HOW A DOUBTER DISCOVERED THAT ELLEN WHITE WROTE HER OWN BOOKS

W
M. L. Andreasen Speaks about Ellen White
M PART ONE OF TWO
1
2
0 M.L Andreasen’s experience is clearly as- time, he had learned of the doctrinal crisis which
0 tounding. He was personally given the oppor- confronted our denomination.
tunity to carefully examine Ellen White’s writ- He began protesting vigorously about the change
ings at Elmshaven. Fully believing that some- in our doctrines which was taking place during the
one else had written them, he was hoping to 1954-1956 Evangelical Conferences. Unfortunately,
clearly prove this once and for all. But, instead, our leaders in the General Conference strongly de-
he discovered, to his complete astonishment, sired to please Walter Martin, Donald Barnhouse,
that she had written them all herself! and Evangelical church leaders in order to gain ac-
But first, we will provide you with a brief biog- ceptance by modern Protestantism.
raphy of this earlier leader in our church: Andreasen’s protests were primarily made
Milian Lauritz Andreasen (1876-1962) was through a series of letters written to Elder Reuben
born in Copenhagen, Denmark. He immigrated first Figuhr, president of the General Conference. These
to Canada and thence to the United States where, letters were later compiled in a book, Letters to
as a young man, he was converted to Adventism. the Churches. Andreasen’s death, in 1962, was pre-
Possessing a powerful mind and a liking for hard maturely hastened by his sorrow over our doctri-
work, Andreasen was ordained to the ministry in nal sellout. He died of a bleeding ulcer. Andreasen,
1902 and quickly rose to positions of leadership. our leading doctrinal writer in the 1940s, well-un-
After serving as president of the Greater New York derstood the consequences of what had happened.
Conference (1909-1910), he became president of In response to his protests, Andreasen’s minis-
Hutchinson Theological Seminary (1910-1918) in terial credentials were taken, even his denomina-
Minnesota. (Until its closure in 1928, Hutchinson tional pension! For the remainder of his life, he
trained Danish- and Norwegian-language workers.) was banned from speaking in any of our churches
In 1918, Andreasen became dean of Union Col- or meetings. (For a rather complete account of that
lege (1918-1922), followed by deanship of Wash- entire crisis, we refer you to our book, The Evan-
ington Missionary (now Columbia Union) College gelical Conferences and their Aftermath.)
(1922-1924). Two years later, he was called to the
presidency of the Minnesota Conference (1924- — PART ONE —
1931); then he became president of Union College EXCERPTS FROM ANDREASEN’S DIARY
(1931-1938). From 1941 to 1950, he was a field Here are several excerpts from the private
secretary of the General Conference; from 1938 to diary of M.L. Andreasen, about his varied con-
1949, he also taught at our Theological Seminary tacts with the Spirit of Prophecy and Ellen
in Washington, D.C. White. The passages are quoted from the book,
M.L. Andreasen wrote many articles and more Without Fear or Favor: The Life of M.L. Andrea-
DATE OF PUBLICATION: MARCH 2004

than 13 books (including The Sanctuary Service, sen, by Virginia Steinweg.

The Epistle to the Hebrews, A Faith to Live By,
What Can a Man Believe? and Saints and Sin- M.L. Andreasen became an Adventist in 1894
ners). at Council Bluffs, Iowa. Then he discovered the writ-
Throughout the 1940s, Andreasen was consid- ings of Ellen White:
ered our leading doctrinal expert. He was consid- “I found the books most instructive and help-
ered a special authority in the study of the Sanctu- ful in every way, but I had my doubts that they
ary message. had been written by a person with as little edu-
In the autumn of 1956, Elder Andreasen (by cation as Mrs. White was said to possess. But
that time retired) read Donald Barnhouse’s “bomb- despite this doubt, I set great store by them . . As I
shell” article in Eternity magazine. For the first read those books during the week, and heard them
2 Waymarks
read in church on Sabbath, I early got a somewhat church was run. They thought that at the Minne-
comprehensive view of her writings and, I had to apolis meeting such a change might be made.
