Idle Rumor and Report

Through the years many idle reports have been in circulation as to what Sister White said about various questions. She is reported to have said something to some individual about some Bible topic or some phase of the work, statements which have never been included in her published writings. And unfortunately, there are always found those who are ready to pick up these rumors and add to their circulation.TOJ 145.3

Regarding these rumors and reports we find the following good counsel in Testimonies for the Church 5:696:TOJ 146.1

“And now to all who have a desire for truth I would say, Do not give credence to unauthenticated reports as to what Sister White has done or said or written. If you desire to know what the Lord has revealed through her, read her published works. Are there any points of interest concerning which she has not written, do not eagerly catch up and report rumors as to what she has said.”TOJ 146.2

If some who are so curious as to seek to run down every rumor, would spend more time in studying the published statements of the messenger of the Lord, they would have less interest in the unauthenticated reports which come to them.TOJ 146.3

The Athenians of old were noted for spending much of their time either in telling or in hearing some new thing. But unfortunately, this characteristic on their part led very few of them to accept the truths of the gospel proclaimed to them by the apostle Paul.TOJ 146.4