Ellen G. White and Her Critics

The Dominating Motive in Her Life

There was one thought above all others that controlled the minds of James and Ellen White. They firmly believed that despite William Miller’s mistaken interpretation of Daniel 8:13, 14, which led him to set a date for the day of Christ’s coming, Bible prophecy made clear that the day of the personal Advent of our Lord was near at hand. With this they coupled the belief that the great Advent Awakening had come as a result of prophecy, and that the Advent believers should go forward to complete their work of warning and making ready a people prepared to meet their God. These beliefs led this youthful couple to dedicate themselves to the task of quickening again the faith of the Advent believers by correcting the prophetic error, and of stimulating them to new zeal by presenting the prophetic evidence that a further work lay ahead. EGWC 36.8

Mrs. White’s faith and forward look was often greater than that of her husband, and it was rather uniformly greater than that of others who were drawn into the movement as the years went by. This is one of the most singular facts in connection with her life. The reader is invited at this point to turn back a moment to the opening chapter to refresh his mind on the picture presented of the unique, primary place that she occupied through all her years in stirring up leaders and laity alike in the movement, to aggressive, forward action for God. EGWC 37.1

When she came out of a vision she had in November, 1848, she said to her husband: EGWC 37.2

“I have a message for you. You must begin to print a little paper and send it out to the people. Let it be small at first; but as the people read, they will send you means with which to print, and it will be a success from the first. From this small beginning it was shown to me to be like streams of light that went clear round the world.”—Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, 125. EGWC 37.3

When she spoke those words there was literally only a small handful of men who were committed to the distinctive doctrines that later were to characterize the movement now known over the world as the Seventh-day Adventist Church. There was no money; there was no trained personnel with which to set up a publishing work. But those most closely associated with Mrs. White and who thus had the best opportunity to evaluate her spiritual claims, took her words seriously. Out of that vision has grown a world-circling publishing work. EGWC 37.4

She did not suddenly cast a hypnotic spell over all who came within the sound of her voice. Those who heard her were in full possession of their faculties and free will. Slowly but surely the evidence of her work and preaching impressed itself on some who listened and watched, and the number who took her claims soberly and seriously grew steadily. That is a simple statement of fact, and we think it an important fact. EGWC 37.5