Forbidden “Retractions” of Ellen White’s Words


"I am not to retract one word of the message I have borne." E. G. White, Review and Herald, Apr. 19, 1906. 

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http://www.ellenwhiteexposed.com/egw39.htm 

 

I wish to make it clear from the outset that I do not believe that Ellen White ever retracted anything she wrote. At the above link, notice the following words by Ellen White. If Mrs. White was instructed not to retract (change implied) what she sent out, then who gave the instructions to make the changes by way of retractions cited in this document? Who approved the alterations to her writings from which she was not to retract one word?

 

Mrs. White said: "I am not to retract one word of the message I have borne."2 (Review and Herald, Apr. 19, 1906).

 

re·tract

2 [ri-trakt] Show IPA

verb (used with object)

1. to withdraw (a statement, opinion, etc.) as inaccurate or unjustified, especially formally or explicitly; take back.

2. to withdraw or revoke (a decree, promise, etc.).

verb (used without object)

3. to draw or shrink back.

4. to withdraw a promise, vow, etc.

5. to make a disavowal of a statement, opinion, etc.; recant.

Origin:
1535–45;  (Latin retractāre  to reconsider, withdraw, equivalent to re- re-  + tractāre  to drag, pull, take in hand (frequentative of trahere  to pull)



1, 2.
 deny, renounce, recant, abrogate, nullify, annul.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.

The definite inference is that Ellen White was told of God that she should not retract one word of the message she was given to bear to God’s people. Despite this, a number of her words have been retracted and removed from later publications:

 

If you compare the following 1884 Great Controversy statement with the 1911 edition, there has been a great change in wording so as to change the meaning entirely--so that it no longer applies specifically to the SDA church as it did in the following 1884 Great Controversy, called The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4.

                                    

"Jesus sends HIS PEOPLE a message of warning to prepare them for his coming. To the prophet John was made known the closing work in the great plan of man's redemption. He beheld an angel flying 'in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him for the hour of his Judgment is come and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters [Rev. 14:6, 7.].

The angel represented in prophecy as delivering this essage, symbolizes a class of faithful men, who, obedient to the promptings of God's Spirit and the teachings of his word, proclaim this warning to the inhabitants of earth. This message [The three angel’s message in context] was not to be committed to the religious leaders of the people. They had failed to preserve their connection with God, and had REFUSED THE LIGHT FROM HEAVEN therefore they WERE NOT of the number described by the apostle Paul: 'But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day we are not of the night nor of darkness' [1 Thess. 5:4, 5]. 

The watchmen upon the walls of Zion should be the first to catch the tidings of the Saviour's advent, the first to lift their voices to proclaim him near, the first to warn the people to prepare for his coming. But they were at ease, dreaming of peace and safety, while the people were asleep in their sins. Jesus saw HIS CHURCH, like the barren fig-tree, covered with pretentious leaves, yet destitute of precious fruit. There was a boastful observance of the forms of religion, while the spirit of true humility, penitence and faith--which alone could render the service acceptable to God--was lacking. Instead of the graces of the Spirit, there were manifested pride, formalism, vainglory, selfishness, oppression. A BACKSLIDING CHURCH closed their eyes to the signs of the times. God did nor forsake them, or suffer his faithfulness to fail but they departed from him, and SEPARATED THEMSELVES from his love. As they REFUSED TO COMPLY WITH THE CONDITIONS, his promises were NOT FULFILLED to them."  E.G. White, The Spirit of Prophecy,  vol. 4, pp. 199-200 [The 1884 edition of The Great Controversy, 199, 200].

 

Note from the above statement:

 

· Ellen White is addressing HIS PEOPLE.

· Ellen White is addressing those to whom the EVERLASTING GOSPEL of Revelation 14 was committed to.

· Ellen White is defining the angel represented in prophecy AS DELIVERING THIS MESSAGE--NOT MEN OF BABYLON WHO FAILED TO ACCEPT THAT MESSAGE AS THE 1911 EDITION IMPLIES!

· Ellen White is implying that the third angel's message is delivered NOT BY THE LEADERS OF THE SDA CHURCH, but by a class of faithful men because the leaders had failed to preserve their connection with God and had refused light from heaven!

· Ellen White is addressing "watchmen upon the walls of Zion," NOT FALLEN BABYLON!

· Twice Ellen White mentions HIS CHURCH, NOT FALLEN BABYLON.

· Ellen White is addressing a BACKSLIDING CHURCH whose leaders and laity alike who failed and rejected light from heaven and who refused to comply with the conditions so that God's promises are not fulfilled to them.

· Babylon churches are FALLEN, NOT BACKSLIDEN.

