An American Prophetess

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 2, 1915

“An American Prophetess”

UNDER the above heading the New York Independent of August 23 has an editorial of considerable length concerning the work of Mrs. E. G. White. Though the article contains a number of inaccuracies, it has a spirit of fairness. We quote the major portion:—

It is the distinction of our days that the American church has enjoyed the teachings of two prophetesses. The first century of our colonial history gave us Ann Hutchinson. In old times prophets were stoned, and Massachusetts banished her first prophetess to Rhode Island, and from thence she wandered to the Dutch colony on the Hudson and was killed by the Indians near Hell Gate. Our two later prophetesses, Mrs. Eddy, founder of the Christian Science Church, and Mrs. Ellen G. White, leader and teacher of the Seventh-day Adventists, lived and died in comfort and honor, surrounded by their admiring followers. Many of Mrs. Eddy’s disciples believed she would never die, and Mrs. White hoped to be one of those who would be taken up alive to meet the Lord in the air. But the Lord delayed his coming, and she entered into rest, just as others do, at the age of eighty-eight, and her burial took place a few days ago at the Adventist headquarters at Battle Creek, Mich. Her husband, Elder James White, shared with her the honor of founding the Seventh-day Adventist Church, but she was its one prophetess. . . . Of course, these teachings [of the founders of the denomination] were based on the strictest doctrine of inspiration of the Scriptures. Seventh-day Adventism could be got in no other way. And the gift of prophecy was to be expected as promised to the “remnant church,” who had held fast to the truth. This faith gave great purity of life and incessant zeal. No body of Christians excels them in moral character and religious earnestness. Their work began in 1853, in Battle Creek, and it has grown until now they have thirty-seven publishing houses throughout the world, with literature in eighty different languages, and an annual output of $2,000,000. They have now seventy colleges and academies, and about forty sanitariums; and in all this Ellen G. White has been the inspiration and guide. Here is a noble record, and she deserves great honor.

Did she really receive divine visions, and was she really chosen by the Holy Spirit to be endued with the charism of prophecy? Or was she the victim of an excited imagination? Why should we answer? One’s doctrine of the Bible may affect the conclusion. At any rate she was absolutely honest in her belief in her revelations. Her life was worthy of them. She showed no spiritual pride and she sought no filthy lucre. She lived the life and did the work of a worthy prophetess, the most admirable of the American succession.

Thus even a great worldly journal recognizes the tremendous influence which the spirit of prophecy has had in leading and molding and unifying the work of this denomination.