When a prophet speaketh in the name of
the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass,
that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken
it presumptuously; thou shalt not be afraid of him.
Deut. 18:22
Mrs. White made did not make very many predictions,
but she made enough predicitions for us to examine
whether or not she failed. Remember, a true prophet of God will never make a
false prediction:
Everyone at this conference passed away generations ago. Not a single one
was "alive" and "upon the earth to be translated at the coming
of Jesus." This is Ellen White's most terrific prophetic failure.
In 1873, the editor of the Swedish edition of Advent Herald, Mr. C. Carlstedt, had become seriously ill with Typhoid fever.
Mrs. White and others were called to his bedside to pray for Carlstedt. On their way home from the prayer meeting, Mrs.
White remarked that the Lord was...
"present with his restoring
power, to raise Carlstedt, whose sickness was not
unto death, but to the glory of the Son of God." (Charles Lee, Three
Important Questions for Seventh-Day Adventists to Consider)
SDA minister Charles Lee was at the prayer meeting and was a witness to Mrs.
White's prediction. Sadly, Mrs. White was dead wrong. Carlstedt
was dead within one week of her statement. A horrific
failed prediction.
Mrs. White claimed she saw in vision from God the rappings
of the Fox Sisters and others would increase:
I saw that soon it would be considered blasphemy to speak
against the rapping, and that it would spread more and more, that Satan's
power would increase and some of his devoted followers would have power to work
miracles and even to bring down fire from heaven in the sight of men. Early
Writings, p. 59.
This prophecy was a marked failure. We have seen no evidence it was ever condsidered blasphemy to speak against the rapping. Even
though the Spiritualism movement increased in popularity for a short period
during the mid-1800s, it eventually died down. The movement was already on the
decline prior to the Fox sisters' admission in 1888 of fakery, and after their
deaths in the 1890s it continued to decline. The entire Spiritualist movement
fizzled out in the 1920s after popular magician Harry Houdini exposed numerous
popular mediums as fakes and frauds.
Mrs. White made some vague predictions about crime worsening and
cities becoming more polluted. These type of
predictions are difficult to judge, because many other people of her day were
saying the same thing. The problem is that if we considered everyone who made
such generalized predictions to be prophets, then we would literally have
thousands of prophets. General predictions about worsening crime and pollution
simply do not substantiate a prophet's claims. A prophet must be measured on
specific predictions and specific results.
Mrs. White wrote the following in an unpublished manuscript
in 1903:
"
Although she never specified what the "judgment"
would be, she was 50% correct on this prediction, because
Behold, I am against them that prophesy
false dreams, saith the LORD,
and do tell them, and cause my people to err
by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them:
therefore they shall not profit this people at all,
saith the LORD. Jer.
23:32
In the period of 1844-1850, a time when Mrs. White was receiving frequent
public visions, she claimed on a number of occasions to have seen in vision the
door of salvation shut and
that Adventists no longer needed to work for the salvation of the world.
Adventist minister Isaac Wellcome testifies:
I was often in meeting with Ellen G. Harmon and James White
in 1844 and '45. I several times caught her while falling to the floor, --at
times when she swooned away for a vision. I have heard her relate her visions
of these dates. Several were published on sheets, to the effect that all were
lost who did not endorse the '44 move, that Christ had left the throne of
mercy, and all were sealed that ever would be, and no others could repent.
(An Examination of Mrs. Ellen White's Visions, Miles Grant, Boston: Published
by the Advent Christian Publication Society, 1877)
Mrs. White's visions on the "shut door" were even
successful in convincing a few skeptical believers that the door of salvation
was indeed shut. Here is a specific example of how Ellen White saw a falsehood
in vision (the shut door), and then related that vision to other people who
also accepted the false teaching:
While in
Mrs. White's visions of the shut door of salvation
convinced her followers to believe a false doctrine! This caused God's
"people to err" and did "not profit this people at all."
This is concrete evidence that Mrs. White failed the second test of a prophet.
(To learn more about the shut
door, click here).
Here is a letter written by an SDA lady named Mrs. Truesdail,
who was present when Mrs. White received her "solar system" vision:
"Sister White was in very feeble health, and while
prayers were offered in her behalf, the Spirit of God rested upon us. We soon
noticed that she was insensible to earthly things. This was her first view of
the planetary world. After counting aloud the moons of Jupiter, and soon
after those of Saturn, she gave a beautiful description of the rings of the
latter. She then said, 'The inhabitants are a tall,
majestic people, so unlike the inhabitants of earth. Sin has never entered
here.'" (Taken from Mrs. Truesdail's letter,
Jan 27, 1891)
Conditions on Jupiter and Saturn are extemely
inhospitable to life. Jupiter has no solid surface like the earth. The surface
of the planet consists entirely of liquid hydrogen, and the atmospheric
pressure is millions of times greater than the earth's. It is certainly
inhospitable to any type of life we know of, and there is certainly no
indication a race of "tall, majestic people" ever existed there. No
life form of any kind has been identified by any of the numerous space exploration
probes that visited Jupiter in the 1980's and 1990's. This is another falsehood
Mrs. White saw in vision.
We have cited a mere two incidents where Mrs. White saw falsehoods in her
visions. More could be mentioned, but these are sufficient to prove that her
visions did not come from God.
The Bible identifies false prophets as those who steal their writings from
others:
I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken
to them, yet they prophesied. ... Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets,
saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from
his neighbour. Jer.
