Spirit of Prophecy Relationship to Development of Doctrine

Someone may say, “Is it not a fact that we Adventists got our fundamental doctrines and interpretations of prophecy from the writings of Ellen G. White?”BHP 167.1

There is but one answer—No. We did not do so in the past and we cannot do so today. Our doctrines came from the Bible, and then were confirmed by God in the revelations given to Mrs. White. As to interpretations of prophecy, L. E. Froom, in his four volumes, The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, has proved conclusively that Seventh-day Adventists have made but few contributions in this field. Nowhere does Ellen G. White claim the right or distinction to any original interpretations of prophecy. That was not her burden or her message.BHP 167.2

In 1848 and 1849 the earnest group of Sabbath-observing Adventists came together in a series of Bible conferences. They met in such places as Rocky Hill, Connecticut, April 20-24, 1848; Volney, New York, beginning August 18, 1848, in “Brother Arnold’s barn“: Port Gibson, New York, August 27 and 28, in “Hiram Edson’s barn“: Rocky Hill, Connecticut, September 8 and 9; and Topsham, Maine, October 20-22, in “Brother Howland’s house.”BHP 167.3

The record states that when they first came together for such study, “hardly two agreed. Each was strenuous for his views.” Spiritual Gifts 2:97.BHP 167.4

Sister White says:BHP 168.1

“I met with them, and we studied and prayed earnestly. Often we remained together until late at night, and sometimes through the entire night, praying for light and studying the word…. When they came to the point in their study where they said, ‘We can do nothing more,’ the Spirit of the Lord would come upon me, I would be taken off in vision, and a clear explanation of the passages we had been studying would be given me, with instruction as to how we were to labor and teach effectively.” Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 2, p. 57.BHP 168.2

Of great significance are these words:BHP 168.3

“During this whole time I could not understand the reasoning of the brethren. My mind was locked, as it were, and I could not comprehend the meaning of the scriptures we were studying. This was one of the greatest sorrows of my life. I was in this condition of mind until all the principal points of our faith were made clear to our minds, in harmony with the word of God. The brethren knew that when not in vision, I could not understand these matters, and they accepted as light direct from heaven the revelations given.” Ibid.BHP 168.4

Without a doubt God intended it to be that way, for the doctrinal truths held by Seventh-day Adventists thus come from the Bible and not from Ellen G. White.BHP 168.5

Be not mistaken, dear friends, no Christian group in the world has a more closely knit, more carefully integrated, system of theology than do Seventh-day Adventists. Our doctrines come from the Bible. They came through men who diligently searched the Scriptures, and who put those doctrinal studies together in such a way that there seems to be no way of answering the argument. Did you know that Mrs. White kept the Sabbath for seven months before she had a vision relating to the Sabbath? And so it was with all our doctrines. They came from the Bible first, as noble men and women examined the Word of God. Visions were given which pointed out their errors in reasoning and confirmed their conclusions. Let it be clearly understood that Seventh-day Adventists did not get their system of theology from the writings of Ellen G. White. Our system of theology comes from the Scriptures alone.BHP 168.6