Mrs. White and Fanatical Excesses

Because they have seen a few Adventists who are both ardent readers of Mrs. White’s writings and fanatically extreme in their ways of life, some church members inquire: Isn’t it just possible that if you get to reading Mrs. White too earnestly you will become fanatical? We are never quite sure how seriously this question is raised, because these questioners surely know that a similar question has often been raised about Bible reading. Indeed, it is a common comment by infidels that if you engage in too much Bible reading you will become queer and fanatical. And can they present some proofs? Well, proofs of a sort. For example:WBEGW 106.3

Some people who have earnestly and constantly read the Bible, including what it says about handling deadly serpents with impunity, have proceeded to handle rattlesnakes to prove how true God’s promises are. Some have read in the Bible what they thought was a prohibition against cutting one’s hair, and accordingly have grown beards. Others have taken literally Christ’s words about cutting off your hand if it offends you, or of making oneself a eunuch for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. And so we might go on, even to the horrible exhibit of the father who thought he found in the story of Abraham’s offering up his son Isaac a full justification for “sacrificing” his daughter. This he explained as his reason when arraigned for murder.WBEGW 107.1

But do the many millions of us who believe the Bible and read it daily, find in these weird exhibits any reason for concluding that there is great danger that we may read the Bible too much? The answer, of course, is No. We all rightly say that the trouble is not with the Bible, but with the strange type of mind that certain unstable people have. And to support this obvious conclusion we properly cite the cases of endless stable, sensible Christians who daily read the Scriptures and lead beautiful, sensible, helpful lives.WBEGW 107.2

The same answer may be given regarding Mrs. White’s writings. The person who reads her books avidly and then reveals erratic, fanatical ways, is the same person that will read the Bible and come up with queer, irrational conduct. The trouble is not with the reading matter, but with the reader.WBEGW 107.3

One word more: A careful reading of Mrs. White’s works reveals that she ever wrote calmly, exhorting us to reasonable living, and to journeying the middle of the road. In fact, in numbers of instances through the years she openly and vehemently denounced certain persons who sought to find in her writings a justification for fanatical excesses. She, herself, was a model of quiet, calm, Christian living.WBEGW 108.1