“Problem” Statements
in Ellen White’s Writings
Denis Fortin
The Writings of Ellen G. White
Statements on Diet and Lifestyle
Ellen White’s statements on diet,
nutrition, exercise, and preventive health
measures have received unprecedented
independent scientific verification and
corroboration.
Some Statements on Science
Yet, in other areas dealing with scientific
matters, there is generally widespread criticism
regarding some of her views.
These “problem” statements in science along
with issues connected with literary borrowing
(plagiarism) are the two major categories in
which Adventists lose confidence in her
prophetic gift.
Categories of Statements
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1. Statements contradicted by
contemporary science in her day but
which, today, are confirmed by
science.
2. Statements in harmony with
contemporary thinking in her day and
which have been proven sound since.
Categories of Statements
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3. Statements not widely discussed in
her day which came more or less as
“new light” and which have been
confirmed since.
4. Statements in harmony with the
contemporary thinking of her day, but
which science, today, generally
repudiates.
Articles in The Health Reformer
A number of difficult statements were
written in 1871 in The Health Reformer
in a series of six articles titled "Words to
Christian Mothers" in which she decried
the evils of fashion and the unhealthy
consequences of some behaviors.
Articles in The Health Reformer
In these articles she often quoted from other
journals and drew lessons from them to
illustrate and support her thoughts.
Taken in their historical setting these
statements are not as off-base as some of
them appear when removed from their original
context.
Articles in The Health Reformer
The Health Reformer was the first
Adventist journal devoted to health
education.
Started in August 1866.
Ellen White published about 75 articles in
this journal from August 1866 to 1887
Articles in The Health Reformer
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Practical subjects:
Dress reform and the evils of fashion
Alcohol consumption and temperance
Influence of the mother in the home
Home environment
Hygiene
Articles in The Health Reformer
James White : editor, 1871-1874.
To assist her over-worked husband, in
1871, Ellen White agreed to preside over
a column in the journal.
In this column, she made some
statements relating to science which
today sound weird and anti-scientific.
‘Problem’ Statements in
The Health Reformer
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Wet-nurse
Wigs
Cosmetics
Tight corsets
Small waist and lung disease
Movable tumor
Other ‘Problem’ Statements
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7. Large discrepancy in age of
marriage partners
8. Amalgamation of man and beast
9. Masturbation
10. Leprosy comes from eating pork
11. Cause of some volcanic eruptions
and earthquakes
Other ‘Problem’ Statements
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12. Diseases may come from living
near ponds and swamps
13. Eating cheese
14. Height of antideluvian people
[15. Involvement of England in the
American Civil War]
Purpose of counsels
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As we do with the ‘sacred’ and the
‘common’ in her letters, the more
important approach to use in regard to
such “problem” statements is not to
figure out what is inspired and what is
not. Rather, we should attempt to
understand the purpose of what she
wrote; her intentions.
Wigs
The Health Reformer, October 1871:
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1. Artificial hair and wigs heat and excite spinal
nerves.
2. Blood rushes to brain, causes unnatural activity,
tends to recklessness in morals, heart/mind in
danger of being corrupted.
3. Moral/intellectual powers become servants of
animal nature. Victim loses power to discern
sacred things.
4. May cause baldness, insanity, even premature
death.
Wigs
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The nature and construction of wigs then was
substantially different from that of today.
Insects were harbored inside some "jute switches"–
wigs made from dark, fibrous bark, which burrowed
into the scalp and heads of the wearers.
Hair, torn out by the roots from dead bodies, often
carried disease-causing microbes which easily could
have caused disease to wig-wearers. (See "The
False Hair Industry," in The Watchman, August
1910, pp. 503-504)
Wigs
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Powders for wigs contained arsenic as a
preservative.
Scientific examination of wigs worn by
George III found they contained arsenic.
He was also being fed arsenic by his
physicians to treat his madness, the very
thing which was probably being triggered by
arsenic in the first place. (“Arsenic in wigs of King
George III, Mad or misunderstood?” BBC Internet World
News, July 13, 2004)
Cosmetic poisoning
The Health Reformer, October 1871
1. Seeds of death/paralysis are hidden in every jar
of these supposedly innocent mixtures.
2. Some suffer sudden severe illness, others go
through life permanently disfigured with bad
complexion.
