Ellen G. White and Her Critics

Her Words in 1854 Explain Key Phrase

Remember that Mrs. White’s words are being interpreted in terms of Bates’s theory, and further, that it is claimed James and Ellen White gave up this time theory “a few months before this seven years ended,” that is, shortly before October, 1851. But what Mrs. White’s critics do not state—and in this instance they are guiltless, because the facts were not available to them—is that in 1854 Mrs. White uses the same phrase, “a few months.” This is in one of her unpublished writings, which is on file in the office of the E. G. White Publications in Washington, D.C. The manuscript is dated “February 12, 1854,” and is entitled “Reproof for Adultery and Neglect of Children.” The manuscript is nearly seven pages long, when put in typewritten form. In the first part of this manuscript is found a vigorous condemnation of a violation of the seventh commandment in a certain church. Some in the particular church had not viewed the matter as gravely as they should. With this as a background, we quote at some length from this 1854 manuscript: EGWC 258.2

“He has not been willing to bear reproof, but has been ready to rise up in heart and justify self, was rich and increased in goods, had a whole spirit, would get angry, and all this has been nourished and fostered by some of the church. If those who have been in the church for weeks and months have not learned the straightness of the way, and what it is to be Christians, and can not hear all the straight truths of the word of God, it were better that they were cut off from Israel. It is too late in the day to feed with milk. If souls a month or two old in the truth, who are about to enter the time of trouble such as never was, can not hear all the straight truth, or endure the strong meat of the straightness of the way, how will they stand in the day of battle? Truths that we have been years learning must be learned in a few months by those who now embrace the Third Angel’s Message. We had to search and wait the opening of truth, receiving a ray of light here and a ray there, laboring and pleading for God to reveal truth to us. But now the truth is plain; its rays are brought together. The blazing light of truth when it is presented as it should be can be now seen and brought to bear upon the heart. There is no need of milk after souls are convinced of the truth. As soon as the conviction of truth is yielded to and the heart willing the truth should have its effect, the truth will work like leaven, and purify and purge away the passions of the natural heart. It is a disgrace for those who have been in the truth for years to talk of feeding souls who have been months in the truth, upon milk. It shows they know little of the leadings of the Spirit of the Lord, and realize not the time we are living in. Those who embrace the truth now will have to step fast. There will have to be a breaking up of heart before the Lord, a rending of heart, and not the garment.” EGWC 259.1

Compare this passage with another manuscript statement by Mrs. White, written August 26, 1855. She is here speaking of the labors of her husband when they first began to publish their little paper and to clarify the doctrines that were to become distinctive of Seventh-day Adventists. EGWC 259.2

“By care and incessant labor and overwhelming anxiety has the work gone on until now the present truth is clear, its evidence by the candid undoubted, and it is easy work now to carry on the paper to what it was a few years ago. The truth is now made so plain that all can see it and embrace it if they will, but it needed much labor to get it out clear as it is, and such hard labor will never have to be performed again to make the truth clear.”—MS. 2, 1855. EGWC 259.3

In the light of these two manuscript quotations how clear is the meaning of Mrs. White’s statement of June 27, 1850, calling upon believers to learn “in a few months” “what we have been years learning.” It literally took years, at the very first, to gather “a ray of light here and a ray there” before the light was clear and full so that they could see their way. “But now,” says Mrs. White, “the truth is plain; its rays are brought together. The blazing light of truth when it is presented as it should be can be now seen and brought to bear upon the heart. There is no need of milk after souls are convinced of the truth.” Again, “It is a disgrace for those who have been in the truth for years to talk of feeding souls who have been months in the truth, upon milk.” And why? “It shows they know little of the leadings of the Spirit of the Lord, and realize not the time we are living in. Those who embrace the truth now will have to step fast. There will have to be a breaking up of heart before the Lord, a rending of heart, and not the garment.” EGWC 259.4