If you are an American, and were not born and raised in the Seventh-
The casual waiting room browser is usually blissfully unaware that these Bible story
books are published by the official publishing arm of the Seventh-
If you used one of those coupons and sent for your own set of The Bible Story (current
price for the set: $199.95), you would likely have been surprised to receive a free
"bonus" with your order … a HUGE, coffee-
Again, if you had no particular exposure to the SDA Church prior to this, you would likely not recognize the name of the author: Ellen G. White. Nor would you understand why the publisher was sending you this book. You would have no way to know, even after reading this book, that Ellen G. White was the one and only prophetess of the SDA Church, originator (via her alleged visions and voluminous writings) of almost all the distinctive doctrines of the denomination which set it apart from all other Protestant churches.
Meanwhile, if you turned on your radio any time since 1966, you may have had another
unrealized exposure to the SDA Church: The Amazing Facts Broadcast. The speaker was
Amazing Facts ministry founder Joe Crews. Crews' energetic, non-
Crews' voice is still heard on the program, although he died in 1994-
You may also have been exposed to one or more of these outreaches without realizing
its SDA connection. The Amazing Facts ministry and other para-
The Claims
From its official incorporation in 1863 with about 3,500 members, the Seventh-
The official SDA website indicates that the organization is one of the fastest growing church groups in the world, with over 6 million new members since the year 2000. They are obviously deeply involved in making new converts. So if you would find yourself with direct exposure to aggressive evangelism by members of the SDA Church, what would they claim that you needed to know about their organization? What claims would they make for their organization in an attempt to persuade you to consider potential membership in the SDA Church?
As with most other non-
The SDA Church is not just one valid choice among many as a place of Christian
worship and fellowship-
One of the primary "proofs" of this identity as the Remnant Church is that this
church and this church alone had a bona-
Ellen G. White was not just a Bible teacher with Bible study skills and natural
teaching ability that she might use to develop Biblically-
Failure to adhere to the admonitions of Ellen G. White regarding such matters as
clothing styles, jewelry and adornment, food and drink, choice of entertainment and
other daily living topics may well affect the ultimate salvation of Church members.
We are living in "the End Times," the "Mark of the Beast" spoken of in the Book
of Revelation is soon to be imposed on everyone in the world, and only those who
reject that "mark" will be saved. And that mark is not a physical mark on the body,
but rather the observance of Sunday as the day of weekly worship rather than Saturday.
Thus all people who do not keep the seventh day Sabbath will have no opportunity
to be part of the Kingdom of God.
Before the beginning of the Great Tribulation, Jesus Christ will withdraw from His role as the Intercessor for Mankind in the Heavenly Sanctuary. It is the job of the Remnant Church to prepare all true Christians to stand before the "investigative judgment" of God that will occur at that point, when those who "qualify" will receive a mark or "seal" of protection. This will allow them to endure the tribulation. From that point on, it will be impossible for any "sinners" to repent during the tribulation, as the Blood of Jesus will no longer be available.
All of these convictions and many more must be accepted by an individual in order
to be a loyal member in good standing of the Seventh-
*Please note that the name of Ellen G. White will, of necessity, appear many, many times in this profile. Therefore the abbreviation "EGW" will often be used for convenience.
*This profile contains many quotes from other websites and printed materials. In order to carefully distinguish such quotations from the commentary of this Field Guide, please note that all quoted material is indented.
The Allure
There are a number of logical reasons that individuals might be attracted to the SDA denomination and consider membership.
1. Those who do their own independent Bible study and come to the conclusion that
the Sabbath of the Fourth Commandment is relevant to Christians usually want to find
others of like mind for fellowship on that Sabbath. Although there are a number of
other Sabbatarian denominations, most are quite small, and do not have large numbers
of congregations throughout the country and the world. But the SDA denomination does
have such congregations, at least one in most small towns and cities, and perhaps
several in major metropolitan areas. Thus the SDA Church may be the only viable choice
for organized seventh day Sabbath activities for many.
