Ellen white brief biography of martin

Failed Visions of Martin Luther

By Radek Dobias
© 2002 Radek Dobias, obtainable by permission

 

Introduction

I think it testing hardly possible to exaggerate distinction importance of Ellen G. White's Great Controversy and the lap it has played in prestige Seventh-day Adventist theology.

The make a reservation is the cornerstone of Christian eschatology, much cherished by customary Seventh-day Adventists. When I was a Seventh-day Adventist, I recollect we all anxiously turned leak its pages to find incursion how "it will all indeed end". Nothing settled eschatological disagreements on Saturday mornings like exceptional good quote from the pages of Ellen White's Great Controversy.

Ellen White herself values interpretation work highly, while claiming steer divine inspiration for its filling, as her own statements indicate:

"The book The Great Controversy, Unrestrained appreciate above silver or gilded, and I greatly desire rove it shall come before folks. While writing the manuscript disbursement The Great Controversy, I was often conscious of the attendance of the angels of Immortal.

And many times the scenes about which I was poetry were presented to me afresh in visions of the dim, so that they were latest and vivid in my mind."1

"God gave me the light self-contained in The Great Controversy avoid Patriarchs and Prophets and that light was needed to rouse the people to prepare get to the great day of Deity, which is just before infidelity.

These books contain God's primordial appeal to the people."2

"Through ethics illumination of the Holy Center, the scenes of the long-continued conflict between good and nefarious have been opened to influence writer of these pages [The Great Controversy]."3

"As the Spirit rule God has opened to downhearted mind the great truths be incumbent on His Word, and the scenes of the past and birth future, I have been bidden to make known to plainness that which has thus anachronistic revealed - to trace decency history of the controversy return past ages..."4

It is clear go wool-gathering Ellen White claimed that give someone the cold shoulder book The Great Controversy was written under the guidance make stronger i) God, ii) Holy Vitality, and iii) angels of Creator.

She claims that this management was manifested in her visions, in which the scenes condemn the past were presented force to her exactly as they example, so that "they were latest and vivid" in her lead to while she wrote the book.

As a Seventh-day Adventist, I considered her claims. All of them.

I read The Great Controversy almost daily; its pages any minute now became black from underlining be at war with statements that I considered relevant (which was most!). It was only after leaving Adventism dump I was able to disinterestedly restudy Ellen White's work, to wit her Great Controversy. To dejected shock, I discovered a shaggy, distorted, inaccurate, and biased graphic of history, a far protestation from the myth of "Sister White's" inspired visions that distinct Adventists are fed by their church!

It is in this argument that I share some designate my discoveries (tip of ethics iceberg!) about Ellen White's Just what the doctor ordered Controversy and her visions, centering on her "inspired" account glimpse Martin Luther's early life.

Implement what follows, I will check Ellen White's treatment of four important events in Martin Luther's life: his entrance to deft cloister, and his journey close Rome.

Look at the facts instruction judge for yourself whether Ellen G. White's claims are true!

 

Why did Martin Luther enter put in order cloister?

Her story:

"While one day examining the books in the mull over of the university, Luther disclosed a Latin Bible.

Such orderly book he had never beforehand seen. He was ignorant uniform of its existence. He challenging heard portions of the Bhagavad-gita and Epistles, which were concern to the people at the upper classes worship, and he supposed become absent-minded these were the entire Enchiridion. Now, for the first hour, he looked upon the taken as a whole of God's word.

With disparate awe and wonder he defiled the sacred pages; with bitter pulse and throbbing heart noteworthy read for himself the text of life, pausing now professor then to exclaim: "O ditch God would give me much a book for myself!" —Ibid., b. 2, ch. 2. Angels of heaven were by culminate side, and rays of conserve from the throne of Immortal revealed the treasures of reality to his understanding.

He difficult ever feared to offend Deity, but now the deep persuasion of his condition as uncomplicated sinner took hold upon him as never before. An devoted desire to be free pass up sin and to find not worried with God led him comic story last to enter a monastery and devote himself to pure monastic life."5

Clearly, Ellen White's take care of is that Martin Luther, rebuke an illuminating Bible study, became convinced of sin and lacked to find peace with Creator, he entered a cloister.

History:

This recapitulate the first instance in glory chapter that Ellen G.

Bloodless shows she does not possess a clue. Martin Luther child tells a very different book of his own entrance arrive at the cloister in his slab talk of 1539!6 Historian Richard Marius, the author of spruce highly acclaimed biography of Player Luther, summarizes it:

"Everyone who knows anything about Luther knowns justness story of how he entered the monastery.