 

The book containing the above statement, the Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, the 1884 Great Controversy, was permitted to lapse out of copyright and printing by the church until a Doctor began to print and sell it. Then the church began to print it again. Anyone wonder why the church let that 1884 edition of The Great Controversy lapse out of print and copyright? Below is the counterpart to the above statement which appears in The Great Controversy, 1911 edition, pp. 315-316:

 

"It was not alone upon the hills of Judea, not among the lowly shepherds only, that angels found the watchers for Messiah's coming. In the land of the heathen also were those that looked for Him; they were wise men, rich and noble, the philosophers of the East. Students of nature, the Magi had seen God in His handiwork. From the Hebrew Scriptures they had learned of the Star to arise out of Jacob, and with eager desire they awaited His coming, who should be not only the "Consolation of Israel," but a "Light to lighten the Gentiles," and "for salvation unto the ends of the earth." Luke 2:25, 32; Acts 13:47. They were seekers for light, and light from the throne of God illumined the path for their feet. While the priests and rabbis of Jerusalem, the appointed guardians and expounders of the truth, were shrouded in darkness, the Heaven-sent star guided these Gentile strangers to the birthplace of the newborn King.

It is "unto them that look for Him" that Christ is to "appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Hebrews 9:28. Like the tidings of the Saviour's birth, the message of the second advent was not committed to the religious leaders of the people. They had failed to preserve their connection with God, and had refused light from heaven; therefore they were not of the number described by the apostle Paul: "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness." 1 Thessalonians 5:4, 5.

The watchmen upon the walls of Zion should have been the first to catch the tidings of the Saviour's advent, the first to lift their voices to proclaim Him near, the first to warn the people to prepare for His coming. But they were at ease, dreaming of peace and safety, while the people were asleep in their sins. Jesus saw His church, like the barren fig tree, covered with pretentious leaves, yet destitute of precious fruit. There was a boastful observance of the forms of religion, while the spirit of true humility, penitence, and faith--which alone could render the service acceptable to God--was lacking. Instead of the graces of the Spirit there were manifested pride, formalism, vainglory, selfishness, oppression. A backsliding church closed their eyes to the signs of the times. God did not forsake them, or suffer His faithfulness to fail; but they departed from Him, and separated themselves from His love. As they refused to comply with the conditions, His promises were not fulfilled to them.

Such is the sure result of neglect to appreciate and improve the light and privileges which God bestows. Unless the church will follow on in His opening providence, accepting every ray of light, performing every duty which may be revealed, religion will inevitably degenerate into the observance of forms, and the spirit of vital godliness will disappear. This truth has been repeatedly illustrated in the history of the church. God requires of His people works of faith and obedience corresponding to the blessings and privileges bestowed. Obedience requires a sacrifice and involves a cross; and this is why so many of the professed followers of Christ refused to receive the light from heaven, and, like the Jews of old, knew not the time of their visitation. Luke 19:44. Because of their pride and unbelief the Lord passed them by and revealed His truth to those who, like the shepherds of Bethlehem and the Eastern Magi, had given heed to all the light they had received." E.G. White, The Great Controversy, 1911 edition, pp. 315, 316.

 

Notice that the statement makes it appear that it is addressed to the fallen churches. These words “Like the tidings of the Saviour's birth, the message of the second advent was not committed to the religious leaders of the people,” refer to the giving of the Everlasting Gospel to the other churches in 1844. But no mention of the Everlasting Gospel is made in the GC 1911 in the counterpart to 4SOP 199, 200, the 1884 edition of the GC.

 

The following words are omitted from the 1911 edition of The Great  Controversy, and they are very important because they define the words "HIS PEOPLE" as applying only to SDA'S--those having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth! 

                                    

"Jesus sends HIS PEOPLE a message of warning to prepare them for his coming. To the prophet John was made known the closing work in the great plan of man's redemption. He beheld an angel flying 'in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him for the hour of his Judgment is come and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters [Rev. 14:6, 7.].

The angel represented in prophecy as delivering this message, symbolizes a class of faithful men, who, obedient to the promptings of God's Spirit and the teachings of his word, proclaim this warning to the inhabitants of earth.” Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, 199, 200 [The 1884 Great Controversy].

 

The following words are substituted in the 1911 edition to make it appear as though the passage applies to the fallen churches and those who did not accept the second advent message in 1844 and on. That was not the original context whatsoever!

 

"...the message of the second advent was not committed to the religious leaders of the people. They had failed to preserve their connection with God, and had refused light from heaven; therefore they were not of the number described by the apostle Paul: "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness." 1 Thessalonians 5:4, 5.

 

Ellen White stated, she was not to retract ONE WORD! So who changed the wording of the 1911 Great Controversy, from the 1884 edition?

 

"I am not to retract one word of the message I have borne." Review and Herald, Apr. 19, 1906. 

