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About The Author
Who was Ellen G. White, and why do millions consider her writings of
special value and significance?
In brief, she was a woman of remarkable spiritual gifts who lived most of
her life during the nineteenth century (1827-1915), yet through her writings
and public ministry has made a revolutionary impact on millions of people
around the world in the twentieth century
.
During her lifetime she wrote more than 5,000 periodical articles and 26
books; but today, including compilations from her 55,000 pages of manuscript,
more than 100 titles are available in English. From the information available,
she may well be the most translated woman writer in the entire history of
literature, and the most translated American author of either gender. Her writ-
ings cover a broad range of subjects, including education, health, prophecy,
nutrition, cultural and ethno-linguistic issues, creationism, and the origin of
life. Her life-changing masterpiece on successful Christian living,
Steps to
Christ
, has been published in more than 135 languages
.
Seventh-day Adventists believe that Mrs. White was more than a gifted
writer; they believe she was appointed by God as a special messenger to
draw the world’s attention to the Holy Scriptures and help prepare people for
Christ’s second advent. From the time she was 17 years old until she died
70 years later, God gave her approximately 2,000 visions and dreams. The
visions varied in length from less than a minute to nearly four hours. The
knowledge and counsel received through these revelations she wrote out to
be shared with others. Thus her special writings are accepted by Seventh-day
Adventists as inspired, and their exceptional quality is recognized even by
casual readers
.
[6]
As stated in
Seventh-day Adventists Believe
, “The writings of Ellen White
are not a substitute for Scripture. They cannot be placed on the same level.
The Holy Scriptures stand alone, the unique standard by which her and all
other writings must be judged and to which they must be subject” (p. 227).
“Yet,” as Ellen White herself noted, “the fact that God has revealed his will
to men through his word has not rendered needless the continued presence
and guiding of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, the spirit was promised by