Did Ellen White copy from Joseph Smith?
DALE RATZLAFF | Pastor and Founder, Life Assurance Ministries (1936–2024) |
Some Adventists would recoil in horror to hear that several of the visions and prophecies of Ellen White were based on the writings of Joseph Smith. But I am getting ahead of the story.
Twenty years of study, eighty boxes of documents
Recently as Carolyn was updating our Proclamation! mailing database, she noticed that the issue sent to Phyllis Watson of Angwin, California, came back marked “deceased”. A few of us had known about Phyllis’s research; she had been preparing a book that would show Ellen White’s dependence upon Joseph Smith for her early visions and extra-biblical statements. We had not wanted to publish any of her material, though, until the book was printed.
Both Phyllis and her ghost writer, however, were up in years and went to be with the Lord before this work was completed. The book may still be printed, but much work still needs to be done to confirm the evidence she compiled. Originally, Phyllis intended not to have her name connected to the book which was to be entitled The Mormon Connection. Phyllis, however, knowing that both she and her ghost writer were in fragile health, wanted at least some of her work to be preserved, so she sent me and several others some of her findings. I believe that now, out of respect for the years of research Phyllis did, she ought to be acknowledged. Furthermore, I spoke personally with her son Dennis Watson, and he gave me permission both to mention her name and to use her written material.
The illusive dependency of plagiarism
From the research done by Walter Rea, Fred Veltman, D.M. Canright, Sydney Cleveland, Ronald Numbers, and many others, it is clear that Ellen White plagiarized large amounts of material. However, she often did not copy verbatim; such plagiarism would have been too easy to spot. In most of her copying, therefore, she and/or her secretaries would change a word here and a phrase there to make it less apparent that she was getting her ideas from other sources. In fact, many illustrations of such copying of ideas and thoughts are recorded in Rea’s White Lie, in Sydney Cleveland’s White Washed, and in D.M Canright’s The Life of Mrs. E.G. White, Seventh-day Adventist Prophet—Her False Claims Refuted, in the chapter “A Great Plagiarist”.1
It is not always easy to prove the dependence of one author upon another, especially when the “borrowing” author wants to hide her dependence. In fact, several possibilities must be considered in determining whether or not an author copied. For example, both writers might have quoted or drawn from a common source such as the Bible or historical data. Another possibility is that both writers just happened to use the same words, style, and subject matter. When similar words—especially unusual words—are found in clusters or in the same order, this occurrence may indicate a form of plagiarism. Another possibility to consider is that both writers may have been inspired by the same spirit.
While these options must always be considered, if there is enough similarity in words, style and subject matter, we may safely conclude that one author copied from the other, especially if the similar words and phrases are not common expressions. Furthermore, if one author claims to be writing Christian literature and uses words, ideas, or repeated themes which are not found in Scripture but which are found in another author’s work, this similarity may indicate dependency.
Evidence of deceptive plagiarism
In a letter to Adventist historian and author L. E. Froom, dated January 8, 1926, Ellen’s son Willie White offered the following information about his mother:
Notwithstanding all the power that God had given to present scenes in the lives of Christ and His apostles and His reformers in a stronger and more telling way than other historians…she always felt most keenly the result of her lack of school education. She admired the language in which other writers had presented to their readers the scenes which God had presented to her in vision, and she found it both a pleasure and a convenience and an economy of time to use the language fully or in part in presenting those things which she knew through revelation, and which she wished to pass on to her readers.2
Moreover, Willie White published the following very revealing statement about his mother on February 23, 1984:
In the early days of her work, mother was promised wisdom in the selection from the writings of others that would enable her to select the gems of truth from the rubbish of error. We have all seen this fulfillment, and yet when she told me of this, she admonished me not to tell it to others.3
After Walter Rea published his book White Lie which demonstrated her massive plagiarism, the denominational leaders appointed Dr. Fred Veltman to do an in-depth study of The Desire of Ages, said to be Ellen White’s best book, to determine if Rea’s work was accurate. Dr. Veltman took eight years researching this book, comparing it to many—but not all—of the books that were the sources of her statements. Ministry magazine reported on the Veltman report upon its completion:
