Ask Ellen

Question:

Ellen,

How do I ask a question to you. I am having trouble with my teenage son. He is dating a girl I am not fond of. How did you handle when your sons dated. I am most anxious to read, because I need some inspiration, I am being rather impatient I am afraid.

Signed, Mrs. E E Basset

Answer:

Dear Mrs. Basset,

Please forgive me. After that last confession about my vinegar addiction, I had to take a break. I have been working on replacing vinegar with soy milk, and chicken with Fri-Chik. But then I was shown that just as there is physical adultery and spiritual adultery, there can also be dietary adultery. If I imagine that I am eating real chicken when I eat Fri-Chik, then I have already committed dietary adultery in my heart. So much for meat substitutes! Sometimes life is such as struggle. It is your questions though that gives me strength, and make it all worthwhile.

Oh. Back to your question, Sister Basset — about your teenage son dating a girl that you are not fond of. As I have been shown additional light, I realize that there are things that I allowed my sons to do that were not for their best good. For example, had I known then what I know now, I would have recommended that they not even consider any activities which could lead to marriage. My dear sister — I have been shown that time is too short for young people to think about things like that. As you know, I was shown first that the Lord would come on October 22, 1843.

I saw God was in the proclamation of the time in 1843. It was his design to arouse the people and bring them to a testing point, where they should decide for or against the truth. Thousands were led to embrace the truth preached by William Miller. (Early Writings, p 232)

I have seen that the 1843 chart was directed by the hand of the Lord, and that it should not be altered; that the figures were as He wanted them. (Early Writings, p 74)

And then I was later shown that we had been deceived, and that the correct date was October 22, 1844.

The Lord showed me that … His hand was over and hid a mistake in some of the figures, so that none could see it, until his hand was removed. (Review and Herald, Nov 1, 1850)

I saw the people of God, joyful in expectation, looking for their Lord. But God designed to prove them. His hand covered a mistake in the reckoning of the prophetic periods. Those who were looking for their Lord did not discover it… God designed that his people should meet with a disappointment. (Spiritual Gifts, p 137)

I was also shown in 1849 that the pestilence described in Revelation was beginning, and very soon the dead and dying would be all around us. Make certain that your son fully understands this. You may wish to purchase a poster with scenes such as this, from your local Adventist Book Center or Doug Batchelor evangelistic crusade, to place on his bedroom wall.

What we have seen and heard of the pestilence, is but the beginning of what we shall see and hear. Soon the dead and dying will be all around us. (Present Truth, September 1849)

I testify with a sense of urgency that you must convey to your son the importance of not developing any earthly entanglements. Time is too short!

The mighty shaking has commenced. (Present Truth, April 1850)

In a view given June 27, 1850, my accompany angel said, "Time is almost finished."… Said the angel, "Get ready, get ready, get ready." (Early Writings, p 64, June 27, 1850)

Some of us have had time to get the truth and to advance step by step, and every step we have taken has given us strength to take the next. But now time is almost finished, and what we have been years learning, they will have to learn in a few months. (Early Writings, p 67, June 27, 1850)

I saw that the time for Jesus to be in the most holy place was nearly finished and that time cannot last but a very little longer… The sealing time is very short and soon will be over. (Early Writings, p 57, Sept 1850)

I was shown in my Camden, N.Y. vision on June 29, 1851 that the Close of Probation had already taken place.

Then I saw that Jesus prayed for his enemies, but that should not cause us to pray for the wicked world, whom God had rejected — when he prayed for his enemies, there was hope for them… 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… I saw that the wicked could not be benefited by our prayers now… I saw that the scripture did not mean the wicked whom God had rejected that we must love, but he meant our neighbors in the household, and did not extend beyond the household. (Camden, N.Y. vision on June 29, 1851)

In my letter to Brother and Sister Loveland I wrote:

My vision comes up before me and the words of the angel even now seem to ring in my ears, "Get ready, get ready, get ready. Time is almost finished, almost finished, almost finished. Cry, cry, for the arm of the Lord is to be revealed, for the arm of the Lord is to be revealed. Time is almost finished. What you do, ye must do quickly! (Letter 26, 1850, p. 2, Manuscript Releases, Vol 8, p 222,223)

My dear sister! You must help your son to understand this message. Then he will have no interest in developing relationships such as you describe — or any for that matter. In 1856 I was shown:

I was shown the company present at the Conference. Said the angel: ‘Some food for worms, some subjects of the seven last plagues, some will be alive and remain upon the earth to be translated at the coming of Jesus. (Testimonies, Vol 1, p 131)

And God would have come if the Adventist people had converted enough people to Adventism so God did not have to delay His plan to return. At that point we were no where near the required 144,000. By 1884 I again saw signs of Christ’s imminent return. At that time I sent out a testimony calling for celibacy among Adventists.

It was not in accordance with our faith or God’s will that our missionaries should fill their hands with cares and burdens that were not essential to the work… I was shown that Brother and Sister V___ had departed from God’s counsel in bringing into the world children… The time is and has been for years, that the bringing into the world is more an occasion of grief than joy… Satan controls these children, and the Lord has but little to do with them… The time has come when, in one sense, they that have wives be as though they had none. (MS 34, 1885)

But people were not faithful in following my testimonies.

That testimony was read before gatherings of people, but it was evidently destroyed when it met with so much resistance, and the proof of its previous existence can be only had from those who heard it read or was an eye witness to the consternation it caused… Many tried to live up to her instructions. I sat in the Adventist church in Missoula, Montana, and heard the minister, Rollin D. Quinn, get up before the congregation and with tears streaming down his cheeks, confess that Satan had tempted him during the dark hours of the night and he had sinned but with God’s help he would stand firm from now on, only to repeat the scene the following Sabbath. One minister told my father that he did not dare trust himself home with his wife, so he had her meet him at the railroad station. (The Story of Ellen White’s Suppressed Testimony, Limboline, Glendale, California: Church of the Advent Fellowship), Jan 7, 1984, p 10,11)

Unfortunately the Adventist people failed to accomplish God’s work of warning the world. My dear sister Basset. My heart goes out to you. I have been shown that you were expecting some advice from Messages to Young People, or perhaps An Appeal to Mothers. As you can see from my latest testimonies, time is much too short for that. I would suggest that if your son must continue meeting this girl, that you recommend that he visit with her at the local railroad station. If you don’t have one then perhaps he could meet at a local bus station, or the local police or fire station — somewhere safe where human affections can be restrained.

Ellen White