confess, it was good stuff. But, of course, I was “I have heard many versions of what took place
also sure that she had not written the books she at Minneapolis. Someday, if I ever get time, I would
had been given credit for.”—Without Fear or Fa- like to tell the story as I heard it recounted at the
vor, p. 35. meetings held in College View by the men who were
In 1896, M.L. Andreasen moved to College View, the leaders in opposition to Sister White. They did
Nebraska, and stayed at the newly founded Union not consider the message of Jones and Waggoner
College for a time. While there, he discovered that to be the real issue. The real issue, according to
many leading men were upset because they could my informers, was whether Sister White was to
not control either Ellen White or her testimo- be permitted to overrule the men who carried
nies: the responsibility of the work. It was an attempt
“With the establishment of Union College and to overthrow the position of the Spirit of Proph-
also the Nebraska Sanitarium at College View, the ecy. And it seemed the men in opposition carried
place became a kind of center for various activi- the day. Eventually she left for Australia, where she
ties, and a convenient location for ministers to have stayed nine years. It was there that a plan of orga-
their meetings and councils. It was only a matter nization which called for union conferences was
of eight years since the famous 1888 Conference tried that received her blessing, and that in 1901
in Minneapolis, and the conference was frequently was implemented on the General Conference level.
the subject of discussion. As interpreted by some, the Minneapolis confer-
“Old Elder J.H. Morrison, father of Prof. H.A. ence was a revolt against Sister White. If that is
Morrison, lived in Lincoln. He had taken a promi- so, it throws some light on the omega apostasy.”—
nent role in the discussions at Minneapolis and Without Fear or Favor, pp. 42-44.
had written a book on the subject . . In 1898, M.L. Andreasen went to work in a
“It was largely through the kindness of old children’s home near Omaha, started by Luther
Brother Morrison that I was permitted to attend Warren, who was an earnest believer in the Spirit
the discussions. Of course, I was there to listen of Prophecy.
and not to talk. And I did not talk. But I learned “Several things happened at this children’s
much. In fact, it was a wonderful school. I only home that were certainly a help to me. I had not
wish that I had notes. had a Christian upbringing, nor had I become very
“In retrospect, I doubt that the meetings I at- well grounded in the Adventist faith. My chief source
tended, when the older ministers met, were the best of learning of the teachings of the church was the
for a young convert hardly an Adventist yet. I would discussions in College View, which often dealt with
call it rather strong meat. They paid little attention the 1888 controversy and the characters of the men
to me, but plunged right into a subject of which I who had had part in the events of the Adventist
knew nothing. But I soon caught on, and was as- Church in the past. From time to time, all the promi-
tonished at the freedom with which they discussed nent leaders came under the judgment of the par-
personalities. Most of the older men who had ticipants in the discussions, who did not spare.
known Elder White were not endeared to him, it There was general acceptance of Sister White as
appeared. In their opinion, he was too strongheaded a noble and good woman, but some expressed
to work well with others. the opinion that her husband at times attempted
“Sister White’s position was not an easy one. to influence her. That she was so influenced she
As the wife of the president of the denomination, stoutly denied. When Elder White at last died,
she gave support to him in his work. But at times the leading brethren at the time felt that Sister
word would come from the Lord that made it nec- White would be easy to handle. But in this they
essary for her to bear messages of reproof to him. found they were mistaken. She stood her ground
“This was at times the case when it became her and was not easily moved.
duty to counsel others. While many to whom tes- “The Bible states that some should be received,
timonies were written accepted them with grati- ‘but not to doubtful disputations’ (Romans 14:1). I
tude, others turned against her. No wonder that had been exposed ‘to doubtful disputations,’ and
she said that if she had her choice of having a vi- when some of the great men were mentioned, I was
sion or dying, she would choose the grave . . influenced by what I had heard. I needed a new
“A few of the leaders were waiting for the day education, and Elder Warren helped me to it.”—
when there would be a change in the way the Ibid., pages 46-47.