The official Veltman report frankly concluded that not only had Ellen White voraciously copied the works of other writers, but both she and her co-workers had deliberately lied to cover up the truth of her copying. Here are two of the conclusions of the Veltman report:4
It is of first importance to note that Ellen White herself, not her literary assistants, composed the basic content of The Desire of Ages text. In doing so she was the one who took literary expressions from the works of other authors without giving them credit as her sources. Second, it should be recognized that Ellen White used the writings of others consciously and intentionally…Implicitly or explicitly, Ellen White and others speaking on her behalf did not admit to and even denied literary dependency on her part.”5
Here is Dr. Veltman’s personal conclusion regarding the integrity of Ellen White:
I must admit at the start that in my judgment this is the most serious problem to be faced in connection with Ellen White’s literary dependency. It strikes at the heart of her honesty, her integrity, and therefore her trustworthiness.”6
Denial of plagiarism throughout her ministry
Significantly, both James and Ellen White denied that she obtained her “testimonies” from any source other than God. Following are some examples of these denials:
1847, James White: “[Ellen White] does not ‘obtain the sentiments’ of her visions from previous teaching or study.”7
1873, Ellen White: Some are ready to inquire: Who told Sister White these things? They have even put the question to me: did anyone tell you these things? I could answer them: Yes; yes, the angel of God has spoken to me….But…for the future, I shall not belittle the testimonies that God has given me, to make explanations to try to satisfy such narrow minds, but shall treat all such questions as an insult to the Spirit of God.8
1876, Ellen White: The Lord has seen fit to give me a view of the needs and errors of His people…I have faithfully set before the offenders their faults and the means of remedying them, according to the dictates of the Spirit of God…Thus has the Spirit of God pronounced warnings and judgments.9
1906, Ellen White: I have written many books, and they have been given a wide circulation. Of myself I could not have brought out the truth in these books, but the Lord has given me the help of His Holy Spirit. These books, giving the instruction that the Lord has given me during the past sixty years, contain the light from heaven, and will bear the test of investigation.10
Will the books of Ellen White really bear the test of investigation? Here is another one of Dr. Veltman’s conclusions about Ellen White’s “best book”:
The content of Ellen White’s commentary on the life and ministry of Christ, The Desire of Ages, for the most part [is] derived [copied] rather than original. …In practical terms, this conclusion declares that one is not able to recognize in Ellen White’s writings on the life of Christ any general category of content or catalog of ideas that is unique to her.11
Connection between Ellen White and Mormonism
Clearly, Ellen Harmon was influenced by William Miller on the subject of the second advent, but who bore the greater influence on her religious views at this time: the Methodist Church or William Miller? Alternatively, was there another powerful influence as yet undiscovered which shaped her work? The Mormons moved into Saco Valley in 1832, and into Portland, Maine, in 1835. Ellen Harmon was only a small child when these events transpired; however, by 1842, when she had her first dream about entering a temple, she was a young lady of fifteen. It is a well-known fact that Ellen had a voracious appetite for reading and “borrowing” thoughts, ideas, and words from others. Is there any evidence that the writings, teachings, and practices of Joseph Smith, the prophet of Mormonism, influenced Ellen White?
Many of Ellen White’s relatives had Mormon connections, and Mormonism was flourishing in the area where Ellen lived in the early years of her life. In 1842, Ellen Harmon’s second cousin, Agnes Moulton Coolbrith Smith, widow of Don Carlos Smith, became a wife of Mormon prophet Joseph Smith at Nauvoo, IL.12
Summary
We have only given a very brief introduction to the facts outlined above.
- Ellen White used massive and deceptive plagiarism.
- Ellen White claimed she did not generate but received her information, including her visions, from God.
- Research done by credible scholars such as Dr. Walter Rea, supported by Dr. Fred Veltman, indicates that little, if any, new material actually came from Ellen White herself. Rather, most if not all the material in her writings and even in her visions came from others.
- Ellen White grew up where Mormonism was flourishing. Many of her relatives accepted Mormonism, including her second cousin who was a wife of Joseph Smith.
First vision
If the summary above is true, then we might ask ourselves, from where did Ellen White get her first vision and subsequent visions? Could some of her visions be a veiled reflection of Mormon teachings?
Following is a comparison between Joseph Smith’s vision described in his book of 1st Nephi and Ellen White’s account of her own first vision:
JS, 1 Nephi 8:2,9,19,20,24,30,32.
