Ellen G. White on the Trinity

Trinitarian terms used by EGW

Using the available EGW search engines (both online and CD), I came up with the following results. Note that only the original EGW references are considered. Repeats, compilations and later quotes (after 1915) referencing earlier original material are not counted.

• Trinity. Never used by EGW.
• Trinitarian. Never used by EGW.
• Eternal Three. Never used by EGW.
• Heavenly trio. Only used once, in 21LtMs, Ms 21, 1906, par. 11, in connection with baptism. Discussed at length here: Three Living Personalities of the Heavenly Trio.
• Three dignitaries. Only used once, in 16LtMs, Manuscript 85, 1901, par. 4, in connection with baptism.
• Eternal heavenly dignitaries. Only used once in 16MR 204.4.
• The threefold name. Only used once in 6T 91.3 in connection with baptism.
• Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Only used 3 times by EGW all in connection with baptism.
  • 2SP 136.3
  • AUCR October 7, 1907, par. 9
  • Red 20.3
• Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Only used 4 times by EGW all in connection with baptism.
  • EW 100.2
  • ExV54 18.2
  • BTS March 1, 1906, par. 2
  • 6MR 25.3. Contains several repeats of the phrase and all in connection with baptism.
• Three highest powers. Used 7 times generally in connection with baptism. For exampe in SpTB07 51.1 and PUR July 2, 1908, par. 4.
• Three great powers. Used over 15 times by EGW. Example: 8T 254.1

Observation: There appears to be only a smattering of references regarding the subject of the Trinity in EGW's writings. Indeed, it is surprising that the words Trinity and Trinitarian are never used, even though these terms were quite common in her time (and ours). It is also surprising that there are only a handful of references to the phrase "Father, Son and Holy Spirit (or Ghost)" when both in her time and ours it is so often used. Another observation is the frequent (almost exclusive) relationship of these trinitarian terms with the baptismal formula found in Matthew 28:19.

EGW on the Trinity

• (YouTube) Letter 253, November 20th, 1903 - Ellen White Responds to the trinity doctrine. Duration 34:47. Published 11/19/2020. After Dr. J.H. Kellogg admitted to A.G Daniells on October 29th, that he "had come to believe in the trinity," this confession was read by Ellen G. White and on November 20th, 1903, Sister White responded to Dr. Kellogg with stern warnings of reproof concerning his theories in regard to the presence and personality of God. Though forgotten, this letter is a must read for Seventh-day Adventists who have adopted the same theories as the man whose mind was "as dark as Egypt," to the detriment of his "eternal interests." (Letter, A. G. Daniells to W. C. White Oct 29th 1903).
• Letter 253, November 20, 1903
• Letter 303, August 29, 1903. Jesus was the Son of God before the incarnation. "When Christ first announced to the heavenly host His mission and work in the world, He declared that He was to leave His position of dignity and disguise His holy mission by assuming the likeness of a man, when in reality He was the Son of the infinite God." {18LtMs, Lt 303, 1903, par. 14}
  

The belief that Ellen G. White supported "the Trinity" view:

• The Arian or Anti-Trinitarian Views Presented in Seventh-day Adventist Literature and the Ellen G. White Answer. by Erwin Roy Gane.
• Ellen G. White on the Holy Spirit

EGW quotes which seem pantheistic

• "He must depend on God to do that which no human power can do. The Lord puts his own spirit into the seed, causing it to spring into life. Under his care the germ breaks through the case enclosing it and springs up to develop and bear fruit." 8T 326.4
• "The heart not yet hardened by contact with evil is quick to recognize the Presence that pervades all created things." Ed 99.1

Yet EGW is not pantheistic from these quotes

• "We are not to say that the Lord God of heaven is in a leaf, or in a tree; for he is not there. He sitteth upon his throne in the heavens. The work of the Creator as seen in nature reveals His power. But nature is not above God, nor is God in nature as some represent Him to be. God made the world, but the world is not God; it is the work of His hands." 4 MR 59.1
• God is not in nature as Kellogg represented Him to be. But Ellen White said that “the Lord puts His own spirit into the seed” in order for her to say this her understanding of what the Holy Spirit is must have been different from what Kellogg and present day adventists believe it to be.
• The Kellogg Crisis // Andy Whitehurst. Published 8/28/ 2020. Duration 1:06:03. Reference website: SeventhDayPress.org

