Dear Sister ___________,

Thank you for contacting the Ellen G. White Estate. I have a couple of documents relating to this story, one from Arthur L. White and the other from D. E. Robinson, who is named in the story. I will copy them both for you here:

Ellen G. White Publications

Office Document

Subject: Will Ross Report of Interview with Ellen White on Coming

Persecution

Prepared by: Arthur L. White

You have made inquiry concerning a report which has come to your

attention relative to a coming storm of persecution as reported by a

Will Ross. One of our brethren who knew Brother Ross has added some

details of the conversation and seeming confirmation.

I would point out that in the first place we are dealing with a

statement based entirely upon the memory of one man. We have recounted

to us from time to time what individuals are quite certain they have

heard Sister White say. We must judge these statements in the light of

what we have from the pen of Ellen White, rather than purely upon the

memory of the individual who makes them. This is especially so if it

comes to us from only one witness. We must say, in a general way, that

we believe that through the years as Mr. Ross ponders the conversation

with Sister White some of these matters have developed in his mind,

bringing in details that were most likely not a part of the

conversation. We say this kindly and without questioning the Christian

experience or the integrity of Brother Ross. But we make the statement

purely on the basis of our knowledge of the frailty of the human memory

and of the particular problems that arise in this given instance.

But before I go into that, let me tell you that for years we have

had to contend with what is the memory of one of our older ministers of

what Sister White is supposed to have said concerning a series of

articles that was written. She is reported as having said to the author

of these articles certain things about the position taken which the

author of the articles denies entirely, and tells us that Sister White

said something entirely different. This does not call in question the

integrity of the men, but it does lead us to be guarded as to that which

is based upon memory.

It is stated in the document you sent to us that Mr. Ross lived

near Ellen White and often walked with her, and the year is given as

1908. This incident was supposed to have taken place at Loma Linda.

According to our records Ellen White was in Loma Linda in the year 1908

from August 27 to September 5, a period of ten days. In 1907 she was at

Loma Linda for a few days in April, two or three weeks in October, and

just a few days in December. These were hurried trips made by Ellen

White. She was residing at her home at Elmshaven. So it could hardly

be said that Mr. Ross lived near Ellen White. Also, these were in the

later years of her life and Ellen White did not do much walking from the

standpoint of walking as exercise at this time. She often went out in a

carriage drive. At this particular time she was 80 years of age.

The point I am endeavoring to make is that as time goes on matters

of this kind tend to blur in the memory. Some things stand out in great

boldness and other things rather disappear. Copies of the statement

from Mr. Ross which we have indicate that this was written out 36 years

after the event which he reports. If this is so, it adds to our problem

of lapse of time and unreliability of memory.

Let's come now to the statement itself and examine it more

carefully. It is stated that in 13 D. E. Robinson, in visiting

Colorado, was contacted by Brother Ross and he was asked if he

remembered "when he and Elder Robinson and Sister McEnterfer were

standing on the depot platform visiting with Sister White, and she

related to them about the terrible windstorm of persecution that was

coming upon the SDA church. Elder Robinson replied, 'Yes, Brother Ross,

I remember it.'" Now, we do not question Elder Robinson's memory of

having a conversation with the people who are named, at the time which

is indicated. But as to the details, we have no witness from Elder

Robinson. Elder Robinson was connected with this office for many years,

and he ever understood the experience of the church in its latter days

to be different from that which is described here.

For these reasons, and for reasons which we shall state, I must

point out that we in this office cannot accept this report as being a

correct representation of what Mrs. White may have said. It is said in

this report that two of Mrs. White's secretaries were present, Sister

McEnterfer and Brother Robinson. Neither of these individuals, in the

years following, said anything about this conversation. I was closely

associated with Elder Robinson, who worked in our office for many years

subsequent to Mrs. White's death, and he did not understand Mrs. White's

teachings at all as they are set forth in this statement which has come

to us based upon memory many years after a conversation.

I am sure that you will understand that we must confine ourselves

to statements Sister White has made in such a form that we know they

have come to us in an authentic manner. She withheld nothing from the

church that the church should have and we need not depend upon someone's

memory for some startling account of that which is to take place,

especially when that account is so at variance with Mrs. White's

teachings.

Sister White, of course, has written of the storm which is coming.

You will find reference to this in Selected Messages, Book 2, in Chapter

48, under the title "A Work of Purification Needed," beginning on page

376. On page 380, we read these words:

"Satan will work his miracles to deceive; he will set up his

power as supreme. The church may appear as about to fall, but it

does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be

sifted out--the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a

terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but

those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the

word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true,

without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths."

Selected Messages, Book 2, p. 380.

You are of course familiar with her statement which appears in

Early Writings concerning the shaking time. This begins on page 269.

There is no place in Sister White's writings where she indicates that

the church will be broken up into independent atoms or that its

organization will be destroyed.

There come to my mind such statements as these, found in Selected

Messages, Book 2, pp. 68-69. Speaking of the church, she says,

"I know that the Lord loves His church. It is not to be

disorganized or broken up into independent atoms. There is not

the least consistency in this; there is not the least evidence

that such a thing will be." 2SM, p. 68-9

These words were penned in 1893. In 1907 Ellen White wrote:

"While there have been fierce contentions in the effort to

maintain our distinctive character, yet we have as Bible

Christians ever been on gaining ground." 2SM, pp. 396-7.