Behold, I have dreamed a dream…
And I also beheld a straight and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron into a large and spacious field…
And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron…
And they did press their way forward continually holding fast to the rod of iron…
Many were lost from his view, wandering into strange roads…
EGW, 2T 594-497
While in Battle Creek in August, 1868, I dreamed…As the path grew more narrow small cords were let down…these we eagerly grasped…exclaiming, “we have hold from above!” The same words were uttered by all the company in the narrow pathway…Where were such now? They were not in the company. At every change, some were left behind. Before us, on the other side of the chasm, was a beautiful field…Nothing I have seen upon earth could compare in beauty and glory with this field.
JS, 1 Nephi 8:26-33
And I …beheld…a great and spacious building…
He saw other multitudes pressing forward…
And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way toward the great and spacious building…
And great was the multitude that did enter that strange building. After they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me.
EGW, EW 78-79
I dreamed of seeing a temple to which many people were flocking…In my anxiety to reach the temple I did not notice or care for the throng that surrounded me. On entering the building I saw that the vast temple was supported by one immense pillar. Even after entering the building a fear came over me and a sense of shame that I must humiliate myself before these people.
JS 1 Nephi 8:1, 21-23, 28
I have seen a vision…and I saw..
And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceeding great mist of darkness insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost
…and they fell into forbidden paths.
EGW, EW 14; WLF (Word to the Little Flock), p. 14
God has shown me in holy vision…I saw…the light behind them went out leaving their feet in perfect darkness, and they stumbled and got their eyes off the mark and lost sight of Jesus, and fell off the path down in the dark and wicked world below. It was just as impossible for them to get on the path again and go to the City as all the wicked world which God had rejected. They fell all the way along the path.
JS Nephi, 7:16-20
And they did bind me with cords…
But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, saying: O, Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound.
And it came to pass that when I had said these words, behold, the bands were loosed from off my hands and feet.
EGW, EW 240-242
I saw a number of companies that seemed to be bound together by cords…I heard the voice of earnest, agonizing prayer…then I saw those who had been praying reach out their hands for help and at last they broke the cords that bound them.
If we assume Ellen White was not the real source for much of her writings, one might wonder where she got her false prophecies. Could they have come from the false prophet Joseph Smith?
Joseph Smith predicted the division between the northern states and the southern states on December 25, 1832.
Verily, thus saith the Lord concerning the wars that will shortly come to pass, beginning at the rebellion of South Carolina, which will eventually terminate in the death and misery of many souls; and that time will come that war will be poured out upon all nations, beginning in this place. For behold, the southern states shall be divided against the northern states, and the southern states will call on other nations, even the nation of Great Britain, as it is called, and they shall call upon other nations, in order to defend themselves against other nations and then war shall be poured out upon all nations. And it shall come to pass, after many days, slaves shall rise up against their masters who shall be marshalled and disciplined for war…13
Ellen White appears to follow Joseph Smith’s prediction. She penned the following prediction on January 4, 1862.
I was shown some things in regard to our nation….My attention was called to the Southern rebellion…The system of slavery, which has ruined our nation, is left to live and stir up another rebellion…It seems impossible to have the war conducted successfully…I was shown that if the object of this war had been to exterminate slavery, then, if desired, England would have helped the North…This nation will yet be humbled in 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. She is weighing the matter, and trying to sound other nations…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 [note this prophetic statement] England does declare war, all nations will have an interest of their own to serve, and there will be general war, general confusion.14
Interestingly, Ellen White’s prediction that England would enter the Civil War came nearly 30 years after Joseph Smith wrote his prediction. She easily could have had access to his book Doctrine and Covenants, and the timing of her prophecy—occurring right in the middle of the war—would have been compelling to her flock.
Now let us consider one the most glaring of Ellen White’s false prophecies. She stated that some of the people attending a conference with her would not see death but would live to see Christ come. Could it be possible that even this idea came from the false prophet Joseph Smith—one false prophet following another? On the other hand, perhaps both prophets were following their “angel”—a being that appears to have been a lying angel. Ellen, in fact, received her first vision just a few months after Joseph Smith died. Millerism was growing, but some of the people considering joining the movement had been complaining that the Millerites did not have a living prophet as the Mormons had. One has to wonder if Joseph Smith’s angel became Ellen White’s angel. The fact that both Ellen and Joseph Smith used similar terms to describe those who would supposedly not die before Jesus came lends weight to this possibility—or to the possibility that Ellen depended on Smith’s already-written prophecy for the idea:
JS, 3 Nephi 28:7, 8, 25.