2. These are troubled times in which we live, and many are searching for spiritual answers and assurance that God is in control of the scary future. The SDA "prophecy seminars" provide just such assurance for some. The SDA denomination is bold and confident in its declarations about just exactly what is going to happen in the future, and in its assurance that only it has the answers to how individuals can prepare for the coming events. Some people find a sense of security when they are part of a group which can be so absolutely certain that they have all the keys to unlock Biblical mysteries such as the details of the End Times and the Second Coming.
3. There has been a major upheaval in the formerly Sabbatarian Worldwide Church
of God (WCG) since the early 1990s, with many people leaving the denomination over
the decision of the leadership to abandon seventh day Sabbath worship. The denomination
had close to 100,000 in attendance at one time, and thus this turmoil has left many
searching for a place to continue their Sabbatarian beliefs. Although a number of
smaller denominations have sprung up among these former WCG people, none is large
enough to guarantee organized fellowship groups and ministers to serve them in many
parts of the country and the world. Thus a number of former WCG members have been
inclined to "look into" the SDA denomination as a possible alternative.
Concerns
In spite of the glowing report given at the beginning of the Claims section above, with such fantastic "growth" in the SDA denomination, there is another side to the same story.
Here is a quote from the same official SDA website some time back. This was from an Adventist pastor, wondering why, in spite of the number of new people coming into the organization, so many others have left. This has included even many people who grew up in the denomination. In the extended family of brothers and sisters of this pastor and his wife, all growing up in the SDA Church, only he and his wife are committed adult members of the Church. And his two children, raised "in the Church," are also not members. He laments what has caused so many defections in recent years, and wonders what can be done to bring the lost sheep back to the fold.
… It is also safe to say that the official figure of "apostasies" is far too low. I would not be surprised if it were 50% or even 100 % higher. Calculations based on the official statistics give a total of close to a million "apostasies" in the last ten years. If we add only a conservative 50% the figure stands at least at 1,500.000. That's quite a number, isn't it. It equals the population of a major city. All of these men and women at one time responded in the affirmative to the baptismal questions; and they all left, some after just a few, others after many years.
… But let's suppose that during the last decade there were one million families with children between the ages of ten and twenty. Let's continue to suppose that each family on the average had three children, and that one out of every three of these children did not join the church. That would mean that over the last ten years one million young people were educated in Adventist homes, but opted out of Adventism. One million! Of course, this estimate is too low. If our estimate of one million families is somewhere near the mark, and our guess regarding the average size of the Adventist family is anywhere near reality, the number of children who have turned their backs on the church is probably closer to 1.5 or 2 million or more.
… Yes, in much of the Western world the Seventh-
It is not possible to account for why all of these people, including young people from Adventist families, have decided to opt out of the organization. But there are a number of very serious issues that can certainly account for a significant number of defections since the late 1970s. The purpose of this profile is to share and document those serious issues.
There are concerns which need to be addressed by anyone considering new membership or continued membership in the SDA denomination. Those include the following:
1. The SDA Church has claimed for almost 150 years that the writings of Ellen G.
White were directly, divinely inspired by God. During her lifetime, she denied that
any of her writings were influenced by other teachers or writers, but rather were
direct products of dreams and visions she had been given by God. Yet it has been
incontrovertibly established by careful documentation that many, if not most, of
the writings of EGW were not written under the inspiration of God but rather through
blatant plagiarism of the writings of earlier authors.
2. The SDA church is built on a deception-
3. The SDA leadership claims that the doctrines and practices of the denomination
are based only on the Bible. And they further claim that EGW's writings are to be
tested by the scriptures. But careful examination of the history of those doctrines
and practices shows that these are not accurate claims. The reality is that most
of the distinctive SDA doctrines and practices are not based on careful Biblical
exegesis alone, but on the Bible as interpreted by the writings of EGW. In fact,
many of them are based solely on the alleged special revelations of God to White
totally separate from any Biblical basis for the beliefs or practices.
4. Those in the ministry of the SDA denomination who have attempted to address openly
and honestly the facts of EGW's plagiarism, and other related serious problems in
the denomination's history and doctrine, have often been summarily removed from their
positions of leadership and kept from communicating their concerns in any official
SDA setting. This has included the firing and disfellowshipment of well-
5. Lay members who have openly questioned the record of EGW, or who have humbly and honestly expressed concerns about key SDA doctrines and practices related to the problems surrounding the claims of prophetic office for White, have found their questions unwelcome in their local congregations. And if they persisted in seeking answers, they may well have found themselves disfellowshipped and virtually shunned by their former brethren.
