Ellen White's Alchemy: How Ellen White Transformed the Words of the "Damned" into "Light from Heaven"

Dirk Anderson, May 2022

Many Seventh-day Adventists are under the impression that the words contained in Ellen White's books are the words that God impressed upon her. They believe that God was the source of her writings. In 1867, Mrs. White encouraged that belief, writing thus of her testimonies:

...the words I employ in describing what I have seen are my own, unless they be those spoken to me by an angel, which I always enclose in marks of quotation.¹

But are the words really her own? After Walter Rea exposed the extent of Ellen White's plagiarism of other authors, Warren Johns of the White Estate admitted:

The more we examine the library books once held by Ellen White, the more we are finding examples of the ways in which she used them and the extent of their use.²

As it turns out, the real sources of Ellen White's inspiration were the non-SDA ministers whom she described as those "who had rejected God's truth, and had been given over to strong delusions to believe a lie that they might be damned."³ She took the words of these deluded and "damned" ministers and made them her own.

In a letter written in 1905, Mrs. White claimed Jesus told her, "'Write the messages that I give you, that the people may have them.'" Then she adds,

These messages have been written as God has given them to me. Of myself, I could not have brought out these books, but the Lord has given me the help of His Holy Spirit. These books contain the instruction which for nearly half a century God has been giving me. They contain light from heaven and will bear the test of investigation.⁴

Mrs. White is very clear about the writing process:

Her books contain messages that God gave her and Jesus instructed her to write.
She could not have written them herself.
The Holy Spirit was her divine helper.
Her books contain the "light from heaven."

Whether Ellen White had divine aid is unknown, but she certainly had aid from the authors she denounced as deluded and "damned." Whether Ellen White actually received any light from heaven is unknown, but what is a known fact is that she received plenty of "light" from authors she denounced as being part of "Babylon" and "Apostate Protestantism." Since she plagiarized these authors heavily, it is safe to say that the majority of the "light from heaven" in her writings came through non-SDAs.

For example, when counseling SDA General Conference President O.A. Olsen about an important upcoming meeting, she turned to J.C. Geikie to provide Olsen with "light from heaven:"⁵

J. Cunningham Geikie,
The Precious Promises 1882, pp. 36, 47-51, 58-60

Ellen White Letter 19E to O.A. Olsen,
Oct. 26, 1892 (7LTMS 3950-3857))

To him who is contented to receive without deserving; to feel that he can never recompense such love; to lay his pride and self-sufficiency at the feet of Christ, and to approach with lowly child-like spirit, all the treasures of eternal love are a free and everlasting gift.

"He will work and who will let it?" "There is nothing too hard for him," for "His is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and earth is his, and He is exalted as head above all." "Riches and honour come of Him, and He reigns over all, and in His hand are power and might, and in His hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all." "He is the blessed and only Potentate; the King of kings and Lord of lords."

He has a mighty arm; strong is his hand, high is his right hand." "He is the mighty God, who is able to do exceeding abundantly, above all that we ask or think."

"Trust ye, then, in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." "If He be for you, who can be against you?" Make the words of the Psalmist your own,—"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for He is with me."

... It will be well for us, if we can rely on a care so much above our own; which sees the end from the beginning, and can make all things work together for our good, when they seem most against us. With such a source to which to look in all times of trouble, the heart can have no misgivings.

Man may err: God cannot. He has heaven and earth at his command, and He knows what we have need of before we ask Him. We see only a little way before us, but all things are naked and open to Him with whom we have to do. Our prejudices, weaknesses, self-deceptions, and ignorance, often prompt us to steps hurtful in many ways; but He sits above the confusions and distractions of earth, with all things open to his divine survey, and from his calm eternity can order them as is best. If left to ourselves, how often should we miss our way! how often follow appearances, and wreck our high interests!

We need the cloudy pillar all through our journey, and in the promises we have it assured us; for they are the mystic presence of God, to cheer us in our pilgrimage, and guide us by the only safe course to the better Canaan.

