and views of those carrying forward the work of reform in our own time, similar use has been made of their published works (GC xii).

W C White, her son, supports these comments: WDEGWB 8.6

She expressed confidence in the historians from whom she had drawn, but never would consent to the course pursued by a few men who took her writings as a standard and endeavored by the use of them to prove the correctness of one historian as against the correctness of another. From this I gained the impression that the principle use of the passages quoted from historians was not to make a new history, not to correct errors in history, but to use valuable illustrations to make plain important spiritual truths (Letter to L E Froom, February 18, 1932).

Ellen White, then, commented on historical events that could be clearly substantiated from available accounts. When the 1911 edition of The Great Controversy was being prepared, there was some changing of historical references. In a statement approved by Ellen White, her son spoke of what was done: WDEGWB 9.1

In a few places where there were statements regarding the papacy which are strongly disputed by Roman Catholics, and which are difficult to prove from accessible histories, the wording of the new edition has been so changed that the statement falls easily within the range of evidence that is readily available (see Selected Messages 3:434-440).

W C White then quotes her: WDEGWB 9.2

Mother has often said: “What I have written regarding the arrogance and assumptions of the papacy is true. Much historical evidence regarding these matters has been designedly destroyed; nevertheless, that the book may be of the greatest benefit to Catholics and others, and that needless controversies may be avoided, it is better to have all statements regarding the assumptions of the pope and the claims of the papacy stated so moderately as to be easily and clearly proved from accepted histories that are within the reach of our ministers and students” (Ibid).

As work on the 1911 edition of The Great Controversy continued, it was noted that there were discrepancies in some quotations because more than one translation had been used. W C White says: WDEGWB 9.3

She [Ellen White] instructed us to verify the quotations, and to correct any inaccuracies found; and where quotations were made from passages that were rendered differently by different translators, to use that translation which was found to be most correct and authentic. (Ibid).

In early years, when Ellen White wrote for an Adventist audience, the visions were prominent. In fact, her work in early years was often referred to by her and others as “the visions.” The visions continued all her life. But her later writing, especially in the controversy story, made more use of other writers. But from beginning to end she did something that other writers could not do. She spoke of the actions of Christ and Satan behind the scenes. Her description of the Bible certainly fits her own experience as a modern prophetic voice: WDEGWB 9.4

In the annals of human history, the growth of nations, the rise and fall of empires, appear as if dependent on the will and prowess of man; the shaping of events seems, to a great degree, to be determined by his power, ambition, or caprice. But in the word of God the curtain is drawn aside, and we behold, above, behind, and through all the play and counterplay of human interest and power and passions, the agencies of the All-Merciful One, silently, patiently working out the counsels of His own will (Prophets and Kings, 499, 500).

In her historical writing, Ellen White clearly did not intend her account to be the standard by which all histories should be judged. After all, she had used their accounts to help tell the story. When she was writing Sketches from the Life of Paul, she supported an advertisement for a book from which she had quoted often: WDEGWB 10.1

The Life of St Paul by Conybeare and Howson I regard as a book of great merit, and one of rare usefulness to the earnest student of the New Testament history (The Signs of the Times, February 22, 1883).

Earlier she recommended L’Aubigne’s History of the Reformation, from which she borrowed material for The Great Controversy. (See The Review and Herald, December 25, 1882.) An obvious conclusion may be drawn—she had no intention of covering up or hiding her borrowing from others. WDEGWB 10.2

Ellen White’s closing comments in The Great Controversy introduction sum up her purpose in historical writing: WDEGWB 10.3

To unfold the scenes of the great controversy between truth and error; to reveal the wiles of Satan, and the means by which he may be successfully resisted; to present a satisfactory solution of the great problem of evil, shedding such a light upon the origin and final disposition of sin as to make fully manifest the justice and benevolence of God in all His dealings with His creatures; and to show the holy, unchanging nature of His law, is the object of this book (The Great Controversy, 12).