From the official SDA website's "history of Adventism" section:
"This small nucleus of "adventists" began to grow -
This is an extremely deceptive description. The early Adventists did not just accept that Ellen had "grown into a gifted author." Nor did they just think she "enjoyed God's special guidance as she wrote her counsels." They believed that she went into astonishing trances, sometimes collapsing to the floor and lying there for an hour or more, during which she had elaborate visions in which angels … and sometimes Jesus himself … talked directly to her and showed her specific things that she was ordered to share with the budding Adventist movement.
Nor does this address the reality that her "gifted writing" has been found to be literally burgeoning with plagiarized passages from the writings of authors before her, even in material she claimed to have received directly from God in vision. Yes, she was gifted … gifted in cleverly patching the words and ideas of others into whole cloth to call her own. Extensive documentation of this assertion is available both in this profile and in numerous books and on Internet websites.
These statements of concern are likely shocking to those who have only been exposed to the friendly face of the SDA movement. But this Field Guide profile documents the grounds for these statements, and provides extensive links to other resources which go into much greater detail to establish beyond any reasonable doubt that the SDA movement is built on a corrupt, shattered foundation.
Please Note: This material should not be in any way taken as a bad reflection on the sincerity of the average member of the denomination. Most members are oblivious to the deception that has been perpetrated on them. Nor in many cases should this material be taken to impugn the sincere efforts at ministry of the average SDA local minister. It is rather an indictment of the institutional, corporate organization which rules the SDA denomination, and keeps its members in the dark about the true nature of their "prophetess".
The sincerity of many of the members and many in the ministry of the SDA Church cannot make up for the true nature of the foundation of the institution itself. The institution is built on a foundation of deception and lies, not the pure word of scripture.
Nuggets of Truth
The concerns listed above regarding the foundation of the unique doctrines and practices of the SDA Church do not negate the fact that the average SDA members benefit from some of the distinctive approaches of their church. Other denominations and teachers would do well to imitate their emphasis on the following principles.
1. God cares about every part of our lives, including our physical health. One may
disagree with the extreme positions of the SDA denomination on such matters as total
abstinence from coffee, tea, and similar "stimulants," and promotion of vegetarianism.
But a healthful, balanced diet with less saturated fats really will help maintain
a healthy body-
2. Reaching out with evangelism can be most effectively done when accompanied with
concern and care for the physical needs of those to whom one is bringing the gospel.
This would include such efforts as medical missionary work, in which doctors and
other health personnel are brought to help people in third world countries at the
same time that spiritual ministry is offered.
3. While the specific approach to the Biblical issues of "Law and Grace" of the SDA
church may be debatable, it is undeniable that everyone would prefer that their neighbors
were obedient to the letter of the law of the Ten Commandments! While the true Christian
is not "under the condemnation of the Law," the Bible is full of admonitions to the
Believer to understand and apply the spiritual principles behind the Biblical laws
of both Old and New Testaments to one's life. "Faith without works is dead," as James
put it.
4. Theologians may disagree on the role of the seventh day Sabbath in matters of salvation, but it is an undeniable physical reality that the human body really would function better not working seven days every week. And taking out two hours on a Sunday morning for a "worship service" does not really fulfill the need for rest and refreshment that is implied in the fourth commandment. The extreme legalism that some Sabbatarians, including many SDAs, impose on observance of the weekly Sabbath does not line up with the New Testament teachings of Jesus and the Apostles. But it does seem wise for Christians to consider whether the statement by Jesus that "The Sabbath was made for Man" may include them.