3. Some drop suddenly, with their features twisted
on one side, perhaps deprived of use of their limbs.
4. Others die outright, some are paralyzed.
Cosmetic poisoning
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In Ellen White’s day many cosmetic
preparations contained poisonous
substances. No regulation to monitor
the industry.
She herself was poisoned by applying
a hair-restorer to her husband’s bald
head (HR, October 1871).
Cosmetic poisoning
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The poisonous and deadly effects of
some cosmetics she is describing could
easily have been caused by lead
poisoning (See Dr. Julian Chisholm, U.S. News
and World Report, Aug. 10, 1987, p. 56).
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17 coal-tar poison dyes were found in
lipstick in 1959 (Washington, D.C., Evening
Star, Oct. 6, 1959).
Corsets and Wasp-waists
The Health Reformer, November 1871
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1. Fashionably-dressed women cannot transmit
good constitutions to their children.
2. Wasp-waists of some women "may" have been
transmitted to them by their mothers, as result of
mother's indulgence in the sinful practice of tightlacing and in consequence of imperfect breathing.
3. Poor children of these miserable slaves of
fashion have diminished vitality, and are predisposed to taking on disease.
Corsets and Wasp-waists
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Transmission of such physical problems
“may” be caused by tight corsets.
Certainly not a genetic transmission, but a
physical transmission of poor health is
entirely possible.
Pregnant women wearing tight corsets
would have affected the health of their
unborn children.
Corsets and Wasp-waists
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What Ellen White emphasizes here is
that wearing tight corsets is not a
healthful practice.
The reasons she gives for not wearing
corsets are not totally accepted today,
but the counsel is.
Articles in The Health Reformer
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Some have suggested that in writing these
articles in The Health Reformer Ellen White
was simply acting as a columnist not a
prophet.
Others see the counsels offered in these
articles as true and valid even though her
supporting arguments (reasons, whys and
wherefores) may cause some problems for
us today.
Difference in Age of Partners
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Health; or How to Live, 2:29 (also in 2SM 422-424).
1. Older men who marry younger women often
have their lives prolonged at the expense of the
younger wife.
2. It is still worse for young men to marry
substantially older women because children born of
such union may often not have well-balanced
minds, will have peculiar traits of character, and
often die prematurely. Those who do reach maturity
are often deficient in physical/mental health, and
moral worth.
Difference in Age of Partners
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No known research on the dangers of
younger women from marrying older men.
There are many warnings regarding the
hazards of older women having later
pregnancies (Down syndrome).
Recent studies indicate that “at 42, 90% of
a woman’s eggs are abnormal” and at 27, a
woman’s chance of getting pregnant begins
to decline” (Nancy Gibbs, “Making time for a baby,” Time,
April 15, 2002, pp. 48-54).
Difference in Age of Partners
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Ellen White was not opposed to all marriages in
which there was a substantial difference in age of
the partners.
Stephen Haskell (64) married Hetty Hurd (40) in
1897. Ellen White endorsed this union.
In 1902, George I. Butler (68) wished to marry
Lorena Waite (33). Her sister (Delia Keck) and his
son strongly opposed the marriage and effectively
ended the relationship. Five years later, Butler (73)
married Mrs. Grainger (62). Ellen White wrote
strong letters of rebuke to the opponents of the
marriage to Lorena (RY 115-120).
Difference in Age of Partners
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In her counsel, Ellen White raised questions
that should be contemplated by couples of
widely-varying ages in their efforts to
determine the wisdom (or lack of it) in
proceeding with marriage:
(1) Spiritual: Is this proposed union the will
of the Lord? Would it advance the cause of
God? Could the two, if wed, accomplish
more for God as a married pair than they
could–individually–if they remained single?
Difference in Age of Partners
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(2) Health: Are both parties in reasonably
good health? Is there the prospect of
children born to this union who might,
thereby, be defective mentally, physically, or
spiritually?
(3) Compatibility: Does each love the other?
Is each happy with the prospect of marriage
to the other? Can/will each love the other
and provide tender, loving care? Will each
enhance the other?
Leprosy and Eating Pork
Ellen White: “In order to preserve health,
temperance in all things is necessary.
Temperance in labor, temperance in eating
and drinking. Because of intemperance a
great amount of misery has been brought
upon the human family. The eating of pork
has produced scrofula, leprosy and
cancerous humors. Pork-eating is still
causing the most intense suffering to the
human race” (4aSG 146).
