03.02. Prophets Prophetess Seventh Day Adventism
PROPHETS AND THE PROPHETESS OF SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISM
D. M. Canright who spent twenty-eight years as one of their principal preachers and lecturers has this to say of their leaders:
"William Miller the founder was reared in the backwoods in poverty and received only the poor advantages of a common district school except some general reading. This is the extent of his education.
"Elder White, the leader of the Seventh Day Adventists’ party, only secured sufficient education to teach a common district school. He was no student of books. In all my travels with him, I seldom saw him read half an hour in any book. Of the languages of the sciences he knew nothing, and little even of common history. Mrs. White received no school education, except a few weeks when a child. She, like Joanna Southcott, Ann Lee, and Joseph Smith, was wholly illiterate, not knowing the simplest rules of grammar.
"Not one of the leading men in that work ever graduated from college or university, and many are illiterate as Mrs. White herself. Elder J. N. Andrews, Elder Smith, and one or two more, by diligent study and reading out of the school, became well informed men in their line. After Elder White came Elders Butler and Haskell as leaders, neither of them educated men, nor of half the natural talent of Elder White.
"The present leaders are small men also. Such men are poorly prepared to lead out in a great reformation in this educated age. Not a man among them has now, or ever had, a particle of influence in the world, or any office or responsible position in state or nation. How different from the great reformers of the past, who often had extensive influence for good not only with the masses, but with the great men and kings of earth. Hence, whatsoever side we view Adventism, it has none of the marks of a genuine reformation sent of God to bless the world. "
Elder A. A. Phelps, for years editor of a First-Day Adventist paper says:
"I watched, and waited, and worked, with patience, meekness and loyalty, in hearty cooperation, and with an earnest desire to see such unity, enterprise, breadth and moral power, a sought to characterize a scriptural and heaven-inspired movement. How slowly and reluctantly I yielded to the conviction -- forced by sad facts and illustrations that I have not even dared to detail-- that I was only throwing away my life in stemming such waves of discord, indolence, looseness, narrowness, dogmatism and spiritual death as I could not overcome. "
Some facts about Mrs. White the "great" prophetess of the movement 1. She claimed the highest inspiration. She devotes 38 pages to vindicate her inspirations.
2. "She was a religious enthusiast, self-deceived, the fits she accepted as the power of God. " -- (Canright) 3. She was ignorant of grammar but employed an accomplished writer to polish her style.
4. Some of her writings are largely compilations without giving credit to the authors. [In other words, "plagiarisms"! -- DVM]
5. Canright who knew her for over twenty years says her visions are merely the result of nervous disease, a complication of hysteria catalepsy and ecstasy. W. J. Fairfield, M. D., who was brought up a Seventh Day Adventist says: "You are undoubtedly right in ascribing Mrs. White’s so-called visions to disease -- no chance to doubt her("divine") attacks [should be attributed] to her simple hysterical trances. "
6. "Her teachings make her people narrow, bigoted and gloomy. " They produce doubt and infidelity. " On page 597 of her testimonies she says so herself: "I am afraid that I shall become an infidel."