Examination
Contrary to a common misperception, not every person who keeps the Sabbath on the
seventh day of the week (Saturday) and believes in Jesus Christ as Savior is a Seventh-
Also contrary to a common misperception, the word "adventist" is not a synonym for
a person who belongs to the Seventh-
History
The Second Coming of Christ has been a subject of popular interest even among non-
But this fascination with apocalyptic issues has not always been a big feature of
either secular or religious interest. From the first century to the 19th, there were
occasional local outbreaks of interest in prophecy (especially around years such
as 500 and 1000 that seemed to have possible symbolic significance), and speculation
about Jesus coming again. But the predominant perspective of mainstream Christianity
(both Roman Catholic and later Protestantism) down-
All of this changed in the early 19th century. A variety of Bible students both in
America and abroad began looking at the prophetic sections of the Bible-
Into this fertile period of prophetic speculation stepped a man named William Miller.
Click here for a brief overview of the history of the Seventh-
Click here for a brief lexicon of SDA lingo … words which have historically taken on a special meaning within the SDA denomination.
In 1994 a new Bible version/translation/paraphrase by an Adventist author was published
by the official SDA Review and Herald publishing house. Titled The Clear Word Bible,
it has been a cause for concern among both SDAs and non-
Quotes
Ellen G. White's writings are not just the source of major doctrines of the SDA Church regarding the plan of salvation and such. They also are the basis for a number of doctrines and practices and admonitions that have no specific basis in scripture, but that are obviously based on White's own tastes, prejudices, or dislikes. Below are a few samples, taken from the 2000 version of the SDA Manual. Note that the content of the Manual is replete with citations from White's books, at times used even more than citations from the Bible to establish the validity of these admonitions. Please note that, in spite of the "archaic language" (such as the phrase "moving picture theater") in portions of these quotations, this material is indeed from the year 2000.
The wearing of jewelry
PP. 166-
"To dress plainly, abstaining from display of jewelry and ornaments of every kind,
is in keeping with our faith."—Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 366. It is clearly taught
in the Scriptures that the wearing of jewelry is contrary to the will of God. ".
. . not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array" is the admonition
of the apostle Paul (1 Tim. 2:9). The wearing of ornaments of jewelry is a bid for
attention which is not in keeping with Christian self-
In some countries the custom of wearing the wedding ring is considered imperative, having become, in the minds of the people, a criterion of virtue, and hence it is not regarded as an ornament. Under such circumstances we have no disposition to condemn the practice.
Reading fictional books
P. 168
"Those who indulge the habit of racing through an exciting story are simply crippling their mental strength, and disqualifying their minds for vigorous thought and research."—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 135. Along with other evil results from the habit of reading fiction, we are told that "it unfits the soul to contemplate the great problems of duty and destiny," and "creates a distaste for life’s practical duties."—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 383.
Various types of public entertainment
PP. 168-
"Many of the amusements popular in the world today, even with those who claim to be Christians, tend to the same end as did those of the heathen. There are indeed few among them that Satan does not turn to account in destroying souls. Through the drama he has worked for ages to excite passion and glorify vice. The opera, with its fascinating display and bewildering music, the masquerade, the dance, the card table, Satan employs to break down the barriers of principle and open the door to sensual indulgence. In every gathering for pleasure where pride is fostered or appetite indulged, where one is led to forget God and lose sight of eternal interests, there Satan is binding his chains about the soul."—Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 459, 460.
We earnestly warn against the subtle and sinister influence of the moving-
Another form of amusement that has an evil influence is social dancing. "The amusement
of dancing, as conducted at the present day, is a school of depravity, a fearful
curse to society."—Messages to Young People, p. 399. (See 2 Cor. 6:15-
Let us not patronize the commercialized amusements, joining with the worldly, careless,
pleasure-
Acceptable forms of music:
PP. 169-
"Music was made to serve a holy purpose, to lift the thoughts to that which is pure, noble, and elevating, and to awaken in the soul devotion and gratitude to God."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 594. Jesus "held communion with heaven in song."—The Desire of Ages, p. 73.
Music is one of the highest arts. Good music not only gives pleasure but elevates the mind and cultivates the finest qualities. Spiritual songs have often been used of God to touch the hearts of sinners and lead to repentance. Debased music, on the contrary, destroys the rhythm of the soul and breaks down morality.
Great care should be exercised in the choice of music. Any melody partaking of the nature of jazz, rock, or related hybrid forms, or any language expressing foolish or trivial sentiments, will be shunned by persons of true culture. Let us use only good music in the home, in the social gathering, in the school, and in the church.
