Ellen claimed that all of her writings in letters, diary entries, papers, testimonies, and books held truth and the authority of God.

• “I am now looking over my diaries and copies of letters written for several years back.... I have the most precious matter to reproduce and place before the people in testimony form. While I am able to do this work, the people must have things to revive past history, that they may see that there is one straight chain of truth, without one heretical sentence, in that which I have written. This, I am instructed, is to be a living letter to all in regard to my faith.” Letter 329a (1905)
  • This was written just 10 years prior to her death, at the end of her ministry.

 

• “The Conflict of the Ages Books: Sister White is not the originator of these books. They contain the instruction that during her lifework God has been giving her. They contain the precious, comforting light that God has graciously given his servant to be given to the world…The Lord has declared that these books are to be scattered throughout the world. There is in them truth which to the receiver is a savor of life unto life…in the future, these truths are to make the gospel plain to many others, revealing to them the way of salvation.” The Review and Herald, Jan 20, (1903) / Colporter Ministry, ch 20

 

• “It is not alone those who openly reject the testimonies, or who cherish doubt concerning them, that are on dangerous ground. To disregard light is to reject it.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol 5, p. 680

 

• “I do not write one article in the paper expressing merely my own ideas. They are what God has opened before me in vision—the precious rays of light shining from the throne.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol 5, p. 67

 

• “Some have taken the position that the warning, cautions, and reproofs given by the Lord through his servant, unless they come through special vision for each individual case, should have no more weight than the counsels and warnings from other sources. In some cases it has been represented that in giving a testimony for churches or individuals I have been influenced to write as I did by letters received from members of the church. There have been those who claimed that testimonies purporting to be given by the Spirit of God were merely the expression of my own judgment, based upon information gathered from human sources. This statement is utterly false…In a recent dream I was brought before an assembly of people, some of whom were making efforts to remove the impression of a most solemn testimony of warning that I had given them. They said: “We believe Sister White's testimonies; but when she tells us things that she has not directly seen in vision in the particular case under consideration, her words are of no more account to us than the words of any other person." The Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and I arose and rebuked them in the name of the Lord. I repeated in substance that which I have presented above in regard to the watchman. This, I said, is appropriate to your case and to mine. Now if those to whom these solemn warnings are addressed say, “It is only Sister White's individual opinion, I shall still follow my own judgment,” and if they continue to do the very things they were warned not to do, they show that they despise the counsel of God, and the result is just what the Spirit of God has shown me it would be—injury to the cause of God and ruin to themselves. Some who wish to strengthen their own position will bring forward from the Testimonies statements which they think will support their views, and will put the strongest possible construction upon them; but that which questions their course of action, or which does not coincide with their views, they pronounce Sister White's opinion, denying its heavenly origin and placing it on a level with their own judgment. If you, my brethren, who have been acquainted with me and my work for many years, take the position that my counsel is of no more value then the counsel of those who have not been specially educated for this work, then do not ask me to unite with you in labor; for while you occupy this position, you will inevitably counteract the influence of my work. If you feel just as safe in following your own impulses as in following the light given by God's delegated Servant, the peril is your own; you will be condemned because you rejected the light which Heaven had sent you…the Lord came to me in the night season and spoke precious words of encouragement concerning my work, repeating the same message that had been given me several times before. With regard to those who have turned from the light sent them, He said: “In slighting and rejecting the testimony that I have given you to bear, it is not you, but me, your Lord, that they have slighted.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol 5, p. 687-688

 

• “How many have read carefully Patriarchs and Prophets, The Great Controversy, and The Desire of Ages? I wish all to understand that my confidence in the light that God has given stands firm, because I know that the Holy Spirit's power magnified the truth, and made it honorable, saying: “This is the way, walk ye in it.” In my books, the truth is stated, barricaded by a "Thus saith the Lord." The Holy Spirit traced these truths upon my heart and mind as indelibly as the law was traced by the finger of God, upon the tables of stone.” Letter 90, (1906) / Colporter Ministry, ch. 20 

 

• “God would be pleased to see The Desire of Ages in every home. In this book is contained the light He has given upon His word.” Letter 75 (1900)

 

• “The Great Controversy should be very widely circulated. It contains the story of the past, the present, and the future. In its outline of the closing scenes of this earth's history, it bears a powerful testimony in behalf of the truth. I am more anxious to see a wide circulation for this book than for any others I have written; for in The Great Controversy, the last message of warning to the world is given more distinctly than in any of my other books.” Letter 281 (1905)

 

• "I was moved by the Spirit of the Lord to write that book…The Lord has set before me matters which are of urgent importance for the present time and which reach into the future. The words have been spoken in a charge to me, “Write in a book the things which thou hast seen and heard, and let it go to all the people; for the time is at hand when past history will be repeated.” I have been aroused at one, two, or three o'clock in the morning with some point forcibly impressed upon my mind, as if spoken by the voice of God...I was shown... that I should devote myself to writing out the important matters for volume 4.” Letter 1 (1890) /Colporter Ministry, ch 20

 

• "While writing the manuscript of the Great Controversy, I was often conscious of the presence of the angels of God. And many times the scenes about which I was writing were presented to me anew in visions of the night, so that they were fresh and vivid in my mind.” Letter 56 (1911)

 

• “God gave me the light contained in The Great Controversy and Patriarchs and Prophets and this light was needed to arouse the people to prepare for the great day of God. These books contain God's direct appeal to the people. Thus He is speaking to the people in stirring words…I know that the statement made that these books cannot be sold, is untrue. I know; for the Lord has instructed me that this is said because human devising has blocked the way for their sale. It cannot be denied that these books were not the product of any human mind; they are the voice of God speaking to his people." Manuscript 23, (1890) / Colporter Ministry, ch. 20

 

• “Let there be an interest awakened in the sale of these books (Desire of Ages, Great Controversy). Their sale is essential… Those who make a careful study of the instruction contained in them, and will receive it as from the Lord, will be kept from receiving many of the errors that are being introduced. Those who accept the truths contained in these books will not be led into false paths.” Letters and Manuscripts, letter 229 (1903)

 

• “As the Spirit of God has opened to my mind the great truths of his Word, and the scenes of the past and the future, I have been bidden to make known to others that which has thus been revealed.” Selected Messages, Book 3, p. 48

 

• “I cannot at my own impulse take up a work and launch out into it. I have to be impressed by the Spirit of God.” Selected Messages, Book 3, p. 49

 

• “As soon as I take my pen in hand I am not in darkness as to what to write. It is as plain and clear as a voice speaking to me, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go.” “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct [make plain] thy paths.” Manuscript 89 (1900)

 

• “I speak that which I have seen, and which I know to be true.” Letter 4 (1896)

 

• “In the line of my work I speak the things the Lord gives me. And in my words to you I would ...[not] dare to say that the Lord did not move me to make the remarks which I made in that talk all the way through.” Letter 18d, (890)

 

• “Those who carefully read the testimonies as they have appeared from the early days, need not be perplexed as to their origin. The many books, written by the help of the Spirit of God, bear a living witness to the character of the testimonies.” Letter 225 (1906)