23:25,30
Much has been written on Mrs. White's extensive plagiarism of the
writings of others. Prior to the publication of Walter Rea's The
White Lie in 1983, Adventists maintained that 8% to 10% of Mrs. White's
work was copied. The SDA church hired Adventist scholar Dr. Fred Veltman to examine the Desire of Ages and he found 30%
or more, depending upon the chapter examined. After great expense and almost
eight years of research, Veltman confirmed what other
studies showed, that depending upon the material examined, the copy work could
be as much as 90%. Dr. Veltman noted:
Implicitly or explicitly, Ellen White and others speaking on
her behalf did not admit to and even denied literary dependency on her part...
I must admit at the start that in my judgment this is the most serious
problem to be faced in connection with Ellen White's literary dependency. It
strikes at the heart of her honesty, her integrity, and therefore her
trustworthiness." (Ministry, Dec. 1990, p. 11,14)
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words,
even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according
to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing...from such withdraw thyself. 1
Tim. 6:3-5
A close examination of Mrs. White's writings shows she
"taught otherwise" by contradicting the Bible:
|
Ellen
White |
Holy
Bible |
|
Satan, who is the father of lies, deceived Adam in
a similar way, telling him that he need not obey God, that
he would not die if he transgressed the law. Evangelism, p. 598. |
And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman
who was deceived and became a sinner. 1 Timothy 2:14 |
|
Ellen
White |
Holy
Bible |
|
God granted their desire, giving them flesh, and leaving
them to eat till their gluttony produced a plague. Counsels on Diet
and Foods, p. 148 |
But while the meat was still between their teeth and
before it could be consumed, the anger of the Lord burned against the
people, and he struck them with a severe plague. Numbers |
|
Ellen
White |
Holy
Bible |
|
Those who accept the Saviour,
however sincere their conversion, should never be
taught to say or feel that they are saved. Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 155 |
These things have I written unto you that believe on the
name of the Son of God: that ye may know that ye have eternal life...
1 John 5:13 |
|
Ellen
White |
Holy
Bible |
|
It is a sin to be sick; for all sickness is the result
of transgression. Health Reformer, |
So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and
smote Job [a "perfect and upright man" (Job 2:3)] with sore boils
from the sole of his foot unto his crown. Job 2:7 |
|
Ellen
White |
Holy
Bible |
|
Bring in your trespass-offerings, your
thank-offerings, and your freewill-offerings; humble your hearts before the
Lord, and He will be found ever ready to receive and pardon. Review
and Herald, |
He, having offered one sacrifice
for all time... Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no
longer any offering for sin. Heb. 10:12,18 |
|
Ellen
White |
Holy
Bible |
|
"Through an angel messenger the divine warning
was conveyed: 'If thou doest well, shalt thou not
be accepted?'" (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 74). |
"Then the Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you
angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right will you not be
accepted?' ... So Cain went out from the Lord's presence"
(Genesis 4:6, 7, 10, 13, 15, 16). |
|
Ellen
White |
Holy
Bible |
|
"The man Christ Jesus was not the Lord God
Almighty" (Letter 32, 1899, quoted in the Seventh-day Adventist
Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1129). |
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and
the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace"
(Isaiah 9:6). |
|
Ellen
White |
Holy
Bible |
|
"The Saviour's visage
was not marred before His enemies." (Desire of Ages, p. 735) |
"His visage was so marred more than any man, and His
form more than the sons of men." [Isa. 52:14] |
Beware of false prophets... Ye shall know them by their fruits. Matt.
7:15,16
Good Fruits: On the positive side, many people have been blessed by
the writings of Ellen White. There are many beautiful and inspiring statements
in her writings (although some of those inspiring statements were actually written
by other authors). Some Adventists claim to have been saved by reading her
writings. Some Adventists claim that Ellen White's testimonies helped them
overcome sin or lead a better life.
Bad Fruits: On the other side, there are a number of statements, particularly
in the Testimonies, where Mrs. White reveals a harsh, critical,
legalistic, judgmental nature. Unfortunately, some people have claimed that
they became harsh, critical, judgmental and legalistic after reading her
writings. Some say her writings have held the church back from advancing into
new truth. They say her writings have locked the church into prophetic
interpretations which no longer make sense in today's world.
If any man think himself to be a
prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto
you are the commandments of the Lord. 1 Cor.
14:37
Did Mrs. White follow Paul's commandments? Times have changed since Paul
walked the earth, and women have a new status in the world. Nevertheless, if
you want to interpret what Paul said literally, without making any special
allowances for the culture during the 1st century A.D., then Mrs. White
blatantly broke Paul's commandments. Just three verses earlier Paul
gives his commandment regarding how women should act in the church:
Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not
permitted unto them to speak...for it is a shame for women to speak in the
church. 1 Cor. 14:34,35
Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer
not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in
silence. 1 Tim. 2:11,12
The Bible commands us to test the prophets:
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try
the spirits whether they are of God, because many
false prophets are gone out into the world. 1
John 4:1
For there shall arise...false prophets...insomuch that if were
possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Matt. 24:24
Jesus says that false prophets will arise who appear so much
like true prophets that even the very elect will be in danger of being deceived
by them! Therefore, it is critically important that we test the
prophets and prove whether or not they are of God.
Fortunately, the Bible helps us
determine who is a true prophet and who is a false prophet by giving us six
specific tests that can easily be applied to any prophet to determine if they
are speaking for God. When these tests are applied to Ellen G. White, it
becomes apparent that she has failed five of the six tests of a prophet.