Gilbert Jorgensen’s Weblog

[Editor’s note: All 15 Proofs as well as William Miller’s 1843 chart (that Ellen White said was just as God wanted it) are also available in my Library at DefendingTheGospel.com.]

In part 1 we identified that the foundation for Adventism is laid in Ellen White’s comprehensive endorsement of William Miller’s methods and message. If Miller was right, so was Ellen G. White.

In part 2 we carefully examined what Ellen White said about William Miller and saw that her endorsement of William Miller was comprehensive. We found that Ellen White unequivocally stated that Miller was guided by God in his methods, his conclusions, and his message.

Part 3 began an examination of William Miller’s 15 proofs (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) that Ellen White said constituted a “a perfect chain of truth” (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 1, p. 129).

Much of the material covered in this series is explained in much greater detail in Cultic Doctrine by Dale Ratzlaff. Dale has done a masterful job with the facts clearly laid out before the reader to evaluate. I consider this book to be invaluable in understanding how the 1844 Sanctuary doctrine and the 1857 Investigative Judgment doctrine came to be in the first place. No matter what your theological perspective, this book presents the historical backdrop in a gripping, easy-to-read, narrative. This is one of those books that you will be unable to put down until you complete it. If you don’t have it, you should order it today.

As Dale points out in chapter 4, “William Miller: His Methods and Message”

Did he really discover “a perfect chain of truth,” as Ellen White stated? The stakes are high for Adventists. If Miller was wrong, then Ellen White was equally wrong.

Let’s examine proof #14 of William Miller’s “Time Proved Fifteen Different Ways”

FOURTEEN: It is proved by Rev. 13:5: “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.” This time began at the same time as the preceding, when power was given to the Pope by Justinian, A.D. 538, and lasted until the Pope was carried into captivity, and his power abolished, in the year 1798.

See 10th verse: “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword, must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” This beast is the same as the little horn in Daniel 7th, and synchronizes with Daniel’s “abomination that maketh desolate,” or “that astonisheth,” (See marginal reading.)

Compare Daniel 11:31, and 12:11, with Rev. 13:3-8; and of course his power is abolished with the end of his “setting up,” and the 1290 years. Then Daniel 12:12, — “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days,” — carries us to the year 1843.

As Dale Ratzlaff notes in Cultic Doctrine

Again, this is just another period of time seen by Miller to equal the 1260 days-years of papal domination. Remember that nothing significant even happened in 538.

Ellen White said God chose William Miller, guided his mind, his methods of Bible study, his conclusions, his charts, his mission, and more.

Next time we will begin examining William Miller’s proof #15. This is his last proof in what Ellen White called a “perfect chain of truth“.

Things are not going well at all for Ellen White. We have examined 14 of 15 proofs, and have only 1 proof left. Out of the first 14 we have not found a single proof to be valid, and yet the Seventh-day Adventist church would have us to trust them when they say in Fundamental Belief #18

This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and was manifested in the ministry of Ellen. G. White . As the Lord’s messenger, her writings are a continuing and authoritative source of truth

With a success rate like this, she is a “gift” we can do without! It is time to base our beliefs on the Bible.