The Relation to Outside Influences

It would be but human to question and wonder whether at times Ellen G. White was not influenced by someone near her, or working for her, or perhaps by the president of the General Conference, who might give her messages a certain bias or slant. Some have wondered to what extent Milton’s Paradise Lost might have influenced her Conflict of the Ages Series, or whether she had been reading Drs. Trall and Jackson before her “health vision” of 1863.BHP 151.1

These are good and fair questions, and therefore deserve the same kind of answer. First, let us look at the Paradise Lost question. In the spring of 1858 she had the long vision in which the scenes of the great controversy between Christ and Satan were opened before her. She was so thrilled with the message that she told it to the believers in Battle Creek at the morning and evening services.BHP 151.2

J. N. Andrews heard the description of the fall of Satan, the fall of man, and the plan of salvation. He asked Mrs. White whether she had ever read Milton’s book. She replied that she had never seen it or read it. A little later J. N. Andrews gave her a copy, but without opening it she put it up on a high shelf out of reach until she had finished writing out what she had been shown.BHP 151.3

Questions concerning the health message of 1863 brought from her pen these words:BHP 152.1

“As I introduced the subject of health to friends … and spoke against drugs and flesh meats, and in favor of water, pure air, and a proper diet, the reply was often made, ‘You speak very nearly the opinions taught in the Laws of Life, and other publications, by Drs. Trall, Jackson, and others. Have you read that paper and those works?’ My reply was that I had not, neither should I read them till I had fully written out my views, lest it should be said that I had received my light upon the subject of health from physicians, and not from the Lord.”—The Review and Herald, October 8, 1867, p. 260.BHP 152.2

In the same year she again declared, “My views were written independent of books or the opinions of others.”—Manuscript 27, 1867, quoted in Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White, Messenger to the Remnant, p. 16.BHP 152.3

Immediately someone will say, “But now, wait a minute. What about those quotations from history books that we have in the book The Great Controversy? Where did they come from? How did they get into the writings?” Those are good questions and most certainly deserve satisfactory answers. It is a long story, but we can tell you in brief how those passages got into that book in The Conflict of the Ages Series. Here again we do well to turn to her own words for the reasons that seemed to satisfy her.BHP 152.4

In the very first writing of The Great Controversy story which appears currently in the last part of Early Writings, not one quotation from a secular history book will be found. We do, however, find quotations in the 1883 manuscript, which became the 1884 edition. Therein some excerpts are in quotation marks, while others are not. More quotations appear in the 1888 edition, but it is not until the 1911 edition that we find all quotations properly documented and acknowledged. Now why?BHP 152.5

Mrs. White answers the question in these words:BHP 153.1

“The great events which have marked the progress of reform in past ages, are matters of history, well known and universally acknowledged by the Protestant world; they are facts which none can gainsay. This history I presented briefly, in accordance with the scope of the book, and the brevity which must necessarily be observed, the facts having been condensed into as little space as seemed consistent with a proper understanding of their application. In some cases where a historian has so grouped together events as to afford, in brief, a comprehensive view of the subject, or has summarized details in a convenient manner, his words have been quoted; but in some instances no specific credit has been given, since the quotations are not given for the purpose of citing that writer as authority, but because his statement affords a ready and forcible presentation of the subject. In narrating the experience and views of those carrying forward the work of reform in our own time, similar use has been made of their published works.”—Introduction to The Great Controversy, 13, 14.BHP 153.2

From W. C. White, who worked with his mother, Ellen G. White, in the preparation of the 1911 edition of the book, we learn that “in the new edition the reader will find more than four hundred references to eighty-eight authors and authorities,” and further with regard to the “references to the historians quoted, she instructed us to hunt up and insert the historical references. She also instructed us to verify the quotations, and to correct any inaccuracies found; and where quotations were made from passages that were rendered differently by different translators, to use that translation which was found to be most correct and authentic.”—A statement made before the General Conference Council, Oct. 30, 1911, pp. 2, 3.BHP 153.3

Now back in those days there was greater freedom in one writer using the words or phrases of another in setting forth his presentation. Thus the nineteenth century saw many writers at times borrowing from each other without always using quotation marks and frequently without giving credit. We would not do that today. Thus we find that some of the quotations used in the earlier editions of The Great Controversy were without quotation marks or references.BHP 154.1

But another question is, What effect does the using of any material from other writers have on the question of the inspiration of her writings as a whole? Let us remember that from a mind enlightened in vision Mrs. White spoke forth and wrote the messages. The words employed merely conveyed the thoughts, and she at different times might use different words to express the same thoughts; and if she found in the writings of another a description in harmony with what was revealed to her, she might employ a phrase or a sentence, or even more, as she explained in her introduction to The Great Controversy. The subject of inspiration is discussed in a subsequent chapter, but right here let us remember the words of W. C. White found in the same statement that was quoted above:BHP 154.2

“Mother has never laid claim to verbal inspiration, and I do not find that my father [James White], or Elders Bates, Andrews, Smith or Waggoner put forth this claim. If there were verbal inspiration in writing her manuscripts, why should there be on her part the work of addition or adaptation? It is a fact that mother often takes one of her manuscripts, and goes over it thoroughly, making additions that develop the thought still further.”BHP 155.1

Mrs. White did claim thought inspiration, but never verbal inspiration. The very way in which her work was done would preclude any such claim. In 1906 she made a very important declaration on this point. She said:BHP 155.2

“While my husband lived, he acted as a helper and counselor in the sending out of the messages that were given to me. We traveled extensively. Sometimes light would be given to me in the night season, sometimes in the daytime before large congregations. The instruction I received in vision was faithfully written out by me, as I had time and strength for the work. Afterward we examined the matter together, my husband correcting grammatical errors and eliminating needless repetition. Then it was carefully copied for the persons addressed, or the printer.”—The Writing and Sending Out of the Testimonies to the Church, p. 4.BHP 155.3

To this she added a further explanation:BHP 156.1

“As the work grew, others assisted me in the preparation of matter for publication. After my husband’s death, faithful helpers joined me, who labored untiringly in the work of copying the testimonies, and preparing articles for publication. But the reports that are circulated, that any of my helpers are permitted to add matter or change the meaning of the messages I write out, are not true.”—Ibid.BHP 156.2

Once again we are impressed with the fact that our people should make no claim for Mrs. White beyond that which she herself made. Neither should we claim less for her than she did for herself. This is both safe and sensible.BHP 156.3

With regard to outside influences upon her and her work we are safe in saying that Mrs. White generally did not lack for words when it came to describing what she saw in vision and, therefore, you will find throughout her writings generally very few quotations from any source aside from the Bible.BHP 156.4