Ellen G. White and Her Critics

Those Dress Reform Patterns

In this same testimony (No. 12) she expresses concern over the fact that “the reform dress is not rightly represented,” that is, this new style of dress was not being made properly. The result was that in many cases, instead of looking neat in appearance and sensible, it looked the very opposite. Said she: EGWC 152.1

“This style of dress is unpopular, and for this reason neatness and taste should be exercised by those who adopt it.... Before putting on the reform dress, our sisters should obtain patterns of the pants and sack worn with it. It is a great injury to the dress reform to have persons introduce into a community a style which in every particular needs reforming before it can rightly represent the reform dress. Wait, sisters, till you can put the dress on right.”—Testimonies for the Church 1:521. EGWC 152.2

It is in this setting that we see great reasonableness in her statement: EGWC 152.3

“I shall have patterns prepared to take with me as we travel, ready to hand to our sisters whom we shall meet, or to send by mail to all who may order them.”—Testimonies for the Church 1:522. EGWC 152.4

The critic cites this passage, quite out of its context, seeking to convey to the reader that Mrs. White not only claimed to have got her pattern from heaven, but had privately made duplicates, and was selling these at a high price and at great profit to herself. The critic says she charged a dollar, but he cites no documentary evidence in support of his statement. EGWC 152.5

The documentary evidence available reveals clearly that she carried on no exclusive work in the distribution of patterns. In The Health Reformer, January, 1868, is an article on “The Reform Dress,” by Dr. Russell, in which he says: “As none should attempt to make the dress without a pattern, we would say, it can be obtained by addressing Miss Dr. Lamson, Health Institute, Battle Greek, Mich. Price, 25 cents.”—Page 107. But in the next issue of The Health Reformer Miss Dr. Lamson stated that this announcement was an error and that the price was 50 cents. EGWC 152.6

If the sisters in the church could secure, through The Health Reformer, which came to many of their homes, a pattern for fifty cents, is it reasonable to believe that Mrs. White would be so foolish as to demand “one dollar each” for these patterns, as alleged? In our examination of charges we have had many exhibits of how stories grew tremendously over the years. We should, therefore, not be surprised if this particular story grew to one dollar! EGWC 152.7