(Regarding music, popular SDA writer Samuelle Bacchiocchi even insisted in his book on the role of music in Christianity that virtually any contemporary Christian music should have no place in the worship of SDA members.)
Evaluation
Just how important is Ellen G White to the SDA denomination?
How great is her current influence?
Are SDA members and ministers free to pick and choose which of her writings are authoritative?
Can they ignore any of them with impunity and teach something different?
The SDA Statement of Beliefs asserts that the Bible is the final authority, not Ellen's writings. But do they really mean that? It would appear from the evidence that what they really mean is that the Bible as seen through the filter of Ellen's writings is the final authority.
Click here to read details on the official position of the current SDA leadership on the importance of the role of EGW in the denomination
And below are some examples that indicate just how central EGW's personal teachings-
SDA Position on wearing of jewelry
1 Tim 2:8-
8 I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.
9 I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes,
10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
Most Bible students would not take this passage to mean that a woman could never wear any kind of jewelry, or braid her hair. They would take it to mean that she should have her chief identity in spiritual matters, not as a "fashion plate."
But Ellen taught that this did, indeed, forbid all jewelry of any kind, including a simple gold wedding band. Strangely, she didn't apply the section about "broided hair," as she wore her own hair braided at times.
And to this day, most dedicated SDA women do not wear any kind of jewelry. Click this link for an overview of SDA Position on the wearing of Jewelry.
Eating Meat
Rom 14:2-
2 One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.
3 The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him.
Although it is obvious from this passage that one ought not to condemn a vegetarian for his choice, vegetarianism certainly isn't "recommended" here. It is, instead, spoken of as the diet of someone whose "faith is weak."
Why, then, do faithful SDAs adhere strictly to a totally vegetarian diet? Although there is some talk in SDA circles in recent decades of this being merely a sensible health choice based on modern contamination of meat, examination of the history of the doctrine in the SDA denomination will show that this was not the reason given at all for Ellen's original teachings on the matter. Nor do most SDAs approach the topic this way … they consider their diet to be an integral part of their spiritual faith walk. Although it is possible that some might sneak some meat once in a while, they would consider this "giving in to a weakness," rather than that, as the Bible states, their fundamental vegetarianism is based on weak faith. No, once again they do not get their "guidance system" directly from the Bible, but rather from the teachings of Ellen G White. Click here for the amazing revelation on just what Ellen actually did give as the reason for SDA vegetarianism.
Ellen G White's Claims for Herself
There are many, many more extremely strange teachings that EGW imposed upon the SDA Church in her lifetime. Some of these are no longer promoted in the denomination. But the historical records of those that are not are carefully hidden from the average member. For the whole point was that EGW was supposed to be getting all of her teachings through direct revelation. If it is admitted that she was clearly in error on some of those teachings, it would threaten the credibility of all of her teachings.
EGW herself pulled no punches on how she believed others were to view all of her writings:
"My work for the past thirty years bears the stamp of God or the stamp of the enemy. There is no halfway work in the matter. The testimonies are of the Spirit of God, or of the devil." (Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 230, written in 1876.)
The following collection of claims of EGW regarding her own writings is excerpted from the section on "Ellen White's Claims" at
(Emphasis by bolding was evidently added by the egwhite.org webpage's author. The phrase "the testimonies" refers to EGW's writings of admonition which were specifically aimed at Church members or leaders.)
"The testimonies are unread and unappreciated. God has spoken to you. Light has been shining from His word and from the testimonies, and both have been slighted and disregarded. (Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 217)
"If you lessen the confidence of God's people in the testimonies he has sent them, you are rebelling against God as certainly as were Korah, Dathan and Abirum" (Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 66).
"These books contain clear, straight, unalterable truth and they should certainly
be appreciated. The instruction they contain is not of human production." (Letter
H-
"These books, giving the instruction that the Lord has given me during the last sixty years, contain light from heaven, and will bear the test of investigation." (Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 35, 1906)
"When I went to Colorado, I wrote many pages to be read at your camp meeting. . .
God was speaking through clay. You might say this communication was only a letter.
