Ellen G. White Falsifications

Introduction. What is meant by "falsification" or "falsify" is to revise, alter, insert, interpolate, misrepresent or otherwise change the original wording and/or meaning of written text. The Adventist history of the change from an Arian position to trinitarian is documented here: SDA History on the Trinity. With the change came the need to revise prior works. In the words of Le Roy Froom:

• Movement of Destiny, p. 422: The next logical and inevitable step in the implementing of our unified "Fundamental Beliefs" involved revision of certain standard works so as to eliminate statements that taught, and thus perpetuated, erroneous views on the Godhead.

The evidence that there was deliberate, methodical change made from the 1930's onward is a historical fact. How much of it is admitted to and documented and how much is not reported is unknown. We can only surmise some of the changes by looking at the internal evidence of any given questionable text and compare it with the preponderance of the evidence. In other words, if the majority of EGW's writings say one thing and a quote here and there says something else, then the exception to the rule is given scrutiny.

Exhibits in evidence

Evidence of EGW falsifications.

Exhibit #1. Quote:

• AUCR April 1, 1901, Art. A, par. 10: The Godhead was stirred with pity for the race, and the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit gave themselves to the working out of the plan of redemption. In order to fully carry out this plan, it was decided that Christ, the only begotten Son of God, should give Himself an offering for sin. What line can measure the depth of this love?

The above quote fails the authenticity test on at least two counts: (1) First, EGW never used the term "Godhead" in this way, since that's not what the term means. See What does "Godhead" mean? for details on the original meaning of the term as used in the KJV Bible and how EGW and the early pioneers used it. However, the above quote uses "Godhead" in the modern-day Adventist sense as a substitute for the word "Trinity." This is a dead giveaway that it is a post-EGW falsification. (2) Furthermore, the preponderance of the evidence in her writings is that only two divine Beings were involved in the "plan of redemption," not three. See How many Beings were involved in the plan of redemption before the foundation of the world? which lists numerous references showing this to be the case.

Exhibit #2. Quote:

• 8MR 408.2: This is the true test—the doing of the words of Christ. And it is the evidence of the human agent's love to Jesus, and he that doeth His will giveth to the world the practical evidence of the fruit he manifests in obedience, in purity, and in holiness of character. “If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (John 15:23.) We, that is, the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost, [will come] and make our abode in him.

The above Bible quote is not from John 15:23 but from John 14:23. John 15:23 reads, "Whoever hates me hates my Father also," which is obviously not what is being quoted here. That alone should give us a clue that something is amiss with this quote. But it gets worse. The sentence that follows says, "We, that is, the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost, [will come] and make our abode in him." First of all, understand who EGW is writing to. She is writing to A. T. Jones, a key player in the 1888 "righteousness by faith" movement. If anyone knew his Bible it was A. T. Jones. Why would EGW be telling A. T. Jones the meaning of "we" in this verse when he obviously knew what it meant? Further, the plain and obvious meaning of the "we" in this verse is not the threefold name but only that of the Father and Jesus. No self-respecting Bible commentator would interpret it any other way.

Exhibit #3. Quote:

• 21LtMs, Ms 139, 1906, par. 32: Now a little point. As the saints in the kingdom of God are accepted in the beloved, they hear: “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” [Matthew 25:34.] And then the golden harps are touched, and the music flows all through the heavenly host, and they fall down and worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. . . .

Nowhere in the Bible and nowhere else in the writings of EGW (except in this quote) is the notion that the redeemed will play their harps and "fall down and worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." This is clearly a trinitarian insertion. In contrast, note the following EGW quotes referencing only the Father and the Son:

• AUCR January 15, 1903, par. 14: . . . In your hands will be placed a golden harp, and touching its strings, you will join with the redeemed host in filling all heaven with songs of praise to God and His Son.
• TMK, p. 371: . . . All the redeemed saints will see and appreciate as never before the love of the Father and the Son, and songs of praise will burst forth from immortal tongues.
• 1SP 28.2: The hour for joyful, happy songs of praise to God and his dear Son had come. Satan had led the heavenly choir. He had raised the first note, then all the angelic host united with him, and glorious strains of music had resounded through Heaven in honor of God and his dear Son.

No Holy Spirit in mentioned in the above quotes, only the Father and the Son. This is consistent with how EGW wrote and thought as a non-trinitarian. The quote in question (Ms 139, 1906, par. 32) is the best example of how the preponderance of the evidence shows this one and only instance to be specious (def. superficially plausible, but actually wrong).

Exhibit #4. Quote:

• 7MR 267.2: Here is where the work of the Holy Ghost comes in, after your baptism. You are baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. You are raised up out of the water to live henceforth in newness of life—to live a new life. You are born unto God, and you stand under the sanction and the power of the three holiest beings in heaven, who are able to keep you from falling. You are to reveal that you are dead to sin; your life is hid with Christ in God. Hidden “with Christ in God,”—wonderful transformation. This is a most precious promise. When I feel oppressed, and hardly know how to relate myself toward the work that God has given me to do, I just call upon the three great Worthies, and say; You know I cannot do this work in my own strength. You must work in me, and by me and through me, sanctifying my tongue, sanctifying my spirit, sanctifying my words, and bringing me into a position where my spirit shall be susceptible to the movings of the Holy Spirit of God upon my mind and character.

EGW did not pen the above words. This is documented at length here: Three Holiest Beings.

EGW Warnings

EGW against Daniells and Prescott.

• 25LtMs, Lt 70, 1910, par. 2: Message after message has come to me from the Lord concerning the dangers surrounding you [[Elder A. G. Daniells]] and Elder Prescott. I have seen that Satan would have been greatly pleased to see Elders Prescott and Daniells undertake the work of a general overhauling of our books that have done a good work in the field for years. But neither of you is called of God to that work. If you were to enter upon such a work, much time would be employed that should be given to the proclamation of the last warning message to an impenitent world.
• 25LtMs, Lt 70, 1910, par. 15: I have been instructed that the Lord is not the author of the proposal to make many changes in books already published. If information regarding this sort of work, even as regards the few instances where revisions are needed, should become widespread, seeds of doubt would spring up in many minds. Satan would be busy at work implanting seeds of distrust and unbelief, and it would require much labor to remedy the evil that would be wrought.

Miscellaneous

Notes

• BEcho January 15, 1893, par. 8: By the Spirit the Father and the Son will come and make their abode with you. . . .
• 25LtMs, Lt 23, 1911, par. 1: Regarding the testimonies, nothing is ignored; nothing is cast aside; but time and place must be considered. Nothing must be done untimely. Some matters must be withheld because some persons would make an improper use of the light given. Every jot and tittle is essential and must appear at an opportune time. In the past, the testimonies were carefully prepared before they were sent out for publication. And all matter is still carefully studied after the first writing.