Yes, but understanding how requires explanation.
Ellen’s Role Within Adventism
In the SDA Church’s exposition of their 28 Fundamental Beliefs, on the chapter about belief #18, The Gift of Prophecy, they explain one of the ways Ellen White is supposed to function for the movement:
Prophets helped to bring about “the unity of the faith,” protect the church against false doctrines so believers would “no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
Seventh-day Adventists Believe, pg. 255
They recognize that one of the ways an Old Testament prophet was to function was to provide a “unity of the faith” and protect believers from false doctrines. They also rightly recognize that Deuteronomy 18:22 is a valid, present day test for the “gift of prophecy.”
Elsewhere, in the same chapter, they also provide an analogy that used by SDA pioneer, Uriah Smith, in their church’s paper, Review & Herald. He wrote:
One illustration may help to set this matter in a still clearer light. Suppose we are about to start upon a voyage. The owner of the vessel gives us a book of directions, telling us that it contains instructions sufficient for our whole journey, and that if we will heed them, we shall reach in safety our port of destination. Setting sail we open our book to learn its contents. We find that its author lays down general principles to govern us in our voyage, and instructs us as far as practicable, touching the various contingencies that may arise, till the end; but he also tells us that latter part of our journey will be especially peril; that the features of the coast are ever changing by reason of quicksands and tempests; “but for this part of the journey,” says he, “I have provided you a pilot, who will meet you, and give you such directions as the surrounding circumstances and dangers may require; and to him you must give heed.
With these directions we roach the perilous time specified, and the pilot, according to promise, appears. But some of the crew, as he offers his services, rise up against him. “We have the original book of directions,” say they, “and that is enough for us. We stand upon that, and that alone; we want nothing of you.” Who now heed that original book of directions? Those who reject the pilot, or those who receive him, as that book instructs them? Judge ye.
Seventh-day Adventists Believe, pg. 258-9
In their eschatology, they believe that the Bible teaches there will be perilous times in which God will raise up a prophet to help guide the final moments of the voyage through the peril and chaos before the close of earths history. In this analogy, we see the undertones of one of the favorite Seventh-day Adventist claims which is that Ellen White’s writings are the “lesser light” that points us to the “greater light”—the Bible.
Little heed is given to the Bible, and the Lord has given a lesser light to lead men and women to the greater light.
Ellen G. White, The Review and Herald, January 20, 1903
Ellen White’s writings are said to reveal the true and authoritative meaning of the Bible, helping readers fully understand its message. Adventists often use this claim to defend her high regard for Scripture. Along with this, it’s frequently stated that she never adds to the Bible but simply enhances its teachings, filling in gaps where Scripture is silent. SDA pastors, professors, scholars, and laity will often assert that she never set specific dates, made predictions, or engaged in anything that invites scrutiny of that magnitude.
Finally, the organization also plainly states:
The gift of prophecy was active in the ministry of Ellen G. White, one of the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She has given inspired instruction for God’s people living during the time of the end. The world of the nineteenth century, when Ellen White began to deliver God’s messages, was a man’s world. Her prophetic call put her under critical scrutiny. Passing the biblical tests, she went on to minister through her spiritual gift for 70 years.
Seventh-day Adventists Believe, pg. 261
They assert that she passes the biblical tests (plural) or a genuine prophet. This is simply not true.
Failed Predictions
In the simplest terms, a prediction is when someone thinks something is going to happen. When one ascribes divine confirmation to a prediction, they enter the arena of prophet. The Bible is clear that if a person comes along claiming to speak for God and they make a prediction that fails to come to pass, the person is to be marked as a false prophet who no one should listen to or fear (Deuteronomy 18:22). This is, in effect, part of what the Third Commandment is about—bearing God’s name falsely (Exodus 20:7). Furthermore, individuals that did this in God’s theocratic economy were stoned to death (Deuteronomy 13:5).
False prophecy isn’t limited to someone setting a false date like October 22, 1844. It extends to putting God’s “stamp of approval” on a prediction that doesn’t come to pass and/or giving a “word” that goes against the testimony of Scripture (Isaiah 8:20).
