Ellen G. White and Her Critics

Concessions to Human Frailty

We think that these statements speak for themselves and reveal no inconsistency, no contradiction, on Mrs. White’s part. After all, even prophets of God can only set forth principles. God has not commissioned them as policemen to enforce the principles. Furthermore, it was still to be possible for the sisters in the church to give obedience to the principles in terms of a “less objectionable style” that she then sought to present. EGWC 157.2

Our Lord said, in explanation of a certain course of conduct allowed to the ancient Jews: “Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives.” Strictly speaking, it was not Moses, but He who spoke through Moses, that allowed this. EGWC 157.3

When the children of Israel wanted a king to rule over them so that they might be like the nations round about them, the Lord said to them, through the prophet Samuel, that in asking for a king they were rejecting Him, the Lord of heaven. Yet the Lord followed this with instruction to Samuel to pour the anointing oil upon Saul to make him king. Later King David received the special blessing of God and the assurance that his throne would be established forever. EGWC 157.4

The critics find no difficulty with these Scriptural incidents, but they affect great amazement over the fact that Mrs. White, who stated explicitly that the reform dress was simply a “minor” item, should have withdrawn her advocacy of it in favor of a “less objectionable” dress, which retained the essential features of the reform dress. EGWC 157.5