A Troubling Editorial

In White’s editorial, October 16, 1855, he tried to escape the charge that Adventist theology consisted of “vision views.” In doing so, he made a few statements that greatly disturbed many Adventists, including other leaders.MOL 427.7

To clear the air, a committee of three was delegated to report back to a gathering of leaders in Battle Creek on the topic of how the Seventh-day Adventist Church was to relate to the prophetic ministry of Ellen White. Their report, which was unanimously approved, said, in part: “Nor do we, as some contend, exalt these gifts ... above the Bible; on the contrary, we test them by the Bible.... While we hold these views [Ellen White’s messages] as emanating from the divine mind, we would confess the inconsistency (which we believe has been displeasing to God) of professedly regarding them as messages from God, and really putting them on a level with the inventions of men. We fear that this has resulted from an unwillingness to bear the reproach of Christ ... and a desire to conciliate the feelings of our opponents; but the Word and our own experience have taught us that God is not honored, nor His cause advanced, by such a course.MOL 427.8

“...While we regard them as coming from God, and entirely harmonizing with His written Word, we must acknowledge ourselves under obligation to abide by their teaching, and be corrected by their admonitions. To say that they are of God, and yet we will not be tested by them, is to say that God’s will is not a test or rule for Christians.” ^{9The Review and Herald, December 4, 1855.}MOL 428.1

The significance of this statement seems self-evident. Here were leaders who had witnessed the fruits of the Spirit flowing from the gift of the Spirit—the public witness of Ellen White. As the report said so clearly, “the Word and our own experience have taught us.” This report proved to be a pivotal moment in the development of the Seventh-day Adventist Church: God’s last-day revelations through Ellen White were formally recognized by the church as having theological authority.MOL 428.2

Even more interesting and compelling, several days after this report was accepted, on November 20, 1855, Mrs. White had a significant vision on such subjects as the time to begin the Sabbath, how to deal with opposers to the truth, and preparation to meet the Lord. ^{10This vision became Pamphlet No. 1 of the Testimonies, now found in Testimonies for the Church 1:113-126.} When this vision was written out first for printing as a broadside, and then to be reprinted in a small pamphlet, the leaders of the emerging church expressed their affirmation in small type at its close: “We, the undersigned, being eyewitnesses when the above vision was given, deem it highly necessary that it should be published, for the benefit of the church, on account of the important truths and warnings which it contains. (Signed), Joseph Bates, J. H. Waggoner, J. Hart, G. W. Amadon, Uriah Smith.” ^{11Testimony for the Church (No. 1, 1855), p. 8.}MOL 428.3

One year later David Arnold, one of the early Seventh-day Adventists from Volney, New York, reviewed the work of the Spirit of prophecy in Biblical times and applied those principles to these latter days. He closed with the exhortation: “O be intreated by one who from eight years’ experience and close observation of this mode of teaching, believes it to be from God, to be careful how you reject these Gifts of the Church, lest haply you be found fighting against God.” ^{12The Review and Herald, February 28, 1856.}MOL 428.4

D. T. Bourdeau authored an article that answered some of the basic questions that people sometimes raise against women having visions as well as women speaking in church. He ended his study with this appeal: “We have these productions which we consider as sacred, and before we consent to reject them, our opponents will have to present palpable proofs that they are spurious.” ^{13The Review and Herald, December 2, 1862.}MOL 428.5