In this same book, writing in 1893, Sister White describes several

situations which she was called upon to meet where individuals were

advocating that the church would go to pieces. You will find these on

pages 64-66, but I call attention to one statement in particular. She

writes of:

"One, Garmire, advocated and published a message in regard to

the loud cry of the third angel; he accused the church in a

similar manner to what you are now doing. He said the leaders in

the church would all fall through self- exaltation, and another

class of humble men would come to the front, who would do

wonderful things. This man had daughters who claimed to have

visions.

"This delusion was opened to me. . . .The word of God came

from God to me, 'Believe them not, I have not sent them!"

Then Sister White, in her last message to the General Conference

in session in 1-3, expressed many times her confidence in the triumph

of the church. She made no reference to a situation like that which has

been reported to you in the statement from Brother Ross. Her last

message to the General Conference in session carried the title "Courage

in the Lord." You will find it recorded in Selected Messages, Book 2,

pp. 402-408. But I think particularly of this statement in this

important message:

"When in the night season I am unable to sleep, I lift my

heart in prayer to God, and He strengthens me and gives me the

assurance that He is with His ministering servants in the home

field and in distant lands. I am encouraged and blessed as I

realize that the God of Israel is still guiding His people, and

that He will continue to be with them, even to the end." 2SM, p.

406

I would like to direct your attention, too, to the entire chapter

appearing in Selected Messages, Book 1, beginning on page 176, entitled

"The Peril of Extreme Views." This was written to a Seventh-day

Adventist minister, and she says,

"You will take passages in the Testimonies that speak of the

close of probation, of the shaking among God's people, and you

will talk of a coming out from this people of a purer, holier

people that will arise. Now all this pleases the enemy." 1SM, p.

179

But turn and read the entire message and you will find that the

whole spirit of this and the other messages from Sister White's pen do

not give support to this report which has come to you as written by Mr.

Ross.

I am glad that you have written to us about this matter. We ask

that you do not use this letter as a message from Ellen White indicating

the experience which is before the church. We would urge you to turn to

her counsels as we find them in her books. She has not withheld that

which is essential for our welfare or our knowledge of events which are

to transpire.

Arthur L. White

Washington, D. C.

November 22, 1971

Box 664, Loma Linda, Calif.,

October 26, 1955.

Mrs. Leland H. Parker

Walla Walla College,

P. O. Box 412

College Place, Wash.

Dear Sister Parker:

Yesterday I received your letter of inquiry regarding

an alleged statement made by Mrs. White by a Mr. Ross, of

Boulder, Colorado. Am glad that you sought to verify the

statement before accepting it as true in all details. This is in

harmony with her own counsel as set forth in the Chapter in Vol.

5, "Unfounded Reports," the last paragraph of which reads:

"And now to all who have a desire for truth I would

say: Do not give credence to unauthenticated reports as to

what Sister White has done or said or written. If you

desire to know what the Lord has revealed through her, read

her published works. Are there any points of interest

concerning which she has not written, do not eagerly catch

up and report rumors as to what she has said." 5T. p. 696.

Again we read in the same volume: "The worst enemies we

have are those who are trying to destroy the influence of the

watchmen upon the walls of Zion." Id. p. 294.

"False reports will be circulated, and some will be

taken in this snare. They will believe these rumors, and in

their turn will repeat them, and thus a link will be formed

connecting them with the arch-deceiver." Id. p. 295.

I can say unqualifiedly not only that I do not remember

any such statement ever having been made in my presence, or found

in the manuscripts which as one of Mrs. White's secretaries it

was my privilege to copy on the typewriter or to edit, or to

index. You will notice that this statement is all in quotation

marks, as though it is a verbatim report. If so it must have

been taken down in shorthand. It is unthinkable that I could

have reported this and would not remember it, or would not have

copied it, in which case it would be found among the manuscripts,

all of which were preserved and indexed.

I would suggest that instead, however, of telling your

friend who reported this to you what I have written, that he ask

Mr. Ross for more details of the incident. Were Miss McEnterfer

and I the only ones present at the interview? If others who were

they? Where were the words allegedly spoken? In her home? If

so in what room, etc.? If he would give more particulars, it

might be possible for me to write more specifically than this.

Not only do I feel certain that she did not make such a

prediction, but I know that it is not in harmony with her own

attitude toward the work, nor in her confidence in the leaders of

the church up until the time of her death. Elder Daniells was

named specifically by her as one in whom she had confidence, and

whom she appointed as one of five to act as a board of trustees

of her writings after her death.

This is only one of many reported utterances of

startling import which Mrs. White is alleged to have said, but it

is one of the most malignant.

Yours very truly,

(Signed) D. E. Robinson

I hope this may be helpful. Thank you for writing, and God bless!

William Fagal
Associate Director
Ellen G. White Estate
12501 Old Columbia Pike
Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600 U.S.A.
Phone: 301 680-6550
FAX: 301 680-6559
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.WhiteEstate.org