Thank God Ellen White Was an Alcoholic

Seventh Day Adventist ^ | 01/27/2023 | by Stephen Ferguson | 27 January 2023 |

[Responsibility2nd]

I was conversing with some ex-Adventist the other day when I came across a claim that Seventh-day Adventist pioneer and prophetess Ellen White was an alcoholic. It seemed farfetched to me. However, after doing my own research, I was able to find Mrs. White’s own words on the subject, as recorded in Counsels on Diet and Foods (p.54):

“I have just read your letter. You seem to have an earnest desire to work out your salvation with fear and trembling…. There was a time when I was in a situation similar in some respects to yours. I had indulged the desire for vinegar. But I resolved with the help of God to overcome this appetite. I fought the temptation, determined not to be mastered by this habit…. For weeks I was very sick; but I kept saying over and over, The Lord knows all about it. If I die, I die; but I will not yield to this desire. The struggle continued, and I was sorely afflicted for many weeks. I relate this experience to you for your help and encouragement…. As long as you acknowledge this habit by indulging it, Satan will retain his hold on your will, and bring it into obedience to himself.”

Note Mrs. White’s own admissions here:

1. She indulged in a desire for vinegar. Many know vinegar is made from alcohol-fermentation.

2. The vinegar in question was probably not the condiment you might put on your salad or fish-and-chips. Rather, Mrs. White was probably talking about a vinegar switchel made from apple cider. This was a popular drink originating from 17^th-century New England, an area where Mrs. White grew up.

3. She was drinking vinegar in such quantities and on such repeated occasions it had become a habit. In fact, Mrs. White uses the word “habit” twice. A habit is not a once-off slip.

4. When trying to stop this habit, she suffered chronic physiological effects, which she says lasted for “many weeks”. Mrs. White said she was very sick and thought she might even die, which sounds like a serious addiction. Today, we would probably recognise these as classic withdrawal symptoms.

5. This counsel comes from a letter written in 1911, when Mrs. White was 83 years old. While she doesn’t say exactly when she became a vinegar addict, noting Ellen White began to have visions at age 17, we are probably talking about an addiction that arose during her time in the prophetic office. We are not likely talking about some pre-conversion period of her life.

I am not a physician or drug rehabilitation specialist, so I am happy to be corrected by any readers who are experts. Nonetheless, noting the most obvious and straightforward explanation is often the correct one, even if we cannot identify the substance with exacting precision, it seems reasonable to conclude Ellen White was most likely suffering from some sort of alcohol addiction, even if she would not have identified it in those terms.

[vespa300]

Yeah, but even you have to admit, that this drunken woman named Ellen White wrote some pret-tay pre-tay pre-tay deep stuff about the great counterfeit church in Rome....that extends to today and will to the end until she is finally destroyed...root and branch.

For example......the Lush wrote this:

Quote:

Many Protestants suppose that the Catholic religion is unattractive and that its worship is a dull, meaningless round of ceremony. Here they mistake. While Romanism is based upon deception, it is not a coarse and clumsy imposture. The religious service of the Roman Church is a most impressive ceremonial. Its gorgeous display and solemn rites fascinate the senses of the people and silence the voice of reason and of conscience. The eye is charmed. Magnificent churches, imposing processions, golden altars, jeweled shrines, choice paintings, and exquisite sculpture appeal to the love of beauty. The ear also is captivated. The music is unsurpassed. The rich notes of the deep-toned organ, blending with the melody of many voices as it swells through the lofty domes and pillared aisles of her grand cathedrals, cannot fail to impress the mind with awe and reverence.

This outward splendor, pomp, and ceremony, that only mocks the longings of the sin-sick soul, is an evidence of inward corruption. The religion of Christ needs not such attractions to recommend it. In the light shining from the cross, true Christianity appears so pure and lovely that no external decorations can enhance its true worth. It is the beauty of holiness, a meek and quiet spirit, which is of value with God.

