Unauthenticated Statements

While speaking of the use of the writings, we would set forth a point which should be more carefully guarded on the part of a few of our brethren, and that is the use of statements attributed to Mrs. White, but with questionable authorship. Sometimes statements which are without foundation or which are incorrect are made from memory as to what Sister White said. With the abundance of instruction, regarding the authorship of which there is no question, there is no good reason for anyone to make use of statements which come to him in written or printed form, or as rumors purporting to be the words of Mrs. White, but which have no satisfactory source reference. Such are often misleading, sometimes they are fantastic, and sometimes they are directly contrary to the instruction to be found in the published volumes or in the manuscripts on file.EGWMR 87.3

Excellent counsel on this point is found in Testimonies for the Church 5:692-696. Limited space allows us to quote only the last paragraph of the article:EGWMR 87.4

“And now to all who have a desire for truth I would say, Do not give credence to unauthenticated reports as to what Sister White has done or said or written. If you desire to know what the Lord has revealed through her, read her published works. Are there any points of interest concerning which she has not written, do not eagerly catch up and report rumors as to what she has said.”—Testimonies for the Church 5:696.EGWMR 87.5