Does She Give Extrascriptural Counsels?

Finally, there are good members in the church who ask: When Mrs. White presents certain counsel that is beyond what is revealed in the Bible are we not justified in considering it simply as good counsel, such as anyone might give, and not as inspired instruction that is binding on our lives?WBEGW 109.2

We believe that this question is built on a fallacy. Because we do not find in the Bible the explicit words or thoughts that Mrs. White presents, why hasten to the conclusion that her words are extrascriptural? Who would have imagined that Jeremiah’s words about Rachael’s weeping for her children—a comment on a tragic incident of the Babylonian captivity—had a further depth of meaning in regard to Herod’s slaughter of the innocents? But an inspired New Testament writer set forth that further meaning. And is that not true of much that the New Testament writers presented? Again, who would have imagined that the doctrine of the resurrection resided in the Old Testament declaration “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Even the wisest of the Jewish doctors of the law did not see that hidden truth. But Christ made plain that the doctrine of the resurrection was most certainly hidden there.WBEGW 109.3

Why might not the same be true as to Mrs. White’s writings? If we accept the prime premise that Mrs. White was inspired—and without such acceptance all our discussion in this book is profitless—then is it not reasonable to believe that she gives us, not extrascriptural teachings, but rather teachings hidden in the Scriptures? May not the trouble be simply with the dimness of our spiritual understanding?WBEGW 110.1