-
-
-
-
-
-
- Ellen White Announces Her Positive Stand
- Kellogg Attempts to Hold the Line
- Strong Sentiments Against the Spirit of Prophecy
- The Question—Shall We Publish?
- Announced Plans for the “University” in Battle Creek
- First General Conference Medical Missionary Convention
- Mid-December Week of Prayer Meetings in Battle Creek
- Arrival of the Promised Testimonies
- A Marked Confidence-Confirming Experience
- Daniells Restates His Faith and Loyalty
- Dr. Kellogg Unmoved
- E. G. White Publishes Two Pamphlets
-
- Confirming Evidence to the Lord's Messenger
- Meeting Direct Attacks
- To Southern California Again
- A Vision of Coming Destruction
- News of the San Francisco Earthquake
- At Paradise Valley Sanitarium, and the Trip Home
- The Tour of Ravaged San Francisco
- Consuming Fire that Followed the Earthquake
- Martial Law
- Destruction in the Central City
- Adventists and Adventist Properties
- The Earthquake Special of the Signs
- The Trip Home to Elmshaven
-
- Circumstances at Elmshaven
- Questions Calling for Careful Answers
- Response to Specific Questions
- An Array of Questions from One Physician
- Involvements in Answering Questions
- Answer Regarding Chicago Buildings
- Whether Past or Future She Did Not Always Know
- Who Manipulated Her Writings?
- Care Required in Answering Questions and Charges
-
- The Oakland Camp Meeting (July 19-29)
- The Pacific Press Fire
- The Friday-Night Vision
- Continued Camp Meeting Ministry
- Plans for a Continuing Evangelistic Thrust
- Ellen White to Participate
- Evangelist Simpson's Effective Ministry
- More Than One Right Way To Work
- Loma Linda Interests Again
- Her Correspondence
- Rebuilding the Pacific Press
- A Second Granddaughter Marries
- Ellen White Begins to Await Her “Summons”
-
-
-
-
- The Receiving and the Acceptance of Personal Testimonies
- The President Reelected
- The Response to Earnest Testimonies
- The Old Question—Who Told Sister White?
- The Other Question—Proper Relationships
- First Resistance, Then a Heartfelt Response
- Ellen White Rejoices in the Victory Gained
- Elder Reaser Needed in God's Cause
-
-
-
-
-
- Chapter 18—America's Cities—The Great Unworked Field
-
-
-
-
-
-
- A Review of What Was Done to the Book
- Paraphrased and Quoted Materials in The Great Controversy
- Statements Regarding the Papacy
- Changes Affecting the Sense
- “The Great Bell of the Palace”
- Inspiration and Details of History
- The Appendix Notes
- Did Church Leaders and Scholars Interfere?
- E. G. White Authority to Change Her Published Writings
- Ellen White's Letter of Approval
-
-
-
- The Future Custody of Her Writings
- At Work Through 1912
- Correspondence and Interest in Correspondence
- A Quiet, Uninterrupted Visit with His Mother
- The Spring Trip to Southern California
- The Vision Concerning Recreation
- Not an Isolated Situation
- Elmshaven in September
- Book Preparation
- Ellen White's Last Visit to Loma Linda
- Later Life Brought No Despondency
-
-
-
- The Question of Another Prophet
- The Visit From James Edson White
- A Slight Stroke in Early Summer
- Ellen White Writes A Comforting Letter—Her Last
- Reading and Approving Chapters and Articles
- Her Eighty-Seventh Birthday
- Review and Signs Articles
- Advance! Advance! Advance!
- Simplicity of Faith and Confidence
- The Report to Elder Haskell
-
-
-
-
Statements Regarding the Papacy
Ellen White was eager that nothing should stand in the way of gaining favorable attention of the Roman Catholic readers of her books. Her son explained modifications in wording to avoid offending the Catholic reader.6BIO 326.1
In several places, forms of expression have been changed to avoid giving unnecessary offense. An example of this will be found in the change of the word “Romish” to “Roman” or “Roman Catholic.”—Ibid. (see also Ibid., 3:435).6BIO 326.2
On the matter of statements that might be disputed, he also wrote noting Ellen White's assent:6BIO 326.3
On pages 50, 563, 564, 580, 581, and in a few other places where there were statements regarding the Papacy which are strongly disputed by Roman Catholics, and which are difficult to prove from accessible histories, the wording in the new edition has been so changed that the statement falls easily within the range of evidence that is readily obtainable.6BIO 326.4
Regarding these and similar passages, which might stir up bitter and unprofitable controversies, Mother has often said: “What I have written regarding the arrogance and the assumption of the Papacy is true. Much historical evidence regarding these matters has been designedly destroyed; nevertheless, that the book may be of the greatest benefit to Catholics and others, and that needless controversies may be avoided, it is better to have all statements regarding the assumptions of the pope and the claims of the Papacy stated so moderately as to be easily and clearly proved from accepted histories that are within the reach of our ministers and students.”—Ibid. (see also Ibid., 3:436).6BIO 326.5
One matter called to the attention of the Elmshaven staff for study in the W. W. Prescott letter was what seemed to some to be an apparent contradiction in the chapter “A Warning Rejected.” The word alone was added at the top of page 383. Here is the reason for the change: In the 1888 Great Controversy, Ellen White consistently makes it crystal clear that the Roman Church is referred to in prophecy as “Babylon.” She does so on page 382, in the chapter just referred to, noting:6BIO 326.6
The woman, Babylon, of Revelation 17, is described as “arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones ... and upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots.” ... Babylon is further declared to be “that great city, which reineth over the kings of the earth.” The power that for so many centuries maintained despotic sway over the monarchs of Christendom, is Rome.6BIO 327.1
Next, she introduces the fallen Protestant churches, noting that Babylon is said to be “the mother of harlots.”6BIO 327.2
By her daughters must be symbolized churches that cling to her doctrines and traditions, and follow her example of sacrificing the truth and the approval of God, in order to form an unlawful alliance with the world.—Pages 382, 383.6BIO 327.3
Then pointing out the timing of the second angel's message of Revelation 14 announcing the fall of Babylon, Ellen White takes the position that that message is aimed particularly at the “daughters,” “religious bodies that were once pure and have become corrupt,” and in a sense “cannot refer to the Romish Church.” But was the Roman Church exempt? Was it not Babylon? To remedy what seemed to some to be an inconsistency in wording, the sentence in question, without in any way changing the arguments put forth for the fallen state of both the “mother” and the “daughters,” the word alone was added, making the sentence in question read in the new edition:6BIO 327.4
The message of Revelation 14, announcing the fall of Babylon, must apply to religious bodies that were once pure and have become corrupt. Since this message follows the warning of the judgment, it must be given in the last days; therefore it cannot refer to the Roman Church alone, for that church has been in a fallen condition for many centuries.—Page 383.6BIO 327.5
The addition of the word alone applies the term Babylon to both the apostate Christian church of many centuries, and the fallen Protestant churches of the 1840s, and thus does not exempt the Roman Catholic Church from the classification given to it both in Scripture and in her writings.6BIO 327.6
Dores Robinson, who assisted in the work on The Great Controversy in 1911, explained what took place, showing Ellen White's responsibility in this matter:6BIO 328.1
The criticism was brought to Mrs. White's attention, and in order to clarify the thought, she inserted the word alone, so that in the new edition it reads: “It cannot refer to the Roman Church alone.” Not a word is altered in what precedes, with its application to the Roman Church. Not a word is altered in the pages that follow in which some of the Protestant churches are shown to answer to the picture.—DF 85e, D. E. Robinson, in “Is It a Contradiction?”6BIO 328.2