Brilliancy of style is not necessarily an index of pure, elevated thought. High conceptions of art, delicate refinement of taste, often exist in minds that are earthly and sensual. They are often employed by Satan to lead men to forget the necessities of the soul, to lose sight of the future, immortal life, to turn away from their infinite Helper, and to live for this world alone.

A religion of externals is attractive to the unrenewed heart. The pomp and ceremony of the Catholic worship has a seductive, bewitching power, by which many are deceived; and they come to look upon the Roman Church as the very gate of heaven. None but those who have planted their feet firmly upon the foundation of truth, and whose hearts are renewed by the Spirit of God, are proof against her influence. Thousands who have not an experimental knowledge of Christ will be led to accept the forms of godliness without the power. Such a religion is just what the multitudes desire.

[Prince Caspian]

I agree with you that the earth is most likely very much older than 6,000 years. That belief is not incompatible with the Biblical narrative, in my opinion. The young earth belief is not, by any means, exclusive to Adventists. I would suggest checking out the book, “Before Genesis” by Donna Howell and Thomas Horn. It brings into focus the distinct possibility that earth was inhabited and then destroyed by rebellion before the “without form and void” description of Genesis 1:2. The Genesis creation story could actually be a story of re-creation and renewal.

I’m a member of the Adventist (SDA) Church.

[Responsibility2nd]

What is this weird culty stuff doing here? All we need to live by is in the Ten Commandments.

_________________________________________

NINE Commandments. SDA’s claim Catholics and Christians took away the 4th.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

[vespa300]

Goodness gracious....that has to be the deepest most compelling description of the a religion of form over substance I have ever read. Every word......she nails it.

I wonder how many brews she had to have to write this! I can ‘see why y’all hate her. I would too if she said this about something I believe in.....

Except it’s true and it’s worth repeating.

The Lush nails it.......here it is again....wow!!

Quote:

Many Protestants suppose that the Catholic religion is unattractive and that its worship is a dull, meaningless round of ceremony. Here they mistake. While Romanism is based upon deception, it is not a coarse and clumsy imposture. The religious service of the Roman Church is a most impressive ceremonial. Its gorgeous display and solemn rites fascinate the senses of the people and silence the voice of reason and of conscience. The eye is charmed. Magnificent churches, imposing processions, golden altars, jeweled shrines, choice paintings, and exquisite sculpture appeal to the love of beauty. The ear also is captivated. The music is unsurpassed. The rich notes of the deep-toned organ, blending with the melody of many voices as it swells through the lofty domes and pillared aisles of her grand cathedrals, cannot fail to impress the mind with awe and reverence.

This outward splendor, pomp, and ceremony, that only mocks the longings of the sin-sick soul, is an evidence of inward corruption. The religion of Christ needs not such attractions to recommend it. In the light shining from the cross, true Christianity appears so pure and lovely that no external decorations can enhance its true worth. It is the beauty of holiness, a meek and quiet spirit, which is of value with God.

Brilliancy of style is not necessarily an index of pure, elevated thought. High conceptions of art, delicate refinement of taste, often exist in minds that are earthly and sensual. They are often employed by Satan to lead men to forget the necessities of the soul, to lose sight of the future, immortal life, to turn away from their infinite Helper, and to live for this world alone.

A religion of externals is attractive to the unrenewed heart. The pomp and ceremony of the Catholic worship has a seductive, bewitching power, by which many are deceived; and they come to look upon the Roman Church as the very gate of heaven. None but those who have planted their feet firmly upon the foundation of truth, and whose hearts are renewed by the Spirit of God, are proof against her influence. Thousands who have not an experimental knowledge of Christ will be led to accept the forms of godliness without the power. Such a religion is just what the multitudes desire.

[SkyDancer]

Looks pretty good for being so old, really old.

[Prince Caspian]

As an SDA member, I completely agree with everything you said. I would add, however, 1 Corinthians 6:12.

“Everything is permissible (allowable and lawful) for me; but not all things are helpful (good for me to do, expedient and profitable when considered with other things). Everything is lawful for me, but I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under its power.”

[Prince Caspian]

Neither the Catholic Church, nor anyone else, removed the 4th commandment. They just changed the day to Sunday.