Where the cloud rests, let us willingly abide: whither it guides, let us ever follow. Whatever difficulties be in our way, let us still trust Him who has led us thus far. Where we see no way, He sees it for us. Let us rest in the Lord and make Him our confidence.

Whatever burden may press, o cast it on the Lord. He can cast all his cares on Him, for He careth for us. In all dangers he may lie down in lie down in peace, remembering that “He that keepeth Israel, neither slumbers nor sleeps.” ... He is kept in perfect; peace;, for his mind is stayed on God. ... Fear not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness?"

... Mary's Magnificat is his, for his soul magnifies the Lord, and his spirit rejoices in God his Saviour...

To him who is content to receive without deserving, who feels that he can never recompense such love, who lays all doubt and unbeliefs aside, and comes as a little child to the feet of Jesus, all the treasures of eternal love are a free, everlasting gift.

... He will work and who will let or hinder? There is nothing too hard for Him. His is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory and the majesty. Let us not limit the Holy One of Israel. “Riches and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.” [1 Chronicles 29:12.] He “is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.” [1 Timothy 6:15.]

“Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.” [Psalm 89:13.] He is the mighty God who is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” [Ephesians 3:20.]

“Trust ye in the Lord forever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.” [Isaiah 26:4.] “If God be for us, who can be against us?” [Romans 8:31.] So with firm step, making melody in your heart, sing His praises. “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” [Psalm 27:1.] “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.” [Psalm 23:4.]

... It is well for us to rely upon a care that is so much above our own. He sees the end from the beginning and will make “all things work together for good to them that love God.” [Romans 8:28.] What a source to which we can look in all times of trouble; the heart can have no misgivings!

Man is erring, stubborn, rebellious, and defiant even against God; but the Lord is kind and patient and of tender compassion. He has heaven and earth at His command, and He knows just what we need even before we present our necessities and desires before Him. We can see only a little way before us; “but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” [Hebrews 4:13.] He never becomes confused. He sits above the confusion and distractions of the earth, and all things are opened to His divine survey; and from His great and calm eternity, [He] can order that which His providence sees is best. If we were left to ourselves to plan, we should make mistakes. Our prejudices, our weaknesses, our self-deceptions, and our ignorances would be manifest in many ways. ...

We certainly need to hear the counsel of God as did the children of Israel through all their journeyings, from the cloudy pillar by day, and the pillar of fire by night. ... We have the ministration of angels, as well as they, to cheer us in our pilgrimage and guide us by the only safe course to our haven of rest.

When the cloud rests, we willingly abide; and when it begins to move, we move also. We must never loose faith and trust in God. Move onward, although we see no way; He sees it for us and bids us go forward. Let us rest in the Lord and make Him our confidence.

...go forward hopeful and courageous in God, saying, He careth for us. Whatever burdens lay heavily, cast them on the Lord. He that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. Repose in God. He is kept in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on God. ... “Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” [Joshua 1:9.] “I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” [Isaiah 41:10.]

... Let the lips utter, My soul magnifies the Lord, My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.

Mrs. White spoke often of a spirit guide who would instruct her. In the example below, she even put the words of other authors into the mouth of her spirit guide:

Frederick W. Krummacher,
Elijah the Tishbite 1836, pp. 20-21

Ellen White Diary Entry,
Nov. 21, 1890 (MR21, 446,
Desire of Ages, 224-225)

The whys and wherefores are concealed from us... The ways God leads us are generally mysterious... God...knows exactly and much better than we do what is good and necessary for His children; and, in truth, He never leads them otherwise than they would wish Him to lead them, if they were able to see as clearly into their hearts and necessities as He does. ... This is the way of our gracious God. We must venture upon His Word.

My guide said... The whys and wherefores are concealed from you, yet speak the words I give you, however painful it may be to you. The ways in which God leads His people are generally mysterious. You have asked to know God’s way. Your supplication has been answered. God knows better than you do what is good and essential for His children. He never leads them otherwise than they would wish to be led if they were able to see as clearly as He does their necessities... The people whom God is leading must venture out upon His Word.

