The Justification for This Position

Some of the conference resolutions disclosed what were considered sound reasons for accepting the E. G. White writings as authoritative. We note the following two:EGWW 54.2

Resolved, That we re-affirm our abiding confidence in the Testimonies of Sr. White to the church, as the teaching of the Spirit of God, and that we have each year continual and growing evidence that they are such.—The Review and Herald, February 14, 1871.EGWW 54.3

That we hereby express our continued conviction that we are largely indebted to the gift of prophecy, as manifested through Sister White, for the harmony and unity which this people enjoy.—The Review and Herald, October 4, 1877.EGWW 54.4

Elder George I. Butler while president of the General Conference had occasion at times to speak through the Review and Herald concerning the Spirit of Prophecy in the church. In one article he freely expressed the justification for giving full acceptance to Mrs. White’s claims:EGWW 54.5

They [the visions] have always been held in high esteem by the most zealous and humble among our people. They have exerted a leading influence among us from the start. They have first called attention to every important move we have made in advance. Our publishing work, the health and temperance movement, the College, and the cause of advanced education, the missionary enterprise, and many other important points, have owed their efficiency largely to this influence. We have found in a long, varied, and in some instances, sad experience, the value of their counsel. When we have heeded them, we have prospered; when we have slighted them, we have suffered a great loss....EGWW 54.6

The majority of our people believe these visions to be a genuine manifestation of spiritual gifts, and as such to be entitled to respect.... We believe them, because the Bible teaches that such manifestations will be seen in the last church, because every rule given in the Bible to test spiritual manifestations by proves them to be genuine, and because in all our experience we have found them to be of great value to us in every important point in our history. When we have Scripture and uniform experience in their favor, we have a strong case.—Supplement, Aug. 14, 1883, pp. 11, 12.EGWW 54.7

Looking back in 1921 near the close of his long life and his close connection with the church, Elder J. N. Loughborough in answer to a question on degrees of inspiration wrote of the uniform acceptance of the Spirit of Prophecy:EGWW 55.1

This idea of “degrees of inspiration” is a new idea to me. I never heard of any such position held by those in the work in early times. Those believing the truth, and joining in the work from the first were in accord with Sister White’s testimonies and received them as direct instruction from the Lord. If there were any that thought there were “degrees” in the testimonies, it was those who objected, and took liberty to refuse the light, and left the truth.—J. N. Loughborough Letter to E. E. Andross, Sept. 25, 1921.EGWW 55.2