Get a more personal glimpse into the life of Godâ s messenger in Life Sketches of Ellen White. In these pages Ellen White recounts, in her own words, a brief account of her childhood days, and her early Christian experience in connection with the great second advent movement of 1840 to 1844. She vividly recalls the sorrows and joys of youthful ministry in the years following the Great Disappointment. She pictures the struggles and successes that attended the efforts of the small band of earnest souls who built up the work that would eventually become the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She goes on to tell of the extended labors of herself and her husband from their marriage until his death in 1881.
In brief, Ellen Gould Harmon White was a woman of remarkable spiritual gifts who lived most of her life during the nineteenth century (1827-1915), yet through her writings she is still making a revolutionary impact on millions of people around the world. During her lifetime she wrote more than 5,000 periodical articles and 40 books; but today, including compilations from her 50,000 pages of manuscript, more than 100 titles are available in English. She is the most translated woman writer in the entire history of literature, and the most translated American author of either gender. Her writings cover a broad range of subjects, including religion, education, social relationships, evangelism, prophecy, publishing, nutrition, and management. Her life-changing masterpiece on successful Christian living, Steps to Christ, has been published in more than 140 languages. Seventh-day Adventists believe that Mrs. White was more than a gifted writer; they believe she was appointed by God as a special messenger to draw the world's attention to the Holy Scriptures and help prepare people for Christ's second advent. From the time she was 17 years old until she died 70 years later, God gave her approximately 2,000 visions and dreams. The visions varied in length from less than a minute to nearly four hours. The knowledge and counsel received through these revelations she wrote out to be shared with others. Thus her special writings are accepted by Seventh-day Adventists as inspired, and their exceptional quality is recognized even by casual readers. As stated in Seventh-day Adventists Believe ... , “The writings of Ellen White are not a substitute for Scripture. They cannot be placed on the same level. The Holy Scriptures stand alone, the unique standard by which her and all other writings must be judged and to which they must be subject” (Seventh-day Adventists Believe ... , Ministerial Association, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Washington D.C., 1988, p. 227). Yet, as Ellen White herself noted, “The fact that God has revealed His will to men through His Word, has not rendered needless the continued presence and guiding of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, the Spirit was promised by our Saviour to open the Word to His servants, to illuminate and apply its teachings” (The Great Controversy, p. vii). The following is a more detailed account of the life and work of this remarkable woman who, meeting all the tests of a true prophet as set forth in the Holy Scriptures, helped found the Seventh-day Adventist church.
I learned a great deal about Ellen White through this book. She went through some very troubled times in her life as God's prophet, including having to be away from her children for extended periods of time. I had made some judgments about that previously, but this book set the record straight. Ellen's desire was to glorify God at all times. In the end, she was quoted as saying that she loved, loved, loved Jesus. This book made her a person just like me--fallible and human. And that is what she wanted others to realize and to point them all to the glorious Savior!
She dedicated her self to Jesus fully and toiled 87+ years telling everyone who would listen how much Jesus loved them. By their fruits you shall know them.