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, 14, 15) that Ellen White said constituted a “a perfect chain of truth” (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 1, p. 129).

Part 18 asked a number of important questions.

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 we have readily seen, the Adventist Church in its unconditional endorsement of Ellen White has a huge dilema. You need to get Dale’s book to learn how they try to work their way out of this mess.

Here is Dale’s chapter 5 summary.

Again we are forced to either accept the authority of Ellen White’s statements and reject all logic and reason, or we must recognize that her statements are totally erroneous. She appears to be arguing for error. She places those who were right in rejecting the erroneous date-setting messages as being in the camp of Satan. She clearly indicates that this erroneous date-setting message was a “message born from heaven.” She dubs the churches who rejected the false message of date setting, “Babylon” — a term for confusion, and a symbol for the camp of Satan. One wonders which side had the confusion? We must clearly see what is taking place. Ellen White is speaking as a “messenger of God,” with the “truth of God,” and “the authority of God” — and attributing to God the errors of the date-setting message of the Millerites who were wrong.

Chapter Summary

Ellen White said Miller was right in his 1843 message when he was wrong.

1. Ellen White said Miller was right in his 1843 message when he was wrong.
2. Ellen White said those who rejected Miller’s erroneous 1843 message were working on the side of Satan and were rejected by God.
3. Ellen White said Miller’s 1843 chart was just as God wanted it and it should never be changed, although it was wrong.
4. Ellen White said God held his hand over the mistake in Miller’s 1843 chart, thus making God a partner in their deception.
5. Ellen White said that as soon as God removed his hand which covered the mistake in Miller’s 1843 chart, the Millerites discovered their error, thus corroborating the fact that she makes God at least partially responsible for their error.
6. Ellen White said that all the prophecies—probably Miller’s 15 proofs—which pointed to the 1843 date, then correctly pointed to the 1844 date.
7. Ellen White said that when Christians repeated to the Millerites the words of Jesus in Mark 13:32, “no man knoweth the day and the hour,” they were manifesting the spirit of Satan.
8. Ellen White said the 1844 message was a “saving message” and “a message from heaven.”
9. Pastors who rejected Miller’s erroneous message were said to have “the blood of souls” upon them.
10. Churches who rejected Miller’s false 1844 message were dubbed “Babylon,” and were understood to be apostate, “fallen” churches.
11. The bottom line: What Ellen White said was right, was wrong. What she said was wrong, was right.

I would like to once again thank Dale Ratzlaff for allowing me to explore portions of his excellent and thought-provoking book Cultic Doctrine with you. Now you know where the 1843/1844/1851/1857 Sanctuary and Investigative Judgment doctrines originated. I have just begun to share with you “the rest of the story.” Dale’s 20-chapter book, with its exhaustive references for each chapter, is a real eye opener that you will definitely want to have as a part of your early Adventist study library!

I am so thankful for that we have God’s Holy Word, the Bible, to guide us into all truth. I am reminded of John 8:32 (KJV)

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 Next time we will begin looking at William Miller’s 1843 chart, that Ellen White said God showed her  was just as God wanted it and it should never be changed, although it was wrong. It shows how William Miller calculated the dates for the proofs we just covered. Informed Adventists desperately try to divorce themselves from William Miller’s 15 "Proofs" by claiming that most certainly something else had to be the "perfect chain of truth" that God showed William Miller. The facts speak for themselves. The 15 Proofs and the supporting 1843 chart go together. The chart speaks to the 15 Proofs.

Very few Adventists have any idea how the Seventh-day Adventist church began. This is a part of SDA history that they won’t teach you!