This is to say this is a serious matter.
1. The Shut Door & God Rejecting the “Wicked World“
During what this platform has termed the Forgotten Years—1844 to 1863—lots of hysteria was waking place within what would become the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Part of which included the belief that the time of salvation was up and only the “Little Flock” of disgruntled Millerites were saved.
In 1873, in a letter Ellen White wrote to SDA pioneer J.N. Loughborough, she addresses some charges that were being made by Miles Grant and Lucinda Burdick regarding the “shut door of mercy.”
I hereby testify in the fear of God that the charges of Miles Grant, of Mrs. Burdick, and others published in the Crisis are not true. The statements in reference to my course in forty-four [1844] are false.
With my brethren and sisters, after the time passed in forty-four I did believe no more sinners would be converted. But I never had a vision that no more sinners would be converted. And am clear and free to state no one has ever heard me say or has read from my pen statements which will justify them in the charges they have made against me upon this point.
Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, Book 1, pg. 74 (1SM 74.2)
This is to say she admits that she did believe no more sinners would be converted (e.g. the door of mercy/time of salvation was up for the world), but she never claimed to have a vision that no more sinners would be converted.
Regarding this same subject, in 1874, she also wrote:
I never have stated or written that the world was doomed or damned. I never have under any circumstances used this language to any one, however sinful. I have ever had messages of reproof for those who used these harsh expressions.
Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, Book 1, pg. 74 (1SM 74.5)
According to her, she also never stated or wrote that the world was doomed or damned. Regardless of circumstances or how sinful a person was. Not just this, but she had messages of strong reproof for people who used such language.
In conjunction with her 1873 and 74 statements, she also wrote:
For a time after the disappointment in 1844, I did hold, in common with the advent body, that the door of mercy was then forever closed to the world. This position was taken before my first vision was given me. It was the light given me of God that corrected our error, and enabled us to see the true position.
Selected Messages, Book 1, pg. 63 (1SM 63.1)
Nine years later, she again admitted that she did believe that “the door of mercy was then forever closed to the world,” but clarifies that this was before her alleged first vision of December 1844 was given to her. And it was this vision that allegedly corrected this erroneous belief.
Five Central Claims:
- Admitted to believe the door of mercy was shut;
- This belief was held before her alleged “first vision” in December 1844;
- Her “first vision” corrected the error of the shut door;
- She never had a vision that no more sinners would be converted or that the world was “doomed” or “damned;”
- She had messages of strong reproof for those that claimed such
In her “first vision” of December 1844, Ellen White absolutely claimed that the world had been rejected by God for their rejection of the “Midnight Cry”:
While praying at the family altar, the Holy Ghost fell on me, and I seemed to be rising higher and higher, far above the dark world. I turned to look for the Advent people in the world, but could not find them—when a voice said to me, “Look again, and look a little higher.” At this I raised my eyes and saw a straight and narrow path, cast up high above the world. On this path the Advent people were traveling to the City, which was at the farther end of the path. They had a bright light set up behind them at the first end of the path, which an angel told me was the Midnight Cry. This light shone all along the path, and gave light for their feet so they might not stumble. And if they kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, who was just before them, leading them to the City, they were safe. But soon some grew weary, and they said the City was a great way off, and they expected to have entered it before. Then Jesus would encourage them by raising his glorious right arm, and from his arm came a glorious light which waved over the Advent band, and they shouted Hallelujah! Others rashly denied the light behind them, and said that it was not God that had led them out so far. The light behind them went out leaving their feet in perfect darkness, and they stumbled and got their eyes off the mark and lost sight of Jesus, and fell off the path down in the dark and wicked world below. It was just as impossible for them to get on the path again and go to the City, as all the wicked world which God had rejected. They fell all the way along the path one after another, until we heard the voice of God like many waters, which gave us the day and hour of Jesus’ coming.
Ellen G. White, A Word To the Little Flock, pg. 14 (WLF 14.2)
Not only did Ellen White use these “harsh expressions,” her first vision didn’t correct error, but spurred more of it.
