As I look back I am utterly amazed at the amount of material that came bubbling up from the seething Adventist underground which was boiling like the mud pots in Yellowstone. I have referred to Present Truth, which was later renamed Verdict, Ford’s Glacier View Manuscript, the tapes of the secret meeting with Walter Rea and Dr. Cottrell’s tape—all providentially sent to me without my request. These, however, were only the first trickle of what soon become raging torrents of materials. There seemed to be no one spring from which it all issued. Rather, like a thundershower in the hills, each little ravine gathered what it received and sent it rushing downstream to be added to the mighty river below. Copy machines were busy; each person in the Adventist underground would copy what he/she received and pass it on to a few trusted others.
The Adventist underground was not an organized group. There was no “head”—nor tail, for that matter. There were no membership lists or rules for disseminating information, at least as far as I knew, yet it was efficient. Contributing to the underground was Spectrum, a scholarly Adventist journal, several independent journals that sprang up in the fertile soil of Glacier View such as Limboline, Adventist Currents, Adventist Laymen’s Pipeline, etc., and the various chapters of the Adventist Forum. Yes, I, too, played a small but important part of that underground.
As I read Des Ford’s Glacier View manuscript, I felt impressed that this material should be readily available. Truth is of the light and can stand investigation. Secrecy and covering up of error seemed wrong to me. Like me, millions of Adventists trusted the denominational leaders to be honest. How wrong, it seemed to me, for church leaders to pass off error as truth and then hide the fact that it was error and not truth. I decided I would print 500 copies of this huge, 1000-plus page manuscript.
I had learned how to run offset printing presses from my first evangelistic meetings. Now instead of an old AB Dick, I had a Multilith 1250 printing press—old but still a trusted workhorse. I reduced the page size so that I could print it “four up,” which meant I had about 250 runs of 500 each. When the work was completed—making a full pickup load— it was delivered to a person who lived near Pacific Union College who sold them to the Adventist underground. In this way, Des Ford’s research and the wealth of source material became immediately available for others to study.45
Therefore, let history know that Des did not authorize this; it was my act and mine alone.
Before I printed this manuscript, I called Des to get his permission. However, Des said he could not give me permission as it was not to be copied. However, I felt Des really wanted it done, but could not give me the verbal O.K. I asked him what would happen if I did it without his permission. His answer was that he could not give me permission to do it. Therefore, let history know that Des did not authorize this; it was my act and mine alone.
I cannot now go into detail on all the material I received from the Adventist underground. I still have several file drawers and boxes full of it. I will briefly summarize by listing some of the main items that would influence my thinking.
I received a copy of the 1919 Bible conference, which showed the SDA leaders such as A.G. Daniels, General Conference President, J.N. Andrews, F.M. Wilcox, and W.W. Prescott, and several other leading Adventist scholars knew of the errors—theological, factual and historical—in the writings of EGW. They spoke of the “false impression” that was given to her writings and said that sooner or later, the SDA church would face a crisis over them. They were afraid of the “shock” the truth about her writings would bring to the laity. They admitted, “the shock is because we have not taught the truth.”
Someone sent me a copy of a notarized copy of the 100 page October 7, 1907, interview between G. W. Amadon, Elder Bordeau, and Dr. J. H. Kellog. It became evident that the scathing remarks of EGW against Dr. Kellog regarding the supposed pantheism in Dr. Kellog’s book, Living Temple, were not the real issue but a red herring. Rather, the real issues were power and money. Ellen White wanted her books to be sold, not his. She wanted power over the Battle Creek Sanitarium. Dr. Kellog documented how others influenced EGW to write letters or testimonies to certain people. Some of these contained “facts” supposedly given to her from God that were shown to be in error. On one occasion, she wrote about buildings she supposedly saw in visions that were not even there. On other occasions, she gave counsel to situations that proved she did not know what she was talking about.
I had read the attack EGW made against A. F. Ballenger. She said his theories were so deceptive they should not even be read.46 I found a Ballenger letter to EGW in Des Ford’s material. Ballenger’s questions were logical and biblical. In fact, his letter regarding EGW’s erroneous interpretation of Hebrews 6:19, 20 by itself, completely disproved SDA sanctuary theology.