Yes, it was a letter, but prompted by the Spirit of God, to bring before your minds
things that had been shown me. In these letters which I write, . . . I am presenting
to you that which the Lord has presented to me. I do not write one article in the
paper expressing merely my own ideas. They are what God has opened before me in vision
-
"Early in my youth I was asked several times, Are you a prophet? I have ever responded,
I am the Lord's messenger. I know that many have called me a prophet, but I have
made no claim to this title. My Saviour declared me to be his messenger. 'Your work,'
he instructed me, 'is to bear my word. ... It is not you that speaketh: it is the
Lord that giveth the messages of warning and reproof. Never deviate from the truth
under any circumstances . Give the light I shall give you. The messages for these
last days shall be written in books, and shall stand immortalized, to testify against
those who have once rejoiced in the light, but who have been led to give it up because
of the seductive influences of evil.' Why have I not claimed to be a prophet?-
Given these claims for her writings, the reader is invited to consider the material on the following Field Guide pages, along with the material cited earlier in this profile, and come to a conclusion: Was Ellen G. White truly "more than a prophet," and is the denomination founded on her teachings truly the "Remnant Church of the End Time"?
Plagiarism in the writings of EGW
Biblical errors in the teachings of EGW
EGW's teachings on "Amalgamation"
Strange Science and Health teachings of EGW
EGW on the Evils of Photography
Web Documentation
WEBSITES Regarding Adventism
The Ellen G. White Website: Bringing you the latest research on Ellen White
This is a massive website of documentation and commentary produced by a former dedicated SDA apologist who is still a Sabbatarian. It includes a number of full books and booklets, along with articles documenting almost every major issue in evaluating the ministry of Ellen G. White and the claims of the SDA Church.
Includes:
The Top 7
Ellen White's Top 7 Science-
The Top 7 Myths About Ellen White
Ellen White's Top 7 Contradictions
7 Times Mrs. White contradicts the Bible
The Top 7 Excuses
Mrs. White's 7 most shocking and embarrassing statements
The Reason Why, an online book in progress by Gary Gent
In this material, Gent in particular compares Ellen G. White's writings to Night Scenes in the Bible by Daniel March, a book published in 1869. Gent notes:
Her first use of it [March's Night Scenes book] seems to have been in Letter 22, 1872. As March's book was published in 1869, we see that Ellen's use of it started early.
… Ellen White is known to have owned and used these books by Daniel March:
Walks and Homes of Jesus (1866)
Our Father's House (1870)
Night Scenes in the Bible (1872)
Home Life in the Bible (1873)
In addition to these, she may also (by the White Estate's own admission) have owned and used:
From Dark to Dawn (1879)
Days of the Son of Man (1885)
…Fred Veltman, studying 15 chapters in Desire of Ages, found that Daniel March had been used 129 times.
And Gent's most amazing find may be the following: Plagiarism right in a document in which she was avowing her material all came from vision …
Here is Ellen's material:
Ellen G. White,
Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 27
1882
In these letters which I write, in the testimonies I bear, I am presenting to you
that which the Lord has presented to me. I do not write one article in the paper,
expressing merely my own ideas. They are what God has opened before me in vision
-
… [from the same page] If you refuse to believe until every shadow of uncertainty and every possibility of doubt is removed, you will never believe. The doubt that demands perfect knowledge will never yield to faith. Faith rests upon evidence, not demonstration. The Lord requires us to obey the voice of duty, when there are other voices all around us urging us to pursue an opposite course. It requires earnest attention from us to distinguish the voice which speaks from God.
And here is the obvious source of many of her words:
Daniel March,
Night Scenes in the Bible, 1869
We must not defer our obedience till every shadow of uncertainty and every possibility of mistake is removed. The doubt that demands perfect knowledge will never yield to faith, for faith rests upon probability, not demonstration. . . We must obey the voice of duty when there are many other voices crying against it, and it requires earnest heed to distinguish the one which speaks for God.
The official website of the Seventh-
A Search engine of EGW writings
Bibliography
The following books, among many others books, articles, websites, and other sources
of information, were consulted for information regarding the history, activities,
and beliefs of the Seventh-
A number of these books are still available new from Amazon.com, and some that are temporarily or even permanently out of print are still available through Amazon.com's used book services.