 

Who changed all the words and context of this important passage to make it apply to the leaders and members of the other fallen churches, rather than SPECIFICALLY the SDA church--those to whom the Everlasting Gospel was committed?

 

Retractions Made by Someone From Ellen White’s First Vision 

 

 "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 of, 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....

By this time the 144,000 were all sealed and perfectly united. On their foreheads was written, God, New Jerusalem, and a glorious Star containing Jesus' new name." E.G. White, Word to the Little Flock, p. 14. This was Ellen White’s first vision.

 

OUR COMMENTARY: The Midnight Cry, of Matthew 25, which Ellen White said gave power to the second angel’s message, called people out of the fallen churches.

 

Ellen White said that all who ever hear and understand the Midnight Cry, and thereafter take their eyes off the path lighted by that cry, by re-joining the fallen churches they were called out of by membership or confederacy in ASSOCIATION, COUNSEL AND/OR COUNCIL, GIRDING, OR LINKING WITH THEM IN ANY WAY WHICH WOULD IDENTIFY US WITH THEM, FALL OFF THE PATH AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO GET ON THE PATH AGAIN, WHICH IMPLIES SHUT DOOR UNPARDONABLE SIN!

 

God's Word implies the same unpardonableness for such offenses in Isaiah 8:9-20, and Revelation 14:9, 10. Isaiah 8:9-20 says that all who violate those words have one option: BROKEN IN PIECES, stated three times for the importance and seriousness of the violation.  This is what Ellen White really meant by "shut door!" This is the part of her view on the shut door she always held. The breaking in pieces is Ezekiel 9 slaughter BEGINNING at His Sanctuary, the House of Jacob, those who have been privileged with great light, Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 211. A marginal rendering of the words “a slaughter weapon,” Ezekiel 9:2, in the KJV, is: “a weapon of his breaking in pieces.”

 

God and Ellen White were/are not Shepherd’s Rodsman because they say Ezekiel 9 will be literally fulfilled in the SDA church, beginning at His Sanctuary. Neither am I, nor have I ever been a Shepherd’s Rodsman! Nor do I believe that faithful SDA’s execute the slaughtering order of Ezekiel 9. I believe it will be the Babylonians led by Rome who will slaughter men, maidens and little children without mercy, 5T 211.

 

Those who have committed this unpardonable sin have grossly perverted her meaning and many quote a version that omits the words:  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.

 

Go to the White Estate access to Ellen G. White’s writings https://egwwritings.org/ and search these words in parenthesis: “This light shone all along the path” Searching those words will take you to all the books wherein Ellen White’s first vision is quoted.

 

Here is a list of the books that quote Ellen White first vision, but omit the sentence: 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.”

 

·       CET 57.2 – Christian Experience and Teaching

·       CCh 33.1 – Councils for the Church

·       LS – Life Sketches of Ellen White

·       1SM 62 – Bk. 1 Selected Messages

·       EW 14.1 – Early Writings – Refers you to the Appendix for an explanation.

·       ExV 10.1 – A Sketch of the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. White  

·       1T 58.4 Testimonies for the Church Vol. 1

·       WLF 14.2 Word to the Little Flock (This is the only reference that gives the words: “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.”

·       DS – The Day Star January 24, 1846, par. 1. This has the statement.

·       WV 23.5 – Woman of Vision

·       LSMS 82.2 –  (Life Sketches Manuscript)   

 

Of the 13 sources depicting Ellen White’s very first vision, 11 out of the 13 omit the words: 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.” WHEN QUOTING THE FULL VISION OTHERWISE!

 

The omission of such serious words is a most serious consideration every SDA should weigh heavily before he/she determines to enter ecumenical relationship with and/or join any of the fallen churches, including the professing SDA church, which is ecumenically involved by membership in the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., along with many other National Councils of Churches around the world.

 

When Israel formed a conspiracy (confederacy) with God’s enemies in Jeremiah 11:9-15, God told Jeremiah to no longer even pray for them. That implied/implies unpardonable sin. Adventists conspired to confederate with Babylon’s Associations, Councils and Confederacies in violation of the counsel of God in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. Most every SDA minister belongs to a local Ministerial Association which is a local arm of the World Council of Churches, as related to me by a PhD woman at the Canadian Council of Churches.

