Ellen G. White and Her Critics

What Mrs. White Actually Said—Quotation Number 1

But first, let us ask: Just what did Mrs. White say regarding the factors that prompted her to write her testimonies to individuals and church organizations? Here is what she says in Testimonies, volume 3: EGWC 487.3

“God has been pleased to open to me the secrets of the inner life, and the hidden sins of his people. The unpleasant duty has been laid upon me to reprove wrongs and to reveal hidden sins. When I have been compelled by the Spirit of God to reprove sins that others did not know existed, it has stirred up the natural feelings in the hearts of the unsanctified. While some have humbled their hearts before God, and with repentance and confession have forsaken their sins, others have felt a spirit of hatred arise in their hearts. Their pride has been hurt when their course has been reproved.... EGWC 487.4

“Some are ready to inquire, Who told Sister White these things? They have even put the question to me, Did any one tell you these things? I could answer them, Yes; yes, the angel of God has spoken to me. But what they mean is, Have the brethren and sisters been exposing their faults? For the future, I shall not belittle the testimonies that God has given me, to make explanations to try to satisfy such narrow minds, but shall treat all such questions as an insult to the Spirit of God. God has seen fit to thrust me into positions in which he has not placed any other one in our ranks. He has laid upon me burdens of reproof that he has not given to any other one.”—Pages 314, 315. EGWC 488.1