Ellen G. White and Her Critics

Three Key Doctrines Rounded Out

Thus were rounded out the main features of the most distinctive doctrines that were to distinguish Seventh-day Adventists from that day to this. Let us summarize: EGWC 189.2

1. The doctrine of the literal, personal Second Advent of Christ. This doctrine was retained essentially as preached in the Millerite movement, except for the element of definite time. The time element in that movement had been the 2300-day prophecy. But our fathers, by their new interpretation of that prophecy, thereby took from it any possible use as a key to unlock the mystery of the date of Christ’s Advent. That is why Seventh-day Adventists, from the very beginning, have been singularly free from the disheartening and embarrassing mistake of attempting to set a definite time for the coming of the Lord. ^‡ So far as time is concerned, Seventh-day Adventists have confined themselves to the words of our Lord, that when we see certain signs of the Advent take place we can know that “it is near even at the doors.” EGWC 189.3

2. The doctrine of the Sabbath, which received its first acceptance by a little group of Adventists in 1844 in Washington, New Hampshire, under the simple teaching of the binding claims of the law of God, now was reinforced by various prophetic passages, particularly Revelation 14:9-12, which gave to the Sabbath doctrine its significance as a part of present truth, a testing, sealing message for the last days of earth’s history. EGWC 189.4

3. The doctrine of the heavenly sanctuary, which explained their disappointment, now took shape as a well-defined tenet interlocked with the doctrine of the Sabbath. EGWC 190.1

It is interesting, and we believe significant, that the clear formulating of these major doctrines was accompanied by a correcting of their view of the shut door. EGWC 190.2