W M.L. Andreasen Speaks about Ellen White 3
M

1 In May 1909, M.L. Andreasen was one of 199 and would have to deal with young men about to
2
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delegates to the last General Conference Session enter the ministry. For their sakes, I decided that
0 that Ellen White ever attended. It was held on I must know for myself and not depend upon
the campus of Washington Missionary (now Colum- any secondary authorities, however good they
bia Union) College. He heard her speak eight times might appear to be.
(page 67). “This led me to consider a journey to St. Hel-
During the 1909-1910 school year, Annie Andrea- ena, California, where Mrs. White resided at that
sen (M.L.’s wife) took the children to South Lan- time. I wished to have firsthand knowledge as
caster, so they could attend church school. At the far as it was obtainable. I did not wish to be
time, M.L. was president of the Greater New York deceived, nor did I wish to deceive others.
Conference and there was no church school any- “Consequently, in due time I arrived in St. Hel-
where in the area. So M.L. rented a room in Man- ena and was cordially received by Mrs. White. I
hattan, near his office (pages 71-72). stated my reason for coming, which was to ob-
Since he had wanted to visit Ellen White, M.L. tain permission to examine her writings in manu-
recognized that now, while his family was away, was script before anyone had done any editorial work
his opportunity to do it. on them. I had brought with me many quota-
“My personal contact with Mrs. E.G. White was tions from her writings that were of outstanding
confined to the latter years of her life. I had read interest, either for their theological import or
her writings and to some extent studied them from their beauty of expression.
the time of my baptism as a young man in 1894, “In my own mind, I was convinced that Sis-
and had met her personally on several occasions. ter White had never written them as they ap-
“It was not until 1909, however, that I began peared in print. She might have written some-
serious consideration of what the Testimonies thing like them, but I was sure that no one with
meant to the remnant church. I was at that time the limited education Sister White had could ever
president of the Greater New York Conference and produce such exquisitely worded statements or
had read with interest the various messages con- such pronouncements on difficult theological
cerning the work that should be done in the larger problems. They must have been produced by a well-
cities of the land. I was perplexed that apparently trained individual, conversant not only with theo-
little had been done to comply with the instruction logical niceties but also with beautiful English.
given. Elder E.E. Franks had been holding meet- “I was given ready and free access to the vault
ings in Carnegie Hall with good results. Elders S.N. where the manuscripts were kept, and I imme-
Haskell, Luther Warren, G.B. Starr, Dr. Kress, and diately began work.
Professor Prescott had visited and worked in New “I was overwhelmed with the mass of mate-
York City. Mrs. White herself had visited the city, rial placed at my disposal. It did not seem pos-
and it was felt that little more could be done at that sible for one individual to produce such a quan-
time. tity of matter in a lifetime, most of which was
“This brought me to an extended consider- handwritten. I had imagined that Sister White dic-
ation of the messages sent and how they had tated most of her writings, for she had helpers.
been accepted and acted upon. Some of them Now I found that while she might at times dictate,
seemed to have fallen in good ground, while oth- most of her writings were produced by her own
ers apparently had been considered good advice pen. It was these writings in which I was interested
but not of compelling importance, and conse- and that I examined. I spent days at this work; and,
quently had been neglected or forgotten. being a reasonably rapid reader, and with the as-
“This study led me to a review of such evi- sistance of the office staff, I accomplished my task.
dence as was available to me bearing on the ques- “When I was done, I was both amazed and
tion of the origin of the writings of Mrs. E.G. perplexed. Here I saw before my eyes that which
White. Hitherto I had accepted the testimonies I believed could not be done. I verified the quo-
of others without any critical appraisal or pro- tations I had brought with me. I saw in her own
found conviction one way or the other. Now, how- handwriting the statements that I was sure she
ever, I felt I had come to a point in life when I must had not written—could not have written. Espe-
make definite decisions for myself. This became cially was I struck with the now-familiar quotation
the more necessary as I was shortly called to head in the Desire of Ages, page 530: ‘In Christ is life,
the newly established seminary in Hutchinson, Min- original, unborrowed, underived.’ This statement
nesota [where Scandinavian workers were trained], at that time was revolutionary and compelled a
4 Waymarks
complete revision of my former view—and that of appropriate. She was good company and not at
the denomination—on the deity of Christ. all the stern, demanding, and commanding per-
“I had examined many of the manuscripts in sonality I had pictured her to be. She was a
the vault with the exception of the family letters. mother in Israel, and I came to love her.
