About Ellen G. White
Ellen White and her minister-husband James were two of the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Today, more than twenty-two million members encircle the globe.
In December of 1844, at age 17, Ellen experienced a vision from God while in a prayer group with four other women. Afterwards, she told how God had shown her the trials and disappointments of those believing in the soon coming of Christ. She was assured this must happen, but that the believers must be faithful and tell others of Jesus soon return. And in God's time, Jesus would come to take the believers home to heaven.
Such visions continued through her long life, given, as she declared, "Not for a new rule of faith, but for the comfort of His people, and to correct those who err from Bible truth." Early Writings, page 78.
While at home and while traveling, Ellen White was busy with her writing. Early in her experience she was commissioned, "Write, write the things that are revealed to you," Review and Herald, June 14, 1906.
Ellen White, whose life closed July 16, 1915, at the age of 87, rests by the side of her husband in the family burial plot in the Oak Hill Cemetery at Battle Creek, Michigan.
Born in 1827 as Ellen Harmon, her first years were spent in the vicinity of Portland, Maine, a stronghold of Harmon families. An earnest Christian youth and member of the Methodist Church, Ellen and her family entered heartily into the religious revival of William Miller during the early 1840s, as he preached the imminent return of Jesus to cleanse the world.
Though a very timid young woman, God instructed Ellen Harmon to “make known to others what I have revealed to you.” And in spite of frail health, Ellen traveled with her sister to visit small groups of Advent believers to encourage them with her testimony.
In 1846, Ellen Harmon gave her hand in marriage to Adventist evangelist James White. Poor in this world's goods, but rich in the faith of Jesus, these two young people gave their lives to share the love of God and herald the soon return of Jesus.
Four sons were born to them: Henry in 1847; Edson in 1849; William in 1854; and John in 1860. Two of the children lived to maturity. John died at three months and Henry at 16 years.
As months passed, those acquainted with James and Ellen White often witnessed visions given Mrs. White and recognized the benefits of God's leading through her and through her husband.
The emerging church saw harmony between Scripture, teaching the last-day renewal of a prophetic gift as set forth in Joel 2:28-30; Ephesians 4:8-14; and Revelation 12:17 and 19:10, and between the messages Ellen White shared of her visions and dreams from God.
Shunning the title of prophetess, she answered those who questioned her about her mission with the simple statement that the Lord had declared her to be His messenger - a channel of communication between heaven and earth, but a work she recognized as embodying that of a prophet.
In this capacity Ellen White's ministry was a great blessing to the church as she bore messages of encouragement, guidance, instruction, and reproof - messages oral and written which challenged the Seventh-day Adventist Church to high standards of Christian living, fervent evangelistic activity, and the development of publishing, medical and educational institutions.
Her labors and travels with her husband in the interests of the developing work led her back and forth across the American continent and, after his death in 1881, overseas. For two years (1885-1887) she worked in Europe, and spent nine years (1891-1900) in pioneer service in Australia.
Ready to respond to speaking opportunities, she addressed audiences in churches, in cramped attic rooms, and in the largest of halls and auditoriums. Speaking without notes or benefit of amplifying equipment, with Bible in hand, Ellen White held spellbound audiences not infrequently numbering thousands—the largest of which was close to 20,000 at an outdoor campmeeting.
Her addresses were practical, marked with sincerity and feeling and a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. Prominent in her presentation was a message on healthful living and temperance, a message stemming from a comprehensive vision given to her in 1863. This vision led to the changes of the health practices, not only of the church, but thousands touched by Seventh-day Adventist medical institutions and health food products which stemmed from her emphasizing the value of a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet.
To do this was a lifelong task, for an estimated 2,000 visions were given to her in her 70 years of ministry. Her writing, which in the main presented the light, the instruction, and the information given to her in vision, but included ordinary correspondence as well, runs well beyond 100,000 pages.
She did not dictate, but wrote the words with pencil or pen. Some reached the people - individuals, churches, and church leaders - in the form of letters. Periodical articles and books such as Testimonies for the Church and various volumes of counsel carried her message to Seventh-day Adventists.
Some volumes such as Steps to Christ, The Ministry of Healing and the five books compromising the "Conflict of the Ages Series" (Patriarchs and Prophets, Prophets and Kings, The Desire of Ages, The Acts of the Apostles and The Great Controversy) present her message to the general public. Noted for their feeling, their practical nature, and for their beauty of literary style, these works have been purchased and read by millions in many nations.
In harmony with the provision of her last will and testament these writings, which currently enjoy an ever-widening distribution, are in the custody of the Board of Trustees of the Ellen G. White Estate with offices at the headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Silver Spring, Maryland.