Below are further examples where the words of the "damned" became her source of inspiration.

Frederick W. Krummacher, Elijah the Tishbite 1836, p. 221	Ellen White Testimonies vol. 5 (1882), 76
Brethren, who knows what our own churches have still to experience? We are at present evidently under divine forbearance; can any one of us say how long it will last? It cannot be expressed how much mercy has already been expended upon us. Yet how many...are heartily devoted to his service.	But few know what our churches are to experience. I saw that at present we are under divine forbearance, but no one can say how long this will continue. No one knows how great the mercy that has been exercised toward us. But few are heartily devoted to God.

Daily Southern Cross, Vol. XXV Issue 3695 May 22, 1869	Ellen White, Signs of the Times, May 4, 1882
The great want of this age is men. Men who are not for sale.Men who are honest and sound from centre to circumference, true to the heart's core. Men who will condemn wrong in friend or foe, in themselves as well as others. Men whose consciences are as steady as the needle to the pole. Men who will stand for the right if the heavens totter...	The greatest want of this age is the want of men,—men who will not be bought or sold; men who are true and honest in their inmost souls; men who will not fear to call sin by its right name, and to condemn it, in themselves or in others; men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole; men who will stand for the right, though the heavens fall.

Henry Venn, The Complete Duty of Man 1836, pp. 31-32	Ellen White, Testimonies vol. 8 (1904), 258
He was not beholden to pre-existent matter in the formation of the world... On the contrary, all things, whether of a material or spiritual nature, stood up before the mighty God at his call, and were created at his pleasure. The heavens, and all the hosts of them; the earth, and all things which are therein, are not only the work of his hands, but ‘by the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.’	In the formation of our world, God was not indebted to pre-existing matter. On the contrary, all things, material or spiritual, stood up before the Lord Jehovah at His voice and were created for His own purpose. The heavens and all the host of them, the earth and all things therein, are not only the work of His hand; they came into existence by the breath of His mouth.

John Harris, The Great Commission 1854, p. 103	Ellen White, Christ’s Object Lessons vol. 8 (1904), 327
Not more certainly is the throne of every believer prepared in heaven, than his appropriate place is prescribed on earth.	Not more surely is the place prepared for us in the heavenly mansions than is the special place designated on earth where we are to work for God.

T. L. Cuyler, Heart Life 1871, p. 69	Ellen White, The Ministry of Healing (1905), 470
A living, lovable Christian is the most powerful argument for the Gospel.	The strongest argument in favor of the gospel is a loving and lovable Christian.

Charles Beecher, Redeemer and Redeemed 1864, p. 65, 69	Ellen White, Manuscript 113, 1899 (DA 25, AA 33, RH 9-7-1897)
As the high priest laid aside his gorgeous pontifical robes and officiated in the white linen dress of a common priest, so Christ emptied himself and took the form of a servant and offered sacrifice, himself the priest, himself the victim. As the high priest, after going into the Holy of Holies with the blood, finally came forth to the waiting congregation in full pontifical robes, so, unto them that look for him, Christ shall appear a second time in all the splendors of his eternal kingdom and glory.	As the high priest laid aside his pontifical dress, and officiated in the white linen dress of a common priest, so Christ emptied himself, and took the form of a servant, and offered sacrifice, Himself the priest, Himself the victim. As the high priest, after performing his service in the holy of holies, came forth to the waiting congregation in his pontifical robes, so Christ will come the second time clothed in glorious garments of the whitest white, “such as no fuller on earth can whiten them.” [Mark 9:3.] He will come in His own glory...

2. Warren Johns, Ministry, June, 1982. Many of the examples shown in this article were derived from Johns' article.

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Ellen White's Alchemy: How Ellen White Transformed the Words of the "Damned" into "Light from Heaven"

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