Though the son, W.C. White, doubted that I would “When I finally bade her farewell, it was with
get permission to read them, Sister White readily the profound conviction that I had been face to
gave me access. And so I read them. Here were the face with a manifestation and a work that I could
letters written by the parents to the children and account for only on the ground of divine guid-
the children to the parents, by James to Ellen and ance. I was convinced that her work was of God,
Ellen to James. Ellen’s letters might begin with that her writings were produced under the guid-
‘Dear James’ or ‘Dear Husband,’ followed by some ance of God, and that she had a message both
remark or statement of a purely personal charac- for the world and the people of God.
ter, and then she would launch into an extended “In writing this, I am not attempting to ‘prove’
recital of some religious topic with appropriate anything. I am merely giving my testimony of that
admonition and counsel. If the few introductory which I know. And that testimony is clear and
remarks were left out, the complete letter could unequivocal. I believe that the writings of Sister
be printed on the editorial page of the Review White are true messages of God for this church
today. No name need be appended, and many read- and that no one can ignore and disobey them
ers would immediately recognize the origin of the except at great, infinitely great, loss.”—Without
composition. Fear or Favor, pp. 74-78.
“The same distinct phraseology, the same M.L. Andreasen had one more occasion to be
style and intensity of desire for a greater knowl- close to Ellen White. It was shortly after her
edge of God, marked her writings although at the death. Three simple funeral services were held. One
time the letters were not considered as material was at Elmshaven. The second was at Richmond,
for publication. California, during a camp meeting. And the last
“When I was ready to leave St. Helena, Sister and largest was at the Battle Creek, Michigan, Tab-
White presented me with several of her books, in- ernacle on July 24, 1915. Virginia Steinweg de-
scribed on the flyleaf with her own name and also scribes what happened:
a small printed wish for the Lord’s blessing. The “Not everyone who had had the opportunity to
only book I have left with her name in it is the De- know both Ellen White and her writings profited
sire of Ages. I also took with me some of her by the acquaintance. A certain minister who knew
unprinted writings that she graciously gave me. A Sister White ‘to be an unassuming, modest, kind-
few of these were handwritten, but mostly they were hearted, noble woman’ and who had ‘been in their
typewritten copies of communications she had sent [the White] family time and time again, sometimes
out, some of them had corrections in her own hand. weeks at a time’ (D.M. Canright, “A Plain Talk to
“When I knew her, Sister White was an aged the Murmurers,” Review, April 26, 1877), pub-
woman, but in full possession of her faculties. lished a book entitled Seventh-day Adventism Re-
She was gracious, considerate, and kind, a true nounced seven years before M.L. became an Ad-
mother in Israel. I visited her once early in the ventist. In his book, the author utterly reversed his
morning, but at whatever hour I came, she was al- assessment of Ellen White’s character and work.
ready at work. There were some who claimed that “The fourth (and last) time D.M. Canright had
she was already in her dotage [unable to think prop- been reconciled to the church before his final
erly]. She must have heard this, for one morning departure, he had admitted about himself, ‘The
she gave me eight pages to read of what she had real trouble lies close to home, in a proud, un-
written that morning. After I had read it, she smiled converted heart, a lack of real humility, and the
at me and said in a playful voice, ‘That’s pretty good, unwillingness to submit to God’s way of finding
isn’t it, for an old woman in her dotage!’ and then the truth’ ” (Canright, “To Those in Doubting
she laughed. The first time I heard Sister White Castle,” Review, February 10, 1885). ‘When Breth-
laugh I was shocked, for I did not think that a per- ren Butler, White, Andrews, Haskell, or others have
son in her position should laugh. But laugh she said something that wounded my feelings, I have
did at times—a sweet, quiet, girlish laugh altogether

Continued on the next tract

More WAYMARKS - from ————————— PIL GRIMS RES
PILGRIMS RESTT
HCR 77, BOX 38A - BEERSHEBA SPRINGS, TN 37305 USA
 HOW A DOUBTER DISCOVERED THAT ELLEN WHITE WROTE HER OWN BOOKS

M. L. Andreasen Speaks about Ellen White

PART TWO OF TWO

W Continued from the preceding tract in this series “ ‘I was one of the guards of honor when the
M
body of Mrs. E.G. White lay in state in the taber-
1 let that destroy my confidence in the truth’ (Canright, nacle in Battle Creek, Michigan, and was on duty
2
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“Items of Experience,” Review, December 2, 1884). at the time Mr. Canright approached the casket.