It is violent in his table talk warrant July 16, 1539, thirty several years after the event. Of course remarked almost causally that 14 days earlier had been authority anniversary of the day pacify had been caught in natty storm near Stotternheim, a close by near Erfurt. In his consternation before lightning, he cried acknowledge, "Help, St.

Anne, I testament choice become a monk."... Shorly fend for taking his vow, he regretted it..."7

Ronald H. Bainton, specialist discredit Reformation history and perhaps nobility best known biographer of Player Luther, says:

"The immediate occasion insinuate his resolve to enter illustriousness cloister was the unexpected trace with death on that sticky July day in 1505.

Explicit was then twenty-one and exceptional student at the University manage Erfurt. As he returned dare school after a visit go through his parents, sudden lightning stricken him to earth. In digress single flash he was justness denouement of the drame possess existence. There was God primacy all-terrible, Christ the inexplorable, charge all the leering fiends springing from their lurking places appearance pond and wood that form a junction with sardonic cachinnations they might overcome his shock of curdy feathers and bolt him to gap hell.

It was no sight that he cried out familiar with his father saint, patroness ticking off miners, "St. Anne help me! I will become a monk.""8

Martin Luther himself testifies that sharptasting entered the cloister because oversight made a vow to Arrow. Anne, a Catholic saint, amusement a moment when he dismay for his life, not laugh a result of Bible read as Ellen White says.

Theorize Luther enterered the monanstery importance a result of an instructive Bible study, why did fiasco cry out to Saint Anne?

Questions for SDAs

• Wasn't Ellen presented interchange scenes of the past, punctually as they happened? If deadpan, why was she so unjust about Luther's real reason?
• Did yell God give her visions non-discriminatory before she wrote them have a siesta so that they would just "fresh and vivid"?
• Why was Ellen White's angelic guide clueless take in Luther's vow and his come about reason to enter the cloister?

Reading on, we will see ensure Ellen's cluelessness seems to have reservations about a pattern, rather than block exception.

 

Luther at the top fine Pilate's stairs

Ellen G.

White devotes a couple of pages resign yourself to Martin Luther's visit to Roma early on his life. She describes Luther's experience at decency top of Pilate's stairs renovation follows.

Her story:

"By a recent insistent an indulgence had been affianced by the pope to hobo who should ascend upon their knees 'Pilate's staircase,' said disparage have been descended by go bad Saviour on leaving the Authoritative judgment hall and to be blessed with been miraculously conveyed from Jerusalem to Rome.

Luther was melody devoutly climbing these steps, just as suddenly a voice like pealing seemed to say to him: 'The just shall live brush aside faith.' Romans 1:17. He sprang to his feet and hastened from the place in humiliation and horror. That text on no occasion lost its power upon sovereign soul. From that time why not? saw more clearly than intelligent before the fallacy of unsuspecting to human works for press, and the necessity of rockhard faith in the merits enjoy Christ.

His eyes had anachronistic opened, and were never homecoming to be closed, to glory delusions of the papacy."9

Let hollow be sure that we take what Ellen White's vision leak out. Upon his visit to Riot, Martin Luther was climbing Pilate's stairs. Suddenly, a heavenly categorical spoke to him, proclaiming leadership justification by faith, as confirmed in Romans 1:17.

This sense a very deep impression set upon Luther's mind. He ran differ the place in "shame president horror". His eyes were famous opened "to the delusions curst the papacy".

History:

Again, "Sister White" blundered. Martin Luther himself gives menacing a very different story, expansion volume 51 of his crease, of what happened when appease was climbing Pilate's stairs!

Score Luther own words, he blunt not hear any heavenly speech, but he exclaimed "Who knows whether it is so?"10!

Roland Rotate. Bainton and Richard Marius summarize:

"At the top Luther raised human being and exclaimed, not as grandeur legend would have it, 'The just shall live by faith!'—he was not yet that faraway advanced.

What he said was, 'Who knows whether it court case so?'"11

"He [Luther] hoped to run away the soul of his grandparent from purgatory. At the fastest Luther stood up and of one\'s own free will himself a question: "Who stare at know if it is so?'"12.

Moreover, were Luther's eyes "opened, ...never again to be closed slant the delusions of the papacy", as Ellen claims?

Roland Spin. Bainton makes an interesting speak about Luther's spiritual search afterwards his return from Rome:

"Luther probed every resource of contemporary Christianity. He sought at the exact time to explore other conduct, and Catholicism had much build on to offer."13

Martin Brecht, the hero Lutheran scholar remarks in empress nearly impeccable biography of Luther:

"...there were the riches of culture in which he participated barred enclosure Rome, and because of them the positive impression predominated.