Leprosy and Eating Pork
There is no known scientific research
that would support the statement that
leprosy could be contacted by eating
of pork, especially in warm climates.
Leprosy and Eating Pork
There is a study which indicates that in
experiments with mice, rodents which were
given a pork diet showed a significantly
greater predisposition to leprosy than those
on a non-pork diet.
("Effect of Diet on Growth of M. Lepre in Mouse Footpads," by
Ray L. Foster, et. al., Leprosy Research Foundation, Loma
Linda, CA, published in Indian Journal of Leprosy, 61/3 (July,
1989.)
(See also Dr. Foster's "Nutrition in Leprosy: A Review," in
International Journal of Leprosy, 56/1, pp. 66-81.)
Leprosy and Eating Pork
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There is evidence that leprosy is contracted
today by eating armadillo meat.
In 1983 in the USA there were 1000 cases
of leprosy (Hansen's Disease) being treated
in California, 500 in Hawaii, 430 in Texas,
106 in Florida, and 88 in Louisiana; 15
million estimated cases worldwide.
The armadillo is 20 times more susceptible
to Hansen's Disease than humans.
The eating of an infected armadillo is known
to be one cause of Hansen's Disease.
Volcanoes and Earthquakes
“At this time [the flood] immense forests were
buried. These have since been changed to coal,
forming the extensive coal beds that now exist, and
also yielding large quantities of oil. The coal and oil
frequently ignite and burn beneath the surface of
the earth. Thus rocks are heated, limestone is
burned, and iron ore melted. The action of the
water upon the lime adds fury to the intense heat,
and causes earthquakes, volcanoes, and fiery
issues. As the fire and water come in contact with
ledges of rock and ore, there are heavy explosions
underground, which sound like muffled thunder.
The air is hot and suffocating. Volcanic eruptions
follow” (PP 108).
Volcanoes and Earthquakes
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Before 1850, many scientists believed
earthquakes and volcano eruptions were
caused by the burning of underground coal
and oil reserves. Now the accepted theory
is that the center of the earth is made of
molten lava and the shifting of tectonic
plates causes earthquakes and volcanoes.
Yet, a number of examples of burning coal
beds have been found. One in Germany
burned for about 150 years.
Amalgamation of man & beast
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If there were one sin worse than another before
Noah's flood it was the "base crime of
amalgamation of man and beast." It "defaced the
image of God" in mankind, and caused "confusion"
everywhere. [3SG 64]
One of the purposes of the flood was to destroy
these “confused species” which were not a part of
the original creation by God. [3SG 75]
“Since the flood there has been amalgamation of
man and beast, as may be seen in the almost
endless varieties of species of animals, and in
certain races of men” [3SG 75]
Amalgamation of man & beast
Although these statements were
reprinted in her Spirit of Prophecy
series (volume 1, 1870), it is
interesting and significant to note that
Ellen White did not perpetuate this
curious expression in her later
expansion on the flood narrative in
Patriarchs and Prophets (1890).
Amalgamation of man & beast
A debate between Dr. Harold Clark,
founder of the Pacific Union College
biology department, and Dr. Frank
Lewis Marsh, longtime biology teacher
at Union College and later a member
of the Geo-Science Research Institute
team, took place on Sept. 8, 1947,
near San Francisco, CA.
Amalgamation of man & beast
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Clark took the position that Ellen White
meant "amalgamation between man and
animals" with offspring being born as a
product of such union.
Marsh held, contrarily, that Ellen White
meant "amalgamation of man with man,
and of beast with beast."
(For a report of the debate, see Gordon Shigley,
"Amalgamation of Man and Beast: What Did Ellen White
Mean?" Spectrum, June, 1982, pp. 10-19.)
Amalgamation of man & beast
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Francis D. Nichol treats the subject in Ellen
G. White and Her Critics, pp. 306-322.
He observes that in grammatical
constructions such as the phrase
"amalgamation of man and beast," "the
preposition ‘of’ is not necessarily repeated,
though it may be clearly implied."
Thus the phrase could refer to one process,
man with beast, or to two separate
processes, "amalgamation of man and [of]
beast."