[Larry Lucido]

I see what you did there.

[Wuli]

I repeat what you said, and believe it confirms my conclusion:

“Everything is lawful for me, but I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under its power.”

[Wuli]

I repeat what you said, and believe it confirms my conclusion:

“Everything is lawful for me, but I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under its power.”

[delchiante]

Before Genesis” by Donna Howell and Thomas Horn. It brings into focus the distinct possibility that earth was inhabited and then destroyed by rebellion before the “without form and void” description of Genesis 1:2. The Genesis creation story could actually be a story of re-creation and renewal.
........

Genesis 1:1
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

The scriptures actually say the heaven and earth were created Before He says Let there be Light.

The First ‘Day’ is ‘Let there be Light ‘.

So, the bible says that there was Creation before He said Let there be Light, separated the Light from the Darkness, called the light Day and the Darkness, Night.
Then there was evening (fading of the light), then morning (new light/dawn).

The scriptures actually speak of a Day that was to be separated from the 6 work days and Sabbath.

That Day doesn’t have anything to do with ‘Let there be Light’ all the way to ‘Rested from all His Work’ in Scripture.

The only thing that ‘Day’ can commemorate is ‘In the Beginning’ God created the heaven and the earth..

The Creator taught Israel He has a Day, once a month, at the start of each of His months, that isn’t one of the 6 work days or the Sabbath.

And why?
Because of the Beginning

Because Genesis 1:1, John 1:1 and even John 1:14 is commemorated and rehearsed every month..

The earth can be millions of years or 6,000ish.

But it certainly wasn’t Created, according to scripture, when He said Let there be Light.

And He teaches that to Israel. And Ezekiel.
And they don’t follow His instructions.

Maybe it would help if there was a temple in Jerusalem to help them along.

If they had the Son, the Passover Lamb, if they didn’t understand that the Word Became Flesh on the Day of the New Month, they’d have a better chance to understand when the 14th of the months come about.
Because Passover always is His 6th work day if one begins with ‘In the Beginning’...

[Wuli]

I repeat what you said, and believe it confirms my conclusion:

“Everything is lawful for me, but I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under its power.”

I would add think I think if Adventists chose they could run very good programs helping addicts dispose of their addictions; even if the clinical approach was all health related, without losing their possible personal evangelism in it.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Maybe she had leg cramps at night. Straight Pickle juice is sold for that purpose. Ingredients are the same for pickles. At the bottom it says “Contains ‘0’ pickle juice.”

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

And don’t worry ladies...it comes in quarts!

[Responsibility2nd]

R rated Little Johnny joke...

PM me if you want to hear it.

[Ronaldus Magnus III]

Alcohol kills brain cells, but only the weak ones.

[ebb tide]

Ah!! That explains her 2,000+ “visions”.

[Tell It Right]

IMHO a much more plausible interpretation is what I've read and heard through the group Reasons to Believe (old earth apologetics group). Their take on Genesis 1:1-2's stating of God's Spirit hovering over the waters is mainly about setting the perspective of what's next described. So imagine you're on the watery "surface" of the earth watching God doing the rest of creation. Thus, God may have already created some of it, it's just there was no frame of reference for you to understand it like you were watching it happen until at least some of it was created (planets often forming as blobs of water and dust particles).

Then later in Genesis 2:4's "This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created..." is a way of saying that Genesis 2 isn't so much a continuation of Genesis 1 as it is a retailing of some of Genesis 1 to give more details (the 6th creation "day"'s creation of man). So it changes the perspective again for you to pretend you're watching it unfold again, but this time where God created mankind.

At least, that's my most plausible interpretation of why the "waters" already exist in Genesis 1:2.

[Responsibility2nd]

........ Vinegar.......

[Preachin']

I don’t think the Sabbath day was changed by anyone. We just are not obligated to keep the Sabbath for our salvation, and we simply honor Sunday in remembrance of Jesus appearing to believers after his death.

Sabbath is simply a day of the week. There were what we call “high Sabbaths” but they are were designed to be honored as such regardless of the day of the week.