A Critical Look at SDA and the Writings of Ellen White

The SDA confirmed that biblical canon is closed at a General Conference in the Netherlands in June 1995.  But in stark contradiction to this, they believe Rev 19:10 “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” refers to Ellen White’s writings, giving them divine authority.  As a result, Ellen White’s many visions and writings have greatly influenced the doctrine of Seventh-Day Adventism. Even today, SDA preachers like Walter Veith give the writings of Ellen White equal authority to scripture.

Scripture supports that the gifts of the spirit ended in the Apostles generation:

• As prophesied in Dan 9:24, in the 77^th generation from Adam, the generation Yahshua was born as listed in Luke 3: 25 – 38, ‘vision חזון and prophecy ונביא’ were ‘sealed up/ended’ חתם. 

• Paul said in 1 Cor 13:8 – 10 “the prophecies הנבואות they הנה will cease תבטלנה, and the speaking in languages והלשנות will be complete תכלינה, and knowledge והדעת will cease תבטל. For כי end of קצת self הוא who know שידענו and end of קצת self הוא who prophesy שנבאנו. And as comes וכבוא the perfect (free from blemish, sound) התמים, at that time אז as a result עבור you will pass over תעבר the end הקצת.” (Looking up the Hebrew words in these verses reveals the true meaning which is hidden in the English translation of the Greek text!)

• Speaking in languages on Pentecost described in Acts 2:1 – 13, was the fulfillment of the ‘day of Yahweh’ prophecy in Joel 2:28 – 32. 

We can be certain that all visions and prophecies after the Apostles generation, including Ellen White’s, were not from Yahweh, but some other source.  The SDA and its members, in giving her prophecies equal weight to scripture, and failing to test the things she wrote that are contrary to the truth of scripture, have leavened their doctrine with lies that will impact on their salvation if they do not turn away from them!

The onus is on each and every one of us to test all things 1 Thes 5:21, test the spirits to see if they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world 1 John 4:1!

In the article Mrs. White’s Visions Explained (on the website nonsda.org), author Dirk Anderson describes the conditions in many churches in the mid-1800’s as full of religious fervour – visions were common, and “prophets of every kind abounded”.  Historians describe meetings as “charismatic in nature”, with loud singing, shouting, faith healing, ‘holy’ laughter, speaking in tongues, and people ‘falling to the floor’ – being ‘slain in the spirit’.  When the fanaticism died down in the 1860’s, visions decreased, ceasing altogether by the 1870’s.  Skepticism towards visions grew, SDA challenged the visions of some, but not those of Ellen White, whose visions changed to dreams.

Anderson weighs the evidence against Ellen White’s visions having been communications from God.  The fact that some of her prophecies did not come true is evidence she was a false prophet.  The outward signs that indicated she was having a vision can be explained by the state of hysteria/mesmerism she was in.  Charismatics and mesmerism were very popular in Christian churches in the mid-1800’s, both exhibit similar behaviours, and both lead to spirit possession.  Anderson considers that the visions may have been from evil spirits, since White acknowledged having a spirit guide, who she said was “a noble, well-dressed young man”, and he admits that some of the doctrine she taught may be considered to be that of demons.

The most damning evidence against Ellen White’s writings are found in the article Inspired Prophet or Medium? (free on archive.org), in which the author provides evidence directly from her writings that Ellen White used occult terminology:

• She used the terms – ‘all-seeing eye’, ‘Great/angelic architect’, and ‘channels of light’,
• She equated transgression of the laws of nature to transgression of the laws of God,
• She refers to ‘Peter’s ladder of eight rounds’, which is similar to the ladder with eight steps to divine man-hood in Buddhism, Gnosticism, and Mithraic mysteries,
• She said that the lesser light leads to the greater light, and
• She describes her dreams of seeing Jesus in the secret chamber at the top of the stairs.

Although White stated Freemasonry and Christianity are incompatible, Mr. Faulkhead, an SDA who had been a high-level Freemason, witnessed her giving a secret hand sign that was made by her spirit guide, known only to the highest-level Freemasons.  Is this evidence that Ellen White was possessed by a spirit, who was the source of her voluminous writings?