Judgment by fire on the cities of Earth (starts in Nashville)

• The following video suggests the first of judgments on the cities is to begin at Nashville, specifically on The Parthenon based on an EGW dream.
• (YouTube) PLEA BY FIRE: A Warning for Nashville and the Cities of Earth. Published 9/15/2020. Duration 1:16:48. Balls of fire are soon to fall upon the cities of Earth. In 2015 a century old warning was uncovered which warns of a terrible judgment to fall upon all the cities of Earth, beginning with the name of the first city to be destroyed. When men will not heed the warnings of His word or His messengers, He will plead with them by fire, "for by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh." (Isaiah 66:16)

EGW quotes on the Judgment by fire on Nashville

• Ms 102, July 2, 1904. Last night a scene was presented before me. I may never feel free to reveal all of it, but I will reveal a little. It seemed that an immense ball of fire came down upon the world and crushed large houses. From place to place rose the cry, “The Lord has come! The Lord has come!” Many were unprepared to meet Him, but a few were saying, “Praise the Lord!” “Why are you praising the Lord?” enquired those upon whom was coming sudden destruction. “Because we now see what we have been looking for.” “If you believed that these things were coming, why did you not tell us?” was the terrible response. “We did not know about these things. Why did you leave us in ignorance? Again and again you have seen us; why did you not become acquainted with us and tell us of the judgment to come, and that we must serve God, lest we perish? Now we are lost!” {19LtMs, Ms 102, 1904, par. 31-35}
• Lt 217, July 3, 1904. The night before last a very impressive scene passed before me. I saw an immense ball of fire fall into the midst of some beautiful mansions, causing their instant destruction. I heard some say, “We knew that the judgments of God were coming upon the earth, but we did not know they would come so soon.” Others said, “You knew! Why then did you not tell us? We did not know.” On every side I heard such words spoken. {19LtMs, Lt 217, 1904, par. 12}
• Ms 152, July 5, 1904. There was a scene presented to me. It was the night before the Sabbath. That is when that scene was presented. I looked out of the window, and there was an immense ball of fire that had come from heaven, and it fell where they were casting buildings with pillars, especially the pillars were presented to me. And it seemed as if the ball came right to the building and crushed it, and they saw that it was branching out, branching out, enlarging, and they began to cry and mourn and mourn, and wring their hands; and I thought some of our people stood by there, saying, “Well, it is just what we have been expecting; it is just what we have been talking about; it is just what we have been talking about.” “You knew it?” said the people. “You knew it, and never told us about it?” I thought there was such an agony in their face, such an agony in their appearance. {19LtMs, Ms 152, 1904, par. 21}
• Ms 154, August 14, 1904. While I was in Nashville, a scene was opened before me. A great ball of fire seemed to fall from heaven, and from it went forth flashes of light. When these flashes of light would strike a building, the building would burn like tinder. And then I heard someone say, “I knew that this was coming. These are the judgments of God that I knew were coming.” “You knew!” said another. “You were my neighbor. Why did you not tell me that these things were coming? Why did you not warn others?” {19LtMs, Ms 154, 1904, par. 36}
• Ms 158, September 10, 1904. The Lord is soon coming in the clouds of heaven with power and with great glory. His terrible judgments are soon to fall upon our world. Are we doing all we can to warn earth’s inhabitants of these things? While I was in the South a few months ago, I had a very impressive dream. I seemed to see a great ball of fire come from heaven and strike the earth. Great houses were in flames, and many were looking on in great distress. Some one said, “I knew that this was coming. I knew that God’s judgments were soon to fall.” “You knew that these things were coming?” said another. “Why did you not tell us? Why did you not warn us, and show us the prophecies, that we might also know?” {19LtMs, Ms 158, 1904, par. 30}
• Ms 188 January 21, 1905. When I was at Nashville, I had been speaking to the people, and in the night season, there was an immense ball of fire that came right from heaven and settled in Nashville. There were flames going out like arrows from that ball; houses were being consumed; houses were tottering and falling. Some of our people were standing there. “It is just as we expected,” they said, “we expected this.” Others were wringing their hands in agony and crying unto God for mercy. “You knew it,” said they, “you knew that this was coming, and never said a word to warn us!” They seemed as though they would almost tear them to pieces, to think they had never told them or given them any warning at all.