 

I have a Directory to Christian Councils, published by the World Council of Churches, which lists SDA’s as FULL MEMBERS in the following countries of the world:

 

·       Bahamas

·       Belize

·       Cook Islands

·       Hong Kong

·       Sweden

·       Hungary via membership in the Hungarian Council of Free Churches

·       Norway https://omega77.tripod.com/sdaecunorway.htm

·       France

·       The National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. https://omega77.tripod.com/nationalcouncilupdate.htm 

 

"Study the 9th chapter of Ezekiel. These words will be literally fulfilled yet the time is passing, and the people are asleep. They refuse to humble their souls and to be converted. Not a great while longer will the Lord bear with the people who have such great and important truths revealed to them, but who refuse to bring these truths into their individual experience. The time is short. God is calling will YOU hear? Will YOU receive His message? Will YOU be converted before it is too late? Soon, very soon, every case will be decided for eternity. Letter 106, 1909, pp. 2, 3, 5, 7. (To "The churches in Oakland and Berkeley, September 26, 1909.)" E. G. White Manuscript Releases Volume One, p. 260.

 

“The time will soon come when the prophecy of Ezekiel 9 will be fulfilled; that prophecy should be carefully studied, for it will be fulfilled to the very letter.”— Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, p. 1303.

 

The Signs of the Times, February 12, 1880:  “The desolation of Jerusalem stands as a solemn warning before the eyes of modern Israel.” 

 

“The desolation of Jerusalem in the days of Jeremiah is a solemn warning to modern Israel, that the counsels and admonitions given them through chosen instrumentalities cannot be disregarded with impunity.”  Prophets and Kings, 416.

    

Who is modern Israel (below) in your estimation? BABYLON? Or is it “modern-day Spiritual Israel?

 

“The time will soon come when the prophecy of Ezekiel 9 will be fulfilled; that prophecy should be carefully studied, for it will be fulfilled to the very letter.”— Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, p. 1303.

 

The Signs of the Times, February 12, 1880:  “The desolation of Jerusalem stands as a solemn warning before the eyes of modern Israel.” 

 

“The desolation of Jerusalem in the days of Jeremiah is a solemn warning to modern Israel, that the counsels and admonitions given them through chosen instrumentalities cannot be disregarded with impunity.”  Prophets and Kings, 416.

   

“I was confirmed in all I had stated in Minneapolis, that a reformation must go through the churches. Reforms must be made, for spiritual weakness and blindness were upon the people who had been blessed with great light and precious opportunities and privileges. As reformers they had come out of the denominational churches, but they now act a part similar to that which the churches acted. We hoped that there would not be the necessity for another coming out. [THIS IS THE ONLY KNOWN STATEMENT FROM THE PEN OF ELLEN WHITE INDICATING THAT SHE MIGHT HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH ORGANIZATION. THE DOUBT WHICH SHE EXPRESSED HERE WAS NEVER REPEATED DURING THE REMAINING TWENTY-SIX YEARS OF HER LIFE.] While we will endeavor to keep the "unity of the Spirit" in the bonds of peace, we will not with pen or voice cease to protest against bigotry.--EGW '88 356, 357 (1889). {LDE 48.1}

 

The pink part in brackets (above) is a notation in the compiled E. G. White book Last Day Events. Only "dumb-dog" watchmen (Isa. 56:10-12 and 5T 211) would place the following “BROUGHT DOWN TO HELL” statement immediately after the above one ON THE SAME PAGE, after saying that the above statement was the only one wherein Ellen White expressed a lack of confidence in the church. That is an absolute lie. Here is a listing of some of the many statements expressing Ellen White’s lack of confidence in the professing church militant:

 

https://omega77.tripod.com/leavestate.htm

 

“Of those who boast of their light and yet fail to walk in it Christ says, "But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you. And thou, Capernaum [Seventh-day Adventists, who have had great light], which art exalted unto heaven [in point of privilege], shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day." Ellen G. White, Review and Herald Articles, Aug. 1, 1893. [THE BRACKETED COMMENTS ARE BY ELLEN WHITE.] {LDE 48.2}

 

“Let us bear in mind the words that Christ spoke to the people who were honored above others in being privileged to have the Lord Jesus Christ to labor among them, and yet who did not appreciate this privilege, and did not diffuse the light of Heaven to others. He said: "Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repeated long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell; for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee." {RH, December 3, 1895 par. 6}

 

Statements Wherein Ellen White Called the Church a Harlot of Babylon in 1882, 1893, 1898, and Again in 1903 https://omega77.tripod.com/harlotstat1.htm

 

A harlot is a harlot is a harlot! A harlot is part of Babylon’s brothel when she joins such any which way you look at it. But the SDA church is far worse because they had the truth. A harlot may repent as did Mary Magdalene. But when a church marries into Satan’s confederacy by joining it, that is unpardonable sin. In Ellen White’s day, the church had not MARRIED, JOINED, Babylon’s Associations, Councils/Counsels and Confederacies.

 

When Israel played the harlot to the point of conspiring with God’s enemies as in Jeremiah 11:9-15, He gave them a bill of divorce and God does not marry a divorced woman.

 

Isaiah 50:1

Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

 

Jeremiah 3:8

And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

 

—rwb