Ellen G. White and Her Critics

The Anonymous Article That Amadon Answered

And what does that article say? We have never seen it quoted by the critics. Whether this is because they have not wished to or could not secure it, we know not. ^* Patently, the article is of prime importance in the investigation of the lawsuit charge. We publish it now, in full, as it appeared in the Battle Creek Moon, April 29, 1907. It is entitled “Testimonies Under the Limelight:” ^† EGWC 434.3

“Prophetess Ellen G. White, alleged mother of Seventh Day Adventism, is a plagiarist. Instead of receiving her inspirations from On High, or even from Holy writ, the latter of which is deemed scarcely necessary in her case, she seems to be receiving them or at least a portion of them from a book published back in 1855 [correct date 1851-52], and long since out of print. EGWC 435.1

“The volume wherein she copied from it, without quotation or credit is also out of print, but a few copies of each remain. A Moon reporter, after having been denied an interview by several followers of the prophetic Ellen, determined to do a little investigating for himself, and in reviewing her ‘Sketches from the Life of Paul,’ found a striking similarity to something which he had read long ago. Comparison told the tale. EGWC 435.2

“Her book published by The Review & Herald Publishing Company, of Battle Creek, in 1883, and soon suppressed, contains over two hundred borrowed sentences, from the ‘Life and Epistles of the Apostle Paul,’ by Rev. W. J. Conybeare, of Trinity College, Cambridge, and published in 1855 [sic]. EGWC 435.3

“No credit is given to that author, no quotation marks are used. In fact, quotation marks are never used by the prophetess. Her plan of authorship is to pick up the pen, and the Lord guides it. The publishers of ‘Mother’ White’s ‘Sketches from the Life of Paul,’ preface her work by putting it this way: ‘This is the distinctive feature of the book, and is that which makes it particularly valuable. The writer, having received especial help from the Spirit of God is able to throw light upon the teachings of Paul and their application to our time, as no other authors are prepared to do.’ EGWC 435.4

“And the rank and file of ‘Mother’ White’s followers look upon all her writings and sayings, in practically that same light. Criticism of her or any of her doings, is considered an insult to the Creator, because she ‘seeth with his eyes, speaketh with his tongue, and writeth with his pen.’ Attempt to interview one of them about her, and they will elucidate upon her wisdom in much the same language as the Apostles were prone to elucidate upon the wisdom of Christ. Hence, the recent difficulties in the West End [of Battle Creek]. EGWC 435.5

“The ‘Great’ prophetess hath spoken, and her followers have listened with the same nervous tension as though it had been Gabriel’s trumpet. EGWC 435.6

“The exodus which followed her tirade against the Sanitarium and Battle Creek, makes an exposition of her inspiration of more than local interest. Her book was probably suppressed because the clumsy copying she had done, was brought to the attention of the Review & Herald, and it was feared that for it to fall into the hands of the learned and scholarly world would mean a siege of muckrakism that might disrupt the entire Adventist church. Accordingly they called in as many of the volumes as possible in order that they might continue to use Mrs. White as the ‘Voice of God’ to humbug a superstitious people. EGWC 435.7

“It would be impossible and perhaps not interesting, from a newspaper standpoint, to give all of the 200 sentences ‘stolen’ by Mrs. White from the work of the Rev. Conybeare. Let it suffice to say, that practically chapter by chapter she has followed his book, with slightly changed headings, even following his paragraphs, sometimes almost in toto. The Rev. Mr. Conybeare, when he wrote his book in 1855 [sic], undoubtedly never dreamed that it would one day be mistaken for the ‘Spirit of God.’ EGWC 436.1

“A few of these, more than 200, ‘inspired’ utterances, contained in Prophetess White’s book, but ‘inspired’ by Rev. Conybeare’s previous publication, will be sufficient to convince the casual reader. To save space, the quotations from the latter are marked ‘W.J.C.,’ and those from the former, ‘E.G.W.’ Note the similarity.... EGWC 436.2

[Then follow four parallel passages, equivalent to a page and a half of typewritten matter. They can be seen in the writings of any critic. To save space we therefore omit them here.] EGWC 436.3

“The Adventists in the West End [of Battle Creek], however, are gradually growing wiser. A considerable portion of them no longer believe that Ellen G. White writes her books, or her prophecies, but that they are the work of her son ‘Willie,’ and often dictated by Elder Daniel’s [Daniells] et cetera. Her stronghold is now at Washington, D.C., not Battle Creek, where the Review & Herald, the acknowledged mouthpiece of the Whiteites, is still claiming that such utterances as above quoted were written under the direct guidance of the Almighty, while thoroughly denouncing all who are unwilling to blindly accept the preposterous pretense.” EGWC 436.4

The defamatory style and tone of this anonymous article leaves no doubt that its author, or authors, would not have hesitated to set forth the lawsuit story if it had then been in circulation and had had even a shadow of plausibility. They specifically speak of the book’s being “suppressed,” and of there being “called in as many of the volumes as possible.” For this no proof is offered. How repeatedly we have discovered that critics make the most sweeping charges, but forget to provide the proof! EGWC 436.5