This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 6:19, 20). (emphasis added)
Ballenger showed beyond the shadow of a doubt, that biblically the term “within the veil” could refer to nothing other than the curtain between the holy and the most holy place.47 This text, then, says that Jesus entered (past tense, one time) the most holy place upon his ascension, not “for the first time” in 1844 as Adventists teach.
Adventists have castigated D. M. Canright throughout their history. Originally, a firm believer in EGW and the Adventist message, he left the denomination and wrote a number of books and articles exposing the errors of Adventism. I read two of his books, Adventism Renounced and Life of Mrs. E.G. White, Seventh-day Adventist Prophet, Her False Claims Refuted.48 Both books reveal a man with a keen mind, who was committed to the Lord Jesus Christ, seeking truth through honest Bible study.
Someone sent me a Xeroxed copy of L. Richard Conradi’s book, The Founders of the Seventh-day Adventist Denomination. In it he states,
Personal and careful research among their own documents has fully persuaded me, after long, active leadership among them, that it is my duty as a Christian and lover of divine truth to show the danger of their blending truth with error.49
Conradi goes on to show the many problems surrounding the founding of the SDA church and EGW’s divine endorsement of many of the early errors.
In Des Ford’s material, I found information on Adventism’s “shut door of mercy.” I also received a number of other documents dealing with the same issue. It seemed clear to me from the early literature that Adventists did believe in a “shut door of mercy,” and Ellen White endorsed this view in her letters to other Adventists and also through a vision supposedly from God.50
Someone in the Adventist underground sent me Bert Haloviak’s 66 page paper on A. F. Ballenger and other SDAs. In it he shows how Adventists have held EGW to be “the infallible interpreter of the Bible.” He quotes Spicer, a leading Adventist, showing these Adventist leaders knew the lack of support for the Adventist sanctuary theology.
When I used to give Bible readings in the earlier days in London, and took the people through the eighth of Daniel, I always skipped hastily over those texts where we made the sanctuary one minute in heaven and the next on earth, and the host one time the angels and the next the pagans, and I skipped over the statement that the taking away of the “daily” meant the taking away of paganism by suggesting the rendering in the original was a bit obscure so that the translation was difficult. That is what we used to be taught in the Bible school in Battle Creek in the old days. And all that was making no particular use of that particular portion of Scripture. It was simply passing over it to get down to the cleansing of the sanctuary…”51
I received a copy of a paper entitled, “Standing Up To The Omega: A Call For Repentance” by Aage Rendalin in Norway. It was a tongue-in-cheek list of EGW bloopers. It listed isolated incidents such as the time EGW purchased some potion to make her husband’s hair quit falling out.
I have made applications of these preparations upon the head of my husband, to prevent the falling off of the hair. I observed that when using these preparation, he frequently complained of giddiness of the head…52
Rendalin went on to quote EGW’s statements about tight-lacing causing lung protrusions in the neck, wigs causing insanity and other horrible diseases, the brain con- taining animal organs, children not being allowed to play on the Sabbath—in the house or out of doors, amalgamation (sexual union) of man and beast which is now “evident in certain races of men” and many other nonsensical state- ments.
Someone gave me Seeking A Sanctuary, by Malcom Bull and Keith Lockhart. It also showed the errors in Adventist sanctuary theology.
I read the approximately 250-page document known as “The McAdams Manuscript.” While trying to support EGW, he very clearly shows that based upon his research,53 Great Controversy is largely copied from historians and did not come from vision.
I read material from Ron Numbers indicating that EGW did not receive her health teaching from the great health reform vision, as stated by her and claimed by the Adventist church. Rather, most of her instruction came from others, even though she denied it.54
During the time I was struggling with this information, I attended a union conference meeting in southern California. While there, Dr. Hans LaRondelle, whom I had taken classes from at the seminary, fielded questions about some of the hot issues of the day. Someone asked him what to do with the errors in the writings of EGW. His answer was by way of illustration. “When eating fish,” he said, “eat the meat and throw away the bones.”
On the way home from the conference, I went by the home of Walter Rae. I wanted to see with my own eyes the evidence for the statements Rae had made. He showed me page after page of plagiarism. Often it was not exactly word for word. Words had been changed here and there to make it less evident that EGW and her secretary were copying. It was clear, however, that the facts, ideas, order, moral lessons, and errors came from the people she copied.
I also learned that two of EGW’s secretaries, for all intents and purposes, committed suicide. Marian Davis went on a hunger strike55 because she could no longer endure “this terrible plagiarism”56 that EGW required her to perform. She finally died of malnutrition. Fanny Bolton, who compiled Steps to Christ, came under such condemnation from EGW that she was finally committed to a mental institution where she died.
One day as Carolyn wheeled [Sarah Peck] up to the table for lunch, Carolyn remarked to her, “It must have been wonderful to work for God’s Messenger.” Miss Peck, without saying a word, glared in disgust, and then angrily grabbed the flowers that were in a vase on the table and threw them at Carolyn.
When I was a student at PUC there was a period of time when Carolyn took care of Sarah Peck, who had been EGW’s last secretary. One day as Carolyn wheeled her up to the table for lunch, Carolyn remarked to her, “It must have been wonderful to work for God’s Messenger.” Miss Peck, without saying a word, glared in disgust, and then angrily grabbed the flowers that were in a vase on the table and threw them at Carolyn. At the time, we did not understand her communication. Now we believe it is clear.
As I write, I have several file drawers containing over 100 folders plus several boxes full of SDA information. This chapter could be extended for many pages, but I think I have made my point. After Dr. Ford detonated Adventist’s ticking, theological time bomb at the PUC Adventist Forum, the reverberations shook the Adventist church around the world. Then the Adventist underground spewed forth its hidden, secret facts like a volcano, or to change to an Adventist metaphor, “like the leaves of autumn” on a windy day. Somehow in the sovereign will of God, I was privy to much of this material. Now, what was I to do with these facts?
NEXT WEEK: “THE GATHERING STORM”
Endnotes
45. Much of this material is now included in Desmond Ford, Daniel 8:14, The Day of Atonement and the Investigative Judgment, (Euangelion Press, PO Box 1264, Casselberry, FL 32707) p. 37–43. Now available from Good News Unlimited, Auburn California and LAM Publications, LLC.
46. Ballenger certainly did have some divergent ideas about the sanctuary. However, his letter and questions are a masterpiece of good, biblical study with all the appearance of an honest heart seeking truth.
47. See Ford, Daniel 8:14, p. 35–45, for Ballenger’s Scriptural arguments that show the Adventist teaching to be in error.
48. Recently reprinted and available from LAM Publications, LLC.
49. Page 5 of his book noted in the text above.
50. See Cultic Doctrine, “The Swinging Door” p. 115f.
51. Page 45 in my loose-leaf copy.
52. Page 2 of my copy.
53. McAdams limited himself, for the most part, to material dealing with John Huss.
54. See Ron Numbers, Prophetess of Health.
55. “In looking through C. C. Crisler’s correspondence to W. C. White in the latter part of 1904 he describes her [Marian Davis’] condition in terms of a lack of ability to sleep at night and any desire to eat. She weighed about 57 pounds by September. In fact, she exhibited many of the traits of those who go on those starving diets. She would claim to have stuffed herself, when in fact she had only eaten a few morsels (sic).” Tim Poirier, Assistant to the Secretary of the White Estate, in a letter addressed to Alice Gregg, July 7, 1983.
56. “Miss Marian Davis…was one day heard moaning in her room. Going in, another worker inquired the cause of her trouble. Miss Davis replied ‘I wish I could die! I wish I could die!’ ‘Why, what is the matter?’ asked the other, ‘Oh,’ Miss Davis said, ‘this terrible plagiarism!’” D.M. Canright, The Life of Mrs. E.G. White, Seventh–day Adventist Prophet, Her False Claims Refuted, p. 203–205.
Truth Led Me Out. Copyright © 2008 by Dale Ratzlaff. Second printing 2015, E-mail version 2020. All Scripture quotations—except where otherwise noted—are from The New American Standard Bible, © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1979, 1994 by the Lockman Foundation, used by permission. Texts credited to Clear Word are from The Clear Word, copyright © 1994, 2000, 2003, 2004 by Review and Herald Publishing Association. All rights reserved. Life Assurance Ministries, Inc.
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