1 “M.L. Andreasen had never met this man whose I heard the above words uttered by D.M. Canright,
writings have been a discouragement to many seek- and testify to their correctness’ (quoted in W.H.
ers for truth during the years. Their paths crossed Branson, Reply to Canright, p. 288).”
under unusual circumstances. The above passage is from Virginia Steinweg,
“On July 16, 1915, Ellen White went to her rest Without Fear or Favor, pp. 89-91.
in her Elmshaven home, where M.L. had visited
her a few years before. The funeral was held in
— PART TWO —
Battle Creek. M.L. was present.
EXCERPTS FROM ANDREASEN’S SERMON
“He saw the sanitarium’s palms, ferns, and lil-
ies that covered the platform of the great tabernacle Recently, an old tape was found in England
where James and Ellen White had spoken so many and transcribed. The message consisted of a
times. He admired the symbolic floral pieces rep- sermon given by Elder M.L. Andreasen at an
resenting a broken wheel, a broken column, and Ohio camp meeting in 1955. This information
an open Bible with the words, ‘Behold, I come you are going to read below is an invaluable
quickly and My reward is with Me’ (Life Sketches, heritage; we are thankful for the opportunity
pp. 462-463). to share it with you. It closely parallels the
“M.L. was seated near the bier, as he had been diary notes you have just read.
chosen to be one of the guards of honor who It is somewhat of a rambling sermon; so
were to serve two at a time, one at the head, the only the heart of it is reprinted here.
other at the foot. Besides M.L., there were L.H. This was not a carefully prepared sermon, but
Christian from Chicago, C.S. Longacre from the rather an impromptu collection of earlier experi-
General Conference Religious Liberty Department, ences in Andreasen’s life. It was given a year before
and pastors from Grand Rapids, Indianapolis, and he learned about, and began protesting, the doctri-
Chicago, completing the six (ibid., p. 463). nal sellout during the Evangelical Conferences. (See
“For two hours more than 4,000 persons had our book, The Evangelical Conferences and their
been filing by, taking a last look, paying their last Aftermath.)
respects (ibid). M.L. had especially noticed two
aged brothers, one an Adventist, the other not. “This service this morning will be a little dif-
Both had appeared to be deeply moved. When ferent from the ordinary service for the eleven
M.L.’s turn came to take his position on guard, o’clock hour. I have been asked to speak on the
he noticed that the two brothers were still stand- subject of the Spirit of Prophecy; more particu-
ing back at their pew. Suddenly one of them turned larly, my personal experiences with Sister White.
to the other and whispered something. Then the There are not many remaining who have known
two men made their way to the aisle and again and been with Mrs. White, and it’s thought best
joined the throng that was still moving toward the that this hour be used for that purpose.
front. When they arrived, the old former Adventist “When I became an Adventist [in 1894], I’d
leader rested his hand upon the side of the cas- heard about Sister White, but I was given no spe-
ket and, with tears rolling down his cheeks, said cial instruction, I simply accepted belief of the
brokenly, ‘There is a noble Christian woman gone’ writings of the Spirit of Prophecy, as I did many
(W.A. Spicer, The Spirit of Prophecy in the Advent other things, without going thoroughly into the
Movement, p. 127). subject. I gave up the eating of unclean things, and
“D.M. Canright had once again spoken truly. the drinking of that which is not good, and just let
M.L. heard him. Eight years later, when president it go at that.