Those disappointed Millerites who eventually accepted that nothing happened in 1844 allegedly fell off the path to heaven, down into the wicked world that God had rejected. This rejection happened in accordance with the “world” rejecting the Millerite message so God allegedly rejected them. She very plainly was using utter doom and damned language
Furthermore, in her 1851 Camden, New York “vision” she plainly writes:
I saw that Jesus prayed for his enemies; but that should not cause us to pray for the wicked world, whom God has rejected. When he prayed for His enemies there was hope for them, and they could be benefited and saved by his prayers, and also after he was a mediator in the outer apartment for the whole world; but now his spirit and sympathy were withdrawn from the world, and our sympathy must be with Jesus, and must be withdrawn from the ungodly.
Ellen G. White, Camden, New York Vision, June 21, 1851
Some Adventists have sought to distance themselves from this by way of asserting that this vision was a forgery and not an authentic manuscript of Ellen’s. Yet others, such as SDA pastor and Ellen White apologist, Kevin Morgan, utilize other parts of this “vision” to support certain aspects of Adventist history they want to bolster—clearly evidencing they don’t believe it to be fraudulent. In fact, Mr. Morgan admitted this on our live show in a discussion with former SDA historian and professor Steve Daily.
Is it a “harsh expression” to claim Jesus no longer prays for certain people so we shouldn’t either? Again, in 1851, she very clearly said that the world was rejected by God and there was no more hope for them. Jesus’s spirit and sympathy had been withdrawn from the world and the Little Flock’s sympathy was to be with Jesus and withdrawn from those outside of their little sect.
Furthermore, this is very clearly years after her “first vision” from December of 1844, showing that her first vision did not correct this error, but bolstered it, and she didn’t only hold this position before 1844. Hence why it was believed for a number of years after 1844.
Two years prior, in 1849, writing in Present Truth Magazine, she wrote:
My accompanying angel bade me look for the travail of soul for sinners as used to be. I looked, but could not see it; for the time for their salvation is past.
Ellen G. White, The Present Truth, August 1, 1849
Repeatedly, during the 7 year period (1844-51), Ellen White was claiming to be shown by God that the time for salvation was up. God had rejected the wicked world and anyone in their ranks that left the movement joined shared in the fate of the world. She did use harsh expressions in this regard, she did believe this, not only before, but also after her “first vision,” and her “first vision” didn’t correct error, it cemented it into the movement early on and almost cost them the movement. Furthermore, Miles Grant and Lucinda Burdick’s 1873 testimony regarding Ellen White and the shut door was exactly correct.
These are predictions which were claimed to be direct revelation from God and they were wrong, which means Mrs. White fails the test of a prophet on these grounds.
2. Second Coming In Less Than A Few Years?
In response to murmurings from others within the movement, specifically people who were speculating that the Second Coming was more than a “few years away,” Ellen corrected them by saying:
I saw some, looking too far off for the coming of the Lord. Time has continued on a few years longer than they expected, therefore they think it may continue a few years more, and in this way their minds are being led from present truth, out after the world. In these things I saw great danger; for if the mind is filled with other things, present truth is shut out, and there is no place in our foreheads for the seal of the living God.
This seal is the Sabbath. I saw that the time for Jesus to be in the most holy place was nearly finished, and that time can last but a very little longer; and what leisure time we have should be spent in searching the Bible, which is to judge us in the last days.
Ellen G. White, To Those Who Are Receiving the Seal of the Living God, January 31, 1849
In 1849, she claimed to be shown by God that people who expected time to continue a few more years were wrong. This was allegedly dangerous because it was causing people’s minds to wander away from “present truth.” Furthermore, she claimed to be shown that the work in the most holy place (what would go on to become the doctrine of the investigative judgement) was nearly finished and time could only last but a little while longer.
This is very obviously false as time has gone on far more than a “few years” since this claim. This is also a false prediction that disqualifies Mrs. White from being a genuine prophet of God.
3. Time Almost Finished in 1850?
During the chaos of the shut door in 1850, Ellen White claimed to be given a vision that this was soon to take place that year and those who had newly accepted their message, they had a lot of sanctification to accomplish and little time in which to do it.