Therefore, more blessed are ye, for ye shall never taste of death; but ye shall live to behold all the doings of the Father unto the children of men, even until all things shall be fulfilled according to the will of my Father, when I shall come in my glory. And ye shall never endure the pains of death…behold, I was about to write the names of those who were never to taste death, but the Lord forbade; therefore I will write them not, for they are hidden from the world.
EGW, 1 T 131-132; LS 321. (two accounts with some variation)
I was shown the company present at the conference. Said the angel, “Some food for worms, some subjects of the seven last plagues, some will be alive and remain upon the earth to be translated at the coming of Jesus.”
At the conference a very solemn vision was given me. I saw that some of those present would be food for worms, some subjects for the seven last plagues, and some would be translated to Heaven at the second coming of Christ without seeing death.
It is our understanding that Ellen White, reminiscent of Joseph Smith’s account, refused to publish the list of those who were present at that meeting who would supposedly not die. Someone did make a list, however, but the list is meaningless as all of those named died many years ago.
In the article “The Adventist Health Message: From Where Did It Come?” in the Spring, 2015, issue of Proclamation! author Cheryl Granger quoted Ellen White’s words:
As our first parents lost Eden through the indulgence of appetite, our only hope of regaining Eden is through a firm denial of appetites and passions.15
Interestingly, this idea reflects the same idea acted out in Mormon initiation rites:
In the Mormon initiation rites, initiates representing Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden stood before the veil in front of the endowment room, the Apostle Peter takes their oaths which lead to enteral life, including “a constant reminder that desires, appetites and passions are to be kept within the bounds the Lord has set”.16
It is of interest that the Genesis account says nothing about appetite or passions. Adam and Eve did not overeat from the tree nor indulge a forbidden appetite; rather, they doubted God’s word and believed the lie of Satan that the fruit would make them wise:
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate (Gen. 3:6).
For more comparisons of Ellen White’s statements and those of Joseph Smith, go to:
http://www.truthorfables.com/ EGW_Plagiarizes_Joe_Smith.htm.
Conclusion
For years we at Life Assurance Ministries have known about the many problems in the writings of Ellen G. White. Without doubt Ellen White wrote some accurate things. However, even in her best books one will find error intermingled with truth. This mixture makes her writings even more dangerous because her deceptions are camouflaged amid details that sound correct.
These errors include the following:
- Many unbiblical additions to Scripture
- Many blatant contradictions to Scripture
- Many self-contradictions
- Some contradictions to historical facts
- Many contradictions to the facts of science
- About 10 false prophecies
- Some false visions—what she “saw” was not there
- Statements made about others which proved to be untrue
- Visions based on what other people told her
- Taking advice from her dead husband
- Massive, deceptive plagiarism from good evangelical writers while claiming she received this information from God.
- Basing visions on extra-biblical information including the writings of Joseph Smith.
- Many statements undercut, confuse, or contradict the gospel.
One wonders how long Adventist leaders will continue to mislead their members about the true nature of Ellen White’s writings. †
Endnotes
- All these titles are available at www.ratzlaf.com/books
- Le Roy Froom, Ellen G. White, The Lonely Years, p. 31.
- William C. White, Secretary, EGW Estate, Washington, D.C., Review and Herald, February 23, 1984. Italics supplied.
- Sydney Cleveland, White Washed, LAM Publications, p. 8.
- “The Desire of Ages Project: The Conclusions,” Ministry, November, 1990, p. 11.
- Ibid., p. 14.
- James White, To the Remnant Scattered Abroad, 1847.
- Ellen White, Selected Messages, book 3, p. 62.
- Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 14.
- Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, book. 1, p. 35.
- Ministry, November, 1990, p. 12.
- United by Faith—The Joseph Sr., and Lucy Mack Smith Family, pp. 361, 362. Edited by Kyle R. Walker.
- Joseph Smith, Doctrine and Covenants, p. 87:1-4
- Ellen White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 253-259.
- Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 491.
- Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Evolution of the Temple Ceremony, p. 94, 136.
—Republished from Proclamation!, Summer, 2015.
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