Also, many of these, both new and old, may be available to borrow through your local
library via the "Inter-
The Disappointed—Millerism and Millenarianism in the Nineteenth Century
Numbers, Ronald L. and Butler, Jonathan M. , editors
Indiana University Press, Bloomington
and Indianapolis IN, © 1987
A scholarly historical overview of the whole Millerite movement. The book is a collection
of essays written by Adventist and Non-
The Edges of Seventh-
Tarling, Lowell
Galilee Publications, Barragga Bay, ,Bermagui South, NSW Australia,
© 1981
A compilation of information on a large number of groups with the same roots in
the Millerite movement as the SDAs. This includes the Davidian and Branch Davidians,
the Worldwide Church of God and its offshoots, and the various Churches of God, Seventh-
End Time Visions—The Road to Armageddon?
Abanes, Richard
Broadman & Holman Publishers, Nashville TN, © 1998
An overview of the history of groups through history who have predicted the End to come in their own lifetimes.
Rise and Progress of the Seventh-
Loughborough, J.N.
General Conference Association of the Seventh-
An early "official" history of the SDA denomination
When Time Shall Be No More—Prophecy Belief in Modern American Culture
Boyer, Paul
The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA, © 1992
An overview of many groups, including the SDAs, which emphasize a belief in the imminent advent of Jesus
The White Lie
Rea, Walter
M & R Publications, Turlock CA 95381, © 1982
Nine chapters of this classic book can be read on-
This book by a former life-
White Washed
Cleveland, Sydney
Available directly from the author, 172 Suncrest Dr., Greenwood,
IN 46143
Phone 317-
© 2000
This is one of the most detailed recent compilations of the mounting evidence regarding
EGW's plagiarism and other deceptions. Like The White Lie of twenty years earlier,
it was written by a former life-
The following books and booklets relevant to an investigation of the claims of the
SDA Church are available on-
Beware This Cult!: An insider exposes Seventh-
Hunt, Gregory, M.D., B.Sc., F.R.C.P. © 1981
Chapters 6-
The Case of D.M. Canright
Douty, Norman, 1964
Baker Book House, 1964
From the Introduction by the author:
Mr. Canright was in Seventh-
Ever since Canright left them, the Adventists have been doing all in their power to undermine his testimony against their movement. It is true, he was carried to his grave over forty years ago, but since some of his writings continue to be published, his critics keep active. I have recently been told by some Adventists that their church plans to prepare a ‘Life of Canright." The object, naturally enough, will be to discredit him so thoroughly, that none will ever again venture to quote him as a witness against Adventism.
…Since Canright’s death a number of articles have been published in his defense, but they have been rather limited in scope. In view of all the relevant facts, it seems that the time is long overdue for a thoroughgoing account of him to be written, so that everyone may see for himself that his testimony deserves serious consideration
…Having now accumulated a mass of information concerning Canright-
1. I make no use whatever of rumor or hearsay; when I refer to false assertions, I refer either to statements which Adventists have made in conversation with me (or in letters to me), or to materials emanating from them which are in my possession (including photostats).
2. I do not necessarily subscribe to all of Canright’s views, but any minor dissent from them involves no reflection on either his sincerity or his ability as a teacher of God’s Word.
3. I bear no ill will toward the person of any Adventist. However, this will not prevent me from speaking plainly of those who are manifestly guilty of evading, suppressing or distorting facts. In such cases, I shall only consider my duty to God and to His people.
Ellen G White -
Kaspersen, Asmund, circa 1999
This excellent short online book was written by a former SDA member who became disillusioned with EGW and has done extensive research into the various aspects of her ministry. For some reason, the chapters/sections of the book are posted on a website completely separately, with no links between them nor a link to a central table of contents.
Life of Mrs. E.G. White-
Canright, D.M. , 1919
"Mr. Canright was in Seventh-
National Sunday Law-
Anderson, D.
1999
A book is currently making the rounds, spread by zealous SDA members to their friends,
family, neighbors, door to door and on the Internet, titled National Sunday Law by
SDA Pastor A. Jan Marcussen. It insists that citizens in the US are in immediate
threat in the near future of being restrained from worshipping on any day but Sunday.