of Union College, Andreasen wrote: “Then came the time [1898], when I prepared
6 Waymarks
to teach. There I came face to face with a ques- Then they copied it on 8½ x 11 paper, double
tion that I knew I had to settle, because if I were spaced, sometimes triple spaced. Then it was
to teach children and young people, I must know brought back to her for correction.
for myself. Not merely by hearsay, not merely by “Sometimes her helpers would themselves
reading, but by personal experience, if that were make small corrections—spelling, punctuation or
possible. I was attending at that time the Chicago grammar—but then they would sign their name to
University; not at that time normally noted for its the item and bring it to her for approval or rejec-
orthodoxy or its religion. But I took there a course tion.
in the Life of Christ. “I had brought with me a great many quota-
“Desire of Ages had just come out [1898] and I tions that I had found as I read Desire of Ages very
used that book as complimentary reading. And I critically. I wanted to see how those statements
had opportunity there to go thoroughly into the were made originally, before they were printed
reading, the teaching of that book. and before anybody got ahold of them.
“So day by day I would read Desire of Ages, as “So I repeat, I knew that Sister White had
my additional reading, and compared it with what I never written Desire of Ages. She couldn’t. Of
learned in class. And I found, to my astonishment, that I was sure.
that many of the perplexing questions that even “Earlier, in the university, I had waded through
higher critics have to deal with were solved in Browning, and I said to myself, ‘If I had Browning
Desire of Ages. in the class I’d send him home to learn how to write.’
“I became more and more interested in it; Now, in class, I was given the work of finding im-
and at last it came to a kind of climax. What mortal lines in Desire of Ages, as I had done in
shall I do? What is my position? What ought it to Shakespeare. I don’t believe I put that quite right,
be? because that was not the work that was given me,
“And so, several years later, believing in di- it’s the work that I took, as I took down immortal
rect action, I set out to find Sister White and lines in Shakespeare. —But I had found more im-
have a talk with her. So I did. [Andreasen visited mortal lines in Desire of Ages than I did in
Ellen White at Elmshaven in 1909.] Shakespeare!
“I was a very young man [about 33 years old at “And I was astonished; and I knew Sister
the time] and when I knocked on the door I hardly White had never written it. And, with that in
knew what to say. I did about what a student did mind, I came out to see her. What did she write?
much later in Union College, when he came to my What did she write before it was ‘fixed up,’ as
office and said, ‘Here I am.’ we say, by those who make corrections, proofread-
“Sister White received me very kindly. I sup- ers—her work!
pose she sized me up and wondered what I was “I had brought with me all of her many state-
after. I said, ‘I’d like to have the privilege of ad- ments regarding theology, because as I knew that
mission to the vault,’ where all her writings were. Sister White could never have written Desire of
I said, ‘I have read all your books and I want to Ages, with that beautiful language, because she
see how you wrote them, before anybody got didn’t have the education. She couldn’t! So also
ahold of them, and made corrections, and omis- I knew she never could have written that book,
sions and paraphrases [changed phrases].’ She with the theology in that book, unless she had
looked at me and said, ‘You may have the privi- had a very broad education, theological. —And
lege.’ she hadn’t. So I knew. I had brought with me my
statements; and, as I compared them, reading
“And so, I went to work. I stayed there three out in the original in her own handwriting—
months and worked almost night and day. I read every one of those statements I found written by
what was in the vault, a tremendous lot of work. her own hand—just as they were printed in the
I was perplexed when I saw the volume of it. If I book! That was an astonishment to me.
had not seen it for myself I’d have said, ‘No one, “I well remember when I first discovered in De-
however long he has lived, could ever write that sire of Ages that tremendous statement, that ‘in
much.’ But there it was. Christ is life, original, unborrowed, and underived.’
“So I read the Great Controversy, written by That changed my theology and the theology of the
her own hand. I thought that she dictated her writ- denomination. As I read it [the book] again and
ings to someone else. But that was only rarely done. again, I had earlier found more statements that I
Most of it was written by herself, in her own hand- knew that she had not written—but there they
writing. Then it was given to the stenographers. were in her handwriting.
