Testimonies on Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce

268 Pages·2010·1.03 MB·English

by  Ellen G. White

Testimonies on Sexual
Behavior, Adultery, and
Divorce
Ellen G. White
1989
Information about this Book
Overview
ThisePubpublicationisprovidedasaserviceoftheEllenG.WhiteEstate.
Itispartofalargercollection. PleasevisittheEllenG.WhiteEstatewebsite
foracompletelistofavailablepublications.
AbouttheAuthor
Ellen G. White (1827-1915) is considered the most widely translated
American author, her works having been published in more than 160
languages. Shewrotemorethan100,000pagesonawidevarietyofspiritual
andpracticaltopics. GuidedbytheHolySpirit,sheexaltedJesusandpointed
totheScripturesasthebasisofone’sfaith.
FurtherLinks
ABriefBiographyofEllenG.White
AbouttheEllenG.WhiteEstate
EndUserLicenseAgreement
The viewing, printing or downloading of this book grants you only
a limited, nonexclusive and nontransferable license for use solely by you
for your own personal use. This license does not permit republication,
distribution, assignment, sublicense, sale, preparationofderivativeworks, or
other use. Any unauthorized use of this book terminates the license granted
hereby.
©Copyright2010bytheEllenG.WhiteEstate,Inc.
Formoreinformationabouttheauthor,publishers,orhowyoucansupport
thisservice,pleasecontacttheEllenG.WhiteEstate: (emailaddress). Weare
thankful for your interest and feedback and wish you God’s blessing as you
read.
PREFACE
When this compilation was produced, it was not intended for general
circulation.Itwasdesignedtoassistchurchadministratorsandotherministers
intheireffortstomaintainhighmoralstandardsinthechurch,balancingmercy
with justice in dealing with members involved in question table or immoral
conduct. However, the book has proved so helpful, and the demand for it
so widespread, that it is now being made generally available as part of the
ChristianHomeLibraryseries.
Readers will note that many of the letters in this volume were addressed
to errant ministerial laborers. Since Ellen White corresponded largely with
ministersandothergospelworkers,thisshouldcomeasnosurprise.However,
in spite of the faults and sins of those to whom she wrote, Ellen White had
greatconfidenceintheministryoftheSeventh-dayAdventistChurch. Atthe
ageof85shesenttwomessagestobereadtotheGeneralConferencesession
of1913. Inthefirstmessagesheassuredthedelegates,
“While I still feel the deepest anxiety over the attitude that
some are taking toward important measures connected with the
development of the cause of God in the earth, yet I have strong
faith in the workers throughout the field, and believe that as
they meet together and humble themselves before the Lord and
consecrate themselves anew to his service, they will be enabled
todoHiswill.”—SelectedMessages2:401,402.
InhersecondandfinalmessagetotheconferenceEllenWhitedeclared:
“WheninthenightseasonIamunabletosleep,Iliftmyheart
inprayertoGod,andHestrengthensme
and gives me the assurance that He is with His ministering
servantsinthehomefieldandindistantlands. Iamencouraged
and blessed as I realize that the God of Israelis still guiding His
people, and that He will continue to be with them, even to the
end.”—SelectedMessages2:406.
Theseexpressionsofconfidencemakeclearthatthemoralproblemsdealt
with in the letters quoted in this volume were not general or widespread.
Nevertheless,sincecontemporarymoralproblemsaresimilartothoseofpast
decades, we believe that many letters written by Ellen White a century ago
containwarningsandappealsthatneedtobeheardtoday. Concerningtheuse
ofherletters,EllenWhitesaid:
“IamendeavoringbythehelpofGodtowritelettersthatwill
beahelp,notmerelytothosetowhomtheyareaddressed,butto
manyotherswhoneedthem.”—Letter79,1905.
Thepresentcompilationisnotdesignedtoserveasamanualofrulesfor
dealingwithimmorality,infidelity,orunscripturaldivorceandremarriage.No
manualcouldcovereverypossiblemoralirregularity. WhenW.C.Whitewas
asked for an authoritative statement from his mother that would serve as a
standardbywhichtosettleallcasesofunscripturalmarriage,hereplied:
“After reading the documents I sent you today, you will say,
well,hehasnotgivenmeanythingauthoritativefromSisterWhite
thatdirectlyanswersthequestion. ButIthinkyouwillseefrom
what I am sending you that it was Sister White’s intention that
thereshouldnotgoforthfromherpenanythingthat
couldbeusedasalaworaruledealingwiththesequestions
of marriage, divorce, remarriage, and adultery. She felt that
the different cases where the devil had led men into serious
entanglementsweresovariedandsoserious,thatshouldshewrite
anythingthatcouldbeconsideredasaruleforsettlingsuchcases,
itwouldbemisunderstoodandmisused.”—W.C.WhitetoC.P.
Bollman,Jan. 6,1931.
We concur fully with Ellen White’s view. Moral problems are complex.
No two situations are exactly alike. Each will require careful study; and
although the differences may be minor, each situation will require its own
solution. The Holy Spirit will always be needed as a divine Guide and
Counselortohelpthosewhoaregrapplingwithmoralproblems.
Allgivennamesinthisbookaregenuine,but,inthevariousproblemcases
cited,lettersofthealphabethavebeensubstitutedforthesurname.Allchapter
titlesandsub-headingshavebeensupplied.
It is our hope and prayer that in the hands of an ever-learning and truly
caringchurch,thematerialsinthiscompilationwillcontributetotheelevation
of moral standards in the church, and at the same time provide comfort,
encouragement, and hope for those whose complex moral problems seem
beyondhumansolution.
TheTrusteesofthe
EllenG.WhiteEstate
Contents
InformationaboutthisBook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
AbouttheAuthor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
FurtherLinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
EndUserLicenseAgreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
PREFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
SectionI-Marriage 13
1. ImportantFactsandPrinciples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2. CautionsandCounsels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3. Individuality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
4. RemarriageofWidowsandWidowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
SectionII-MarