Great Controversy Notes

Preface

by Walter Rea

The preface of the 1886 edition of The Great Controversy used in this study clearly states that:

"Apart from the Bible, this book presents the most wonderful and interesting history of this dispensation, to the complete restitution of all things, that has ever been published."
Without giving credit to any other source or author on this earth, it goes on to say:
"...we believe that the writer has received the illumination of the Holy Spirit in preparing these pages. ... the Christian experience of the author has been truly remarkable. From her childhood she was noted for her reverence and devotion and her love for the word of God. ... we believe that no one who knows what it is to hold communion with our heavenly Father, will fail to realize that the writer of these pages has drawn from the heavenly fountain, and received help from the Sanctuary."

In the light of those claims we have taken that early edition that does not give human credit to anyone and traced where each chapter, paragraph and sentence has come from. With the underlining we have done showing where all the copy work has come from, we have also underlined the Bible texts used. One can see that there is no room left for God to work his will or way on Ellen's mind unless we create a concept of that God that we have never had and few would be willing to accept. She was a human being and as such did what humans do in her position without her human knowledge, she copied what she wrote from others as all the proof shows. Any human being, atheist, non believer, scholar could and has done the same as she has done. Indeed, some of those scholars did help her in the forming of The Great Controversy, but did not claim the same contact with God that she did.

If one were to take the time, and some of us have, it can be shown and has been proven that Ellen was influenced and driven by the books she read, and was "inspired" by whatever "vision" others she copied had. There is no evidence whatsoever in this world that God endorsed, approved, or influenced her to copy what she copied. If we claim such then we make God Himself a liar. In the light of this and other research on Ellen's works is it not time that we accept the fact that Ellen did not get any special "vision" or help from God directly or otherwise for what has been handed the world as "help from the sanctuary" and "heavenly fountain" above?

If we would say that she was "impressed" or "influenced by what she read" and was a very human being speaking for her time and place in history, we might save what good she and her helpers did. If not, we only continue to create a false prophet when her sayings have been proven wrong and tie her to a God that is too human to believe as an eternal God.

Walter T. Rea

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