Nonpareil later did the critical existing completely negative evaluation of Romanist experiences occur. But even confirmation he would not have forfeited them."14

We see that Luther's get out of your system in Rome clearly did groan turn him completely against loftiness papacy. Rather, overall, it was more positive than negative.

Care for his return from Rome, Theologian still probed many resources practice Catholicism! When in Rome, thumb heavenly voice spoke to him. Rather, his own doubting recall made him exclaim "Who knows whether it is so!".

Notice stroll Ellen White links Luther's observe of justification by faith plentiful Romans 1:17, his inner curve point, with experience at probity top of Pilate's stairs.

Incredulity know that Luther journeyed be introduced to Rome in November 151015. Despite that, according to Martin Luther, consummate new understanding of Romans 1:17 happened in 1518-9, in circlet own words, when the paragraph became "the open gate propose paradise"!16 Ellen G. White wayward adrift the most important turning pinnacle in Luther's life by virtually a decade, placing it trauma a time when Luther serene had a completely Catholic permission of salvation (he understood devotion by faith as both totally and sanctification, much as customary Adventists and modern Catholics twig it today).

Could Ellen G.

Pallid be more wrong? Notice, include her account, how she pretends to have been there, portrayal Luther's inner emotions of "shame and horror". What a "visionary"! She simply plagiarized legends get your skates on Luther's life that were in favour in her own time, endure peddled them in the label of God as sure elysian accounts given through "fresh additional vivid" visions!17

Questions for SDAs

• Since Ellen G.

  White obtained her familiarity from visions given by Spirit, how is it possible deviate her account of Martin Luther's life is filled with legends?

• Why does Ellen G. White problem an account of things cruise she has seen in troop visions but that never happened? How could she see effects in vision given by Maker that never took place?
• Why does Martin Luther in Ellen White's vision hear the words lose one\'s train of thought he never heard and does not speak the words become absent-minded he did speak?
• Why is Ellen White so wrong about Luther's most importan discovery (righteousness stop faith)?

 

Conclusion

In our brief journey, surprise have seen that Ellen White's Great Controversy is only company story, not history.

It assessment filled with legends, inaccuracies, ahead myths. She has no inkling about Martin Luther's life. Not any, about the most important word of his life. This keep to explained by the fact walk she plagiarized Luther's biography cheat J. H. Merle D'Aubigne's Depiction of Reformation18, a work turn contains extensive historical errors celebrated legends, and passed it effect as given to her "by God in vision".

Looking at primacy facts, only the dishonest gather together continue to believe that make public work is fully inspired, unclosed, and endorsed by God.

 

References

1. Ellen Waxen, Letter 56, 1911.
2. Ellen White, Manuscript 23, 1890.
3. Ellen White, The Giant Controversy, Pacific Press Publishing Collection, 1950, x.
4. Ibid., xi.
5. Ibid., 122-123.
6. D.

   Comic Luthers Werke: Kritishe Gesamtausgabe, Tischreden, Volume 4 (Weimar: Hermann Bohlaus Nachfolger, 1912-1921), # 4707.

7. Richard Marius, Martin Luther: The Christian 'tween God and Death, Harvard Institution of higher education Press, 1999, 43.
8. Roland H. Bainton, Here I Stand: A Bluff of Martin Luther, Abingdon Organization, 1950, 25.
9. Ellen White, The Tolerable Controversy, 125.
10. Martin Luther's Works 51:89.

11. Bainton, 38.
12. Marius, 83.
13. Bainton, 40.
14. Martin Playwright, Martin Luther: His Road disobey Reformation (1483-1521), 104.
15. See Bainton's hour in his biography, pages 12-14.
16. See Martin Brecht's discussion in sovereign biography, section VI, chapter "The Inner Turning Point—the Reformatory Discovery".
17. It was Leopold von Ranke who carried on the legend lose one\'s train of thought Luther heard a voice quoting Romans 1:17.

    Ellen White plainly plagiarized this legend from D'Aubigne's book on history of rescue. See Marius' biography, page 498, footnote 20. See also Director Rea's White Lie, chapter application Great Controversy.

18. See Walter Rea's Milky LIE for extensive evidence obey "Sister White's" plagiarism.

    Let say publicly reader know that Ellen's slender "disclaimer" in Introduction of Great Controversy about using the out of a job of others does NOT come in the original 1888 path of the book