Amalgamation of man & beast
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The results Ellen White attributes to amalgamation
were "species of animals" and "races of men," "but
not any kind of amalgam of animals with human
beings" ("Comments Regarding Unusual Statements in Ellen
White's Writings," SD, CAR).
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The second grammatical option, "amalgamation of
man and [of] beast," however, fits the rest of the
sentence. The "amalgamation of man" "defaced
the image of God" and the amalgamation of "beast"
"caused confusion everywhere" (3SG 64, 75; 1SP
69, 78).
Masturbation
Ellen White did not employ the word
"masturbation" in her writings, though it
was used in her generation – the word is
listed as such in the Webster's Dictionary of
her day – instead she used euphemisms
such as "secret vice" and "self-abuse".
She called it an evil, and identified a number
of undesirable physical, emotional, and
spiritual ills which could result from this
practice.
Masturbation
In the 18th century the concept of harm to
the body brought on by masturbation came
to the fore in the United States.
European physician, Dr. S. Tissot took up
the cause against the practice, and brought
to America his theories, which included not
only the harmfulness of masturbation, but
of some sexual conducts between husbands
and wives as well.
Masturbation
The list of disorders following such sexual
behaviors were said to cause problems all
the way from "acne to suicide." Parents
were alerted to this proclaimed evil to every
body system.
Much energy, time and money were spent
on "cures" to put an end to this activity.
These consisted of preventive measures
which included mechanical devices and
surgical procedures, many of which would
now be considered abusive.
Masturbation
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Conditions or results attributed to this practice:
1. Physical effects: headaches, dizziness,
exhaustion, nervousness, loss of appetite, disease.
2. Intellectual consequences: forgetfulness,
inattention, idiocy and brain derangement.
3. Emotional outcomes: apathy, gloom, sadness,
jealousy, rebellion against authority.
4. Spiritual consequences: death to spiritual
matters, destruction of high resolve and earnest
endeavor, and removal of oneself from holy
influence.
Masturbation
Ellen White did not say that all of the
serious consequences she associated
with masturbation would be visited
upon any one given individual; nor did
she indicate that the worst possible
degree of any of these consequences
would be experienced by any
particular person.
Masturbation
One cannot help but be impressed
when reading An Appeal to Mothers,
Child Guidance (pp. 439-470), and
Testimonies for the Church (2:346481), at how many times Ellen White
uses the word "mind" as though much
more were involved than the purely
physical act.
Masturbation
In fact, she was more concerned with
thought processes, attitudes, fantasies, as
indicated in the following quotes: "the
effect of such debasing habits upon the
minds of all is not the same" (Pamphlet 085, p.
4), "impure thoughts seize and control the
imagination" (Solemn Appeal, 167), "the mind is
to be stimulated in favor of the right" (CG 93),
"the mind takes pleasure in contemplating
the scenes which awake base passions" (CG
439).
Masturbation
Ellen White's straightforward
comments regarding the corrupting of
one's mind and imagination also apply
to the use of pornography and its
effects upon one's life (CG 439- 440).
Masturbation
While medical science has not verified
that the medical conditions attributed
to masturbation through the years
have any validity, there is agreement
that obsessive masturbation is harmful
and may point out problems in the
person involved which are not wholly
physical.
England and the Civil War
Ellen White: “This nation will yet be humbled into
the dust. England is studying whether it is best to
take advantage of the present weak condition of
our nation, and venture to make war upon her. . . .
A portion of the queen's subjects are waiting a
favorable opportunity to break their yoke; but if
England thinks it will pay, she will not hesitate a
moment to improve her opportunities to exercise
her power and humble our nation. When England
does declare war, all nations will have an interest of
their own to serve, and there will be general war,
general confusion” (1T 259).
England and the Civil War
Critics of Ellen White claim that in this
statement she made a prophecy that never
materialized and, therefore, she is a false
prophet.
However, historical research and documents
concur that there were British military
observers courting the Confederate army
and studying whether it would be a good
move to join the war against the North.
England and the Civil War
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Rhodes, James Ford, History of the Civil
War, 1861-1865 (New York: Macmillan,
1919), pp. 66-82.
Adams, Ephraim Douglass. Great Britain and
the American Civil War. 2 volumes (London:
Longmans, Green, 1925).
Jones, Howard, Union in Peril: The Crisis
over British Intervention in the Civil War
(Chapel Hill, NC: University of North
Carolina Press, 1992).