W
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M.L. Andreasen Speaks about Ellen White 7
1 “When I was done with my work, after three asked to do it. I went there. Sister White says, ‘You
2
0 months, and I had a confidence in a job well may read it.’
1 done, I was convinced that those writings could “So I went to Willie; and he gave a famous reply,
be explained on no other ground than that of ‘I don’t doubt your word, but I don’t believe it.’
Divine Guidance. Those writings were written “So we went, both of us, to Sister White. And I
under the direction of God. said, ‘Willie won’t let me in.’ And we discussed it
“Sister White herself was a very pleasant per- and she gave permission. And so I went, perhaps I
sonality. I used to sit with her in the morning, shouldn’t have, but I’m glad I did. There I saw in
early—six, five and once four; and she was up writ- her own handwriting, her letters from the time
ing. She’d sit in her rocking chair, with arms and a she was fourteen years old, to her relatives, her
board across those arms; and there she’d write. I friends. Letters were long in those days, ten
don’t know why she accepted me, but I was appar- twelve, fifteen, eighteen pages. I suppose they
ently welcome. didn’t write every day.
“I sat there trying to find out all about her; and, “And she would give just a few words of a per-
I suppose, she was reading me while I was trying sonal nature. She might say, ‘Yesterday, I went down
to read her. We had a good time together. to see the dentist.’ I didn’t know they had dentists
“She told me that her writings were produced in those days. Or she might say, ‘I went down and I
under the guidance of the Holy Spirit; but that, bought eight yards of calico and I’m going to make
later on, as she would reread a passage, she myself a dress.’ All the rest of [what was in] those
would learn still more about its deeper mean- letters you could put on the front page of the
ing. She said, ‘I study it, same as you do.’ Review today. You wouldn’t need to add any name
“Later I read what the Bible says about [what] to it; and every older Adventist at least would say,
prophet Peter says that they themselves have to ‘That’s Sister White.’ It was a sermon. Those were
study their own writings, to see what, or what the kind of letters. And many things there that
manner of time the Spirit of God which was in them, should not be revealed, but all of the same kind.
did signify. And I was again profoundly impressed by the fact;
“And that is how she wrote. I repeat: Every a young girl, not writing for publication, not writing
one of those unusual statements I had brought that a man fifty or more years later would read it,
with me to Elmshaven, I found to be authenti- but just the ordinary letters—the same Spirit as
cated in her own handwriting. in all her writings.
“My speech today is really a testimony. It is not
“We discussed many things. I remember the first a sermon. I am just witnessing, giving my testimony.
time I came in and saw her office, I found it to be “I went away perplexed and satisfied, because
very antiquated. No up-to-date office furniture. And I had seen that which could not be written by
I said to myself, If I ever get enough courage, I’ll tell her, and yet it was. I had found no end of state-
her what I think about her furniture. ments concerning theology, that are most pro-
“Well the time came one morning, when she found, written by a woman of a limited educa-
asked me, ‘Do you think I’m extravagant?’ tion; that I was convinced, as I said, that though
“I said, ‘No, I don’t.’ I did not understand all—here God had been at
“ ‘Well there was a sister in here yesterday; and, work.
when she saw me sitting in this rocking chair, she
accused me of extravagance. Now I bought that sec- “Many years later, I was asked to teach at our
ond hand. I paid eight dollars for it.’ Theological Seminary [1938]. I said I’d be glad to,
“Sister White, herself, was very companionable, if I may have the privilege once more of going
a Mother in Israel. I learned many things, many through the [E.G. White] vault [by that time lo-
things. She gave me full clearance. cated in the basement of the General Conference,
next door to the Seminary]. I got that privilege.
“There was one place where Willie [William Three summers I worked, with competent help.
