Chapter 4—The Question Of Infallibility

Ellen White is said to have made a number of errors. Do we claim she was infallible?

No, and neither did Ellen White claim “infallibility.” For example, when she was criticized for stating the wrong number of rooms in a sanitarium—40 instead of 38—she said:TAWL 8.3

There has never been revealed to me the exact number of rooms in any of our sanitariums; and the knowledge I have obtained of such things I have gained of those who were supposed to know. In my words, when speaking upon these common subjects, there is nothing to lead minds to believe that I receive my knowledge in a vision from the Lord and am stating it as such. ^{1Ellen G. White, Selected Messages 1:38.}

Ellen White also recognized that she was not infallible in her personal behavior. She once wrote her husband:TAWL 8.4

I wish that self should be hid in Jesus. I wish self to be crucified. I do not claim infallibility, or even perfection of Christian character. I am not free from mistakes and errors in my life. Had I followed my Saviour more closely, I should not have to mourn so much my unlikeness to His dear image. ^{2Letter 27, 1876.}

In this connection, there is a Bible experience worth noting in Acts 21. The Apostle Paul was especially called to preach to the Gentiles. Because he did not include the Jewish ceremonial law in his preaching there were certain Jewish Christians that looked upon him with suspicion. Upon returning to Jerusalem from a successful missionary journey among the Gentiles, he was persuaded to lend his influence to the observance of certain ceremonial rites that were no longer required, in order to conciliate his critics. Ellen White makes the following significant comment, which she would doubtless apply to herself as well:TAWL 8.5

He was not authorized of God to concede so much as they had asked. This concession was not in harmony with his teachings, nor with the firm integrity of his character. His advisors were not infallible. Though some of these men wrote under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, yet when not under its direct influence they sometimes erred. ^{3Ellen G. White, Sketches from the Life of Paul, 214.}

W. C. White did not claim infallibility for his mother with regard to historical dates and details:TAWL 8.6

In some of the historical matters such as are brought out in Patriarchs and Prophets and in Acts of the Apostles, and in Great Controversy, the main outlines were made very clear and plain to her, and when she began to develop these topics, she was left to study the Bible and history to get dates and geographical relations and to perfect her description of details. ^{4W. C White as quoted in Ellen G. White, Selected Messages 3:462.}

W. C. White also wrote:TAWL 8.7

Regarding Mother’s writings and their use as authority on points of history and chronology, Mother has never wished our brethren to treat them as authority regarding the details of history or historical dates. ^{5W. C. White, Selected Messages 3:446}

In summary, Ellen White did not claim to be above errors in writing on common and business matters which did not involve counsels and messages from the Lord. She recognized that she was not infallible in her personal life, and her son did not feel she should be used as an authority on incidental details in her historical writing. It is true, of course, that she never used the term “infallible” to refer to herself or her writings in any context, but she did claim that the messages she gave were those given her by the Lord. ^{6Ellen G. White, Selected Messages 3:48-86.}TAWL 8.8

What about the errors she is said to have made, not only in history, but in science, health, theology, and exegesis? ^{7The White Lie, pp. 32, 34, 37, 57, 138, 141, 164, 271.}TAWL 8.9

We can hardly appreciate what times were like more than one hundred years ago when Ellen White wrote in the areas of health, science, and nutrition. ^{8See The Ellen G. White Estate, Medical Science and the Spirit of Prophecy (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald, 1971), for further information on this topic.} When she spoke of malignancy in connection with tobacco in 1864, a few health reformers agreed with her, but some physicians were prescribing smoking cigars for lung ailments. How did she know which position to take? When she spoke about the profound effects of prenatal influence in terms closely paralleling the pronouncements of science today, science knew little if anything about the subject. While she was emphasizing exercise and fresh air for invalids, many physicians were prescribing closed rooms and prolonged bedrest. Her counsels regarding air pollution, effect of diet on blood circulation, the use of salt, alcohol, mind-body relationship, and other topics, have been vindicated by modern research. All such statements were considered by some critics as errors when she first wrote them.TAWL 8.10

Because of difficulties and discrepancies, there are those who oppose the modern prophetic voice. And there also are those who look for “mistakes” in the Bible. Ellen White found a valuable gem of truth on this topic in a sermon by Henry Melvill. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, she reset that gem and preserved it for us:TAWL 8.11

All the mistakes will not cause trouble to one soul, or cause any feet to stumble, that would not manufacture difficulties from the plainest revealed truth. ^{9Ellen G. White, Selected Messages 1:16; cf. Henry Melvill, Sermons (New York: Stanford and Swords, 1844), p. 131.}

To attempt to prove that all the alleged “errors” in Ellen White’s writings are not actually errors, is not a profitable exercise. If a critic charges her with ten errors, and those ten are proven not to be errors, the critic will be ready with fifteen further allegations. Each individual must decide for himself whether the weight of evidence supports or discredits Ellen White’s claim to the prophetic gift.TAWL 8.12

In studying difficult passages either in the Bible or in other writings which the Holy Spirit inspired, it is well to ask the following questions: Do I really understand the context, meaning and importance of the inspired writer’s statement? Do I understand fully the evidence that is in apparent conflict with the inspired statement? Can the two sets of data be harmonized? May I reasonably expect a better understanding to be forthcoming from further study, experiment, or divine illumination? Can the issue be left unresolved? To those who listen, the Holy Spirit speaks clearly through inspired writings, regardless of occasional difficulties that may seem to appear. ^{10Ron Graybill, “Ellen G. White’s Literary Work: An Update,” pp. 31, 32.}TAWL 8.13