What most readers do not realize is that Marcussen is only the most recent in a long
line of Adventist teachers who have insisted that this threat is imminent. The earliest
to widely disseminate this teaching was Ellen G White. Here is a short excerpt from
Anderson's book describing the development of the "National Sunday Law" teaching
among SDAs. Anderson first documents the earliest teachings (clear back in the 1840s
by Joseph Bates, an early EGW supporter) regarding the issue of Sabbath observance
as relevant to the prophesied persecution of the Saints in the book of Revelation.
He follows the development of the doctrine in EGW's own writings of the 1840s-
In 1884, she [EGW] introduces the fact that there will be a gradual increase in the severity of laws enforcing Sunday observance:
In the last conflict the Sabbath will be the special point of controversy throughout all Christendom. Secular rulers and religious leaders will unite to enforce the observance of the Sunday; and as milder measures fail, the most oppressive laws will be enacted. It will be urged that the few who stand in opposition to an institution of the church and a law of the land ought not to be tolerated, and a decree will finally be issued denouncing them as deserving of the severest punishment, and giving the people liberty, after a certain time, to put them to death. (Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4 p. 444)
By the late 1880's the end appeared imminent to Adventists. The reason they believed
the end was imminent was because a law was being considered before the United States
Congress in the late 1880's which would have made Sunday a nationally recognized
holiday. In 1886, Mrs. White warned of the soon-
The end of all things is at hand. The time of trouble is about to come upon the people of God. Then it is that the decree will go forth forbidding those who keep the Sabbath of the Lord to buy or sell, and threatening them with punishment, and even death, if they do not observe the first day of the week as the Sabbath. (Historical Sketches, p. 156)
Then the unexpected happened. The Sunday law was defeated by Congress. While there may have been more than one reason the law was rejected, it was apparent that some in Congress felt the law would violate the separation between church and state. Besides, if the law was enacted, it would have likely been struck down by the Supreme Court. After this event, the Sunday Law movement lost steam and gradually turned its attention to other issues. By the early 1900's it was beginning to appear unlikely that a Sunday law was going to be passed any time in the near future. Adventists now had a dilemma on their hands. They needed to come up with an explanation as to how a Sunday law could possibly be passed given the current circumstances. The prophet Ellen White finally came up with an explanation in 1904:
When the Sabbath becomes the special point of controversy throughout Christendom,
the persistent refusal of a small minority to yield to the popular demand will make
them objects of universal execration. It will be urged that the few who stand in
opposition to an institution of the church and a law of the state, ought not to be
tolerated; that it is better for them to suffer than for whole nations to be thrown
into confusion and lawlessness. This argument will appear conclusive; and against
those who hallow the Sabbath of the fourth commandment will finally be issued a decree,
denouncing them as deserving of the severest punishment, and giving the people liberty,
after a certain time, to put them to death. (Youth Instructor, 7-
By 1904, the scenario of an organized movement of religious leaders pushing Sunday
legislation through Congress seemed unrealistic. Since a Sunday law now appeared
extremely unlikely to occur under ordinary circumstances, there must be some extraordinary
external event that triggers it. Thus, Ellen White concocts a new scenario in which
the United States is faced with a sudden, terrible crisis. If the United States does
not act to kill the Sabbath-
The Shaking of Adventism—A documented account of the crisis among Adventists over the doctrine of justification by faith
Paxton, Geoffrey J.
Baker Book House, Grand Rapids MI, © 1977
A book by a non-
The Visions of E.G. White Not of God
Snook and Brinkerhoff, 1866
An early pamphlet investigating and refuting the claims of the SDA's for Ellen G. White's visions
The White Lie
Rea, Walter
M&R Publications, 1982
The Introduction and Chapters 1-
Walter Rea was a life-
Ellen G White books on-
A set of links to a variety of the works of Ellen G White available on-
Unless otherwise noted, all original material on this Field Guide website
is © 2001-
Careful effort has been made to give credit as clearly as possible to any specific material quoted or ideas extensively adapted from any one resource. Corrections and clarifications regarding citations for any source material are welcome, and will be promptly added to any sections which are found to be inadequately documented as to source.
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