In a view given June 27, 1850, my accompanying angel said, “Time is almost finished.” Do you reflect the lovely image of Jesus as you should?” Then I was pointed to the earth and saw that there would have to be a getting ready among those who have of late embraced the third angel’s message. Said the angel, “Get ready, get ready, get ready. Ye will have to die a greater death to the world than ye have ever yet died.” I saw that there was a great work to do for them and but little time in which to do it.
Ellen G. white, Early Writings, pg. 64 (EW 64.1)
Again, at the end of that same year, 6 months later in December, she wrote:
Then I saw Laodiceans. They will make a mighty effort. Will they get the victory? One who has the truth will chase a thousand, and two will put ten thousand to flight. They are coming to conclusions that bring them into close quarters and they cannot tell where they be themselves, for they are lost in the foggy, terrible fear that takes hold of them. Anguish of spirit will seize them. Dare they admit that the door is shut? The sin against the Holy Ghost was to ascribe to Satan what belongs to God, or what the Holy Ghost has done. They said the shut door was of the devil, and now admit it is against their own lives. They shall die the death. Look ye at the Pattern. Follow Him, for He is meek and lowly in heart. Shut your eyes to everything but the present, saving truth.
Ellen G. White, Vision at Paris, Maine, December 25, 1850 (Manuscript 11, 1850, 3, 4)
She claimed to going against the teaching on the shut door at the time, something that was equated with “present truth,” was akin to blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. She claimed that those who came against this idea were of the Devil and will die the death. The Little Flock was to shut their eyes to everything except what their leaders within the little band told them because it was “present, saving truth.”
It’s important to note that there was constant shifting during the “shut door” years. The door was shut, then opened, then shut again, only to be cracked open for a handful of individuals, to eventually being said to be tied to the sabbath.
Sabbath, March 24th, 1849, we had a sweet, and very interesting meeting with the Brethren at Topsham, Me. The Holy Ghost was poured out upon us, and I was taken off in the Spirit to the City of the living God. There I was shown that the commandments of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, relating to the shut door, could not be separated, and that the time for the commandments of God to shine out, with all their importance, and for God’s people to be tried on the Sabbath truth, was when the door was opened in the Most Holy Place of the Heavenly Sanctuary, where the Ark is, containing the ten commandments. This door was not opened, until the mediation of Jesus was finished in the Holy Place of the Sanctuary in 1844. Then, Jesus rose up, and shut the door in the Holy Place, and opened the door in the Most Holy, and passed within the second vail, where he now stands by the Ark; and where the faith of Israel now reaches.
Ellen G. White, The Present Truth, August 1, 1849
The spin surrounding the shut door ended up being that when one door shut, another door opened. This is to say that when Jesus began the investigative judgement and moved from the holy place into the most holy place, He shut one door behind him, but opened another. Thus, the time of salvation actually wasn’t up for the world, probation is still open, and this will be the case until the investigative judgement ceases.
Nevertheless, time was not “almost finished” in 1849 or 50 and God didn’t send an angel to tell her this. These are more false predictions that disqualify Mrs. White from being a genuine prophet of God.
4. Dairy Products Will Become More Unsafe?
In The Ministry of Healing, a book the SDA Church claims is divinely inspired, Ellen White predicted that dairy products would become more and more unsafe.
The diet reform should be progressive. As disease in animals increases, the use of milk and eggs will become more and more unsafe. An effort should be made to supply their place with other things that are healthful and inexpensive. The people everywhere should be taught how to cook without milk and eggs, so far as possible, and yet have their food wholesome and palatable.
Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Health, pg. 320-1 (MH 320.2)
Pasteurization became a thing within a decade of this claim leading to far safer dairy products, as even the American Dairy Association recognizes. While not on scale with her earlier predictions, it was still errant and disqualifies Mrs. White from being a genuine prophet of God.
Conclusion
Just because Ellen White never set a formal date (e.g. October 22, 1844), that doesn’t mean she still didn’t make false predictions under the guise that they were coming from God. She very clearly fails the biblical test of a prophet.