C. White], the son, would not let me in. And as Again I read all, and rather critically. I could read
usual when you may not do a certain thing, that’s reasonably rapid which, by the way, all of you and
the thing you want to do. And so I went to Sister all ministers particularly might do well to learn; to
White. I knew what was in there; it was the docu- read rapidly without loosing the context and be able
ments, the family documents that nobody ought to remember.
to read but the family. I had no business to do it. “So I read, and I think critically, as far as I could;
If I’d have had a little more sense, I wouldn’t have and when I was done, I was again profoundly im-
8 Waymarks
pressed—and now finally [I concluded] that here the other also. Even though it seems to be contra-
was that which man had not written; here was dictory; but light will come.
God-indicted writings. “Now the Father IS Judge—in the Investigative
“Do I then worship Sister White? Oh, no, Judgment [while Jesus is still priest]. Christ is
“Do I put her on a pedestal? No. Judge—in the Day of Judgment, a thousand years
“But only at the peril of my soul may I reject [the Executive Judgment] after the millennium,
those writings or neglect them—[the books] that when He is no longer priest. They are both true,
God has given to guide us. both statements.
“I have in my possession more than twenty-thou- “We need to read what has been written
sand statements on theology, not in our books, but about good eating, about good living, and live up
in the Spirit of Prophecy articles—and I wouldn’t to it!
let them go for a good deal. “What has been written, you’d better read that
“And I had found in my own study of health, carefully, because every statement holds true to-
again and again, oftentimes I would struggle with a day. There may be a balancing statement. Get that
problem. And then I’ll take, perchance some- there; but do not neglect or reject that which has
times, some page of Sister White; and there it is. been written for our learning.
There is what I struggled weeks and months to “As we near the harbor, we need a pilot; thus
get; there it is. she speaks of her work. I feel like giving a sol-
“The testimonies have a strange influence on emn warning to our people on the neglect of those
me and on you. You read them; and you go away writings that God has given us! How shall we
saying, ‘Lord, I have to be a better man or I’ll escape, I speak from the Bible now; how shall
never see the Kingdom, unless I repent of this we escape if we neglect—not reject, not if we
that and the other thing.’ That’s the aim, that’s reject—but we neglect. And how shall we escape?
the purpose, that’s the results of reading the tes- I’d like to apply that also to these writings. How
timonies. They draw you to the Bible; they mag- shall we escape? We’ll have to give an account.
nify God, magnify the Bible. “I advise you to get a compartment in your brain,
“Are there not in the testimonies many things where you can put questions that you may not fully
that are hard to understand? To that I’d answer understand. Don’t disbelieve them necessarily.
‘Yes.’ As I said when I came to the Seminary, I will But wait a bit; and it may be, after a year or two,
not be deceived and I will not deceive. I’ll go as far that solution will come and you will thank God
as my mind can go and I’ll know the truth. for it.
“Yes, there are things hard to understand. “How shall we escape if we neglect? I thank God
There are some things in the Bible I struggled for the privilege of being a Seventh-day Adventist.
with for a good many years, I wish they weren’t It’s a wonderful thing. But friends, if we neglect the
there. But they’re there. Throw them out? No, very means God has given us—how shall we es-
no. Wait, wait. You’ll find statements that you may cape?
not understand. But later on—. “And so today, shall we not renew our faith
“In the school, one student came to me and said, and allegiance to that banner, ‘The command-
‘I found a contradiction. Sister White says both that ments of God and the Faith of Jesus’?
God is Judge and that God is not Judge. God is “And that takes in the whole thing. That takes
not judge, Christ is judge—and here God is judge.’ in the writings that have been given us for this
“You’ll find part of that in the chapter of the time. So again I magnify God’s name. Wonderful,
Great Controversy, where you’ll find the Father sit- wonderful. God is bringing out a people, a people
ting in judgment and presiding in the judgment. that know the future as no people have ever
He is the Judge and Christ is the Advocate. You known it. We know what’s coming. We know the
will find later on in the same book, that God is not persecutions. We know the trials that are coming.
Judge. What do you do about that? Just leave it For, in the last days, perilous times shall come. Shall
until you get light. we fear then?
“What light may you get? You can find, or you’ll “Gird on the armor, stand like a rock, and God
find generally, that you may believe that and believe will yet see His people through!”

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