Chapter 2—The Authority of the Ellen G. White Writings ^{4This material was presented to the Seventh-day Adventist graduate-student group at Harvard University, February 18, 1967.}

As we enter upon the discussion of the authority of the Ellen G. White writings it will be well to define our terms at the outset. As defined by Webster, authority is “a right to command or to act; power exercised by a person in virtue of his office or trust.” Thus, for example: “By what authority doest thou these things?” (Matthew 21:23). Bernard Ramm in his book The Pattern of Authority (Eerdmans, 1957), in applying the term to the Word of God defines authority in the following manner:EGWW 49.1

Authority itself means that right or power to command action or compliance, or to determine belief or customs, expecting obedience from those under authority, and in turn giving responsible account for the claim to right or power.—Page 10.EGWW 49.2

Because the Ellen G. White writings come to us from a prophetic pen, this definition seems appropriate for our work.EGWW 49.3