91. Ellen White’s Basic Sources

What was Ellen White’s basic source for the information in The Desire of Ages? Was it the Bible? Was it other nineteenth-century authors? Was it visions given by the Lord?QSEW 96.7

Ellen White said that God gave her the light that is found in her books. After naming The Great Controversy, The Desire of Ages, and Patriarchs and Prophets, she said:QSEW 97.1

“In my books, the truth is stated, barricaded by a ‘Thus said the Lord.’ The Holy Spirit traced these truths upon my heart and mind as indelibly as the law was traced by the finger of God, upon the tables of stone.”QSEW 97.2

“God would be pleased to see The Desire of Ages in every home. In this book is contained the light He has given upon His Word.”—Colporteur Ministry, 126.QSEW 97.3

At the time of her 1858 vision on The Great Controversy between Christ and Satan she was shown many episodes in the life of Christ. Note her claims:QSEW 97.4

“I then viewed Jesus in the garden. I beheld the angelic host watching with untold interest the resting place of Jesus. I saw the Roman guard. I was shown the disciples as they sorrowfully gazed towards heaven.”—Spiritual Gifts 1:46, 64, 68, 79.QSEW 97.5

Some years later she wrote:QSEW 97.6

“I could but have a vivid picture in my mind from day to day of the way reformers were treated, how slight differences of opinion seemed to create a frenzy of feeling. Thus it was in the betrayal, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus. All this had passed before me point by point.”—Selected Messages 3:121.QSEW 97.7

Many visions picturing events in the life of Christ were given Ellen White. It was the information supplied in these visions, as well as the Bible record itself, which provided the primary sources for her writing on The Desire of Ages.QSEW 97.8

This is also true of her other books. According to W. C. White, “the framework of the great temple of truth sustained by her writings was presented to her clearly in vision,” some features being “presented to her many times and in detail many times.... The main outlines were made very clear and plain to her.” “The great events occurring in the life of our Lord,” he said, “were presented to her in panoramic scenes as also were the other portions of The Great Controversy.” She witnessed “flashlight scenes” and heard conversations and controversies (Selected Messages 3:462, 459).QSEW 97.9

W. C. White’s claims are in perfect harmony with those made by Ellen White in her introduction to The Great Controversy where she wrote:QSEW 97.10

“Through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, the scenes of the long-continued conflict between good and evil have been opened to the writer of these pages.QSEW 97.11

“From time to time I have been permitted to behold the working, in different ages, of The Great Controversy between Christ, the Prince of life, the Author of our salvation, and Satan, the prince of evil, the author of sin.... The Spirit of God has opened to my mind the great truths of His word, and the scenes of the past and the future.”—The Great Controversy, xii, xiii.QSEW 98.1

The material Ellen White drew from other writers, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, from non-vision and non-Biblical sources helped her considerably in her writing, but these sources were only of secondary importance when compared with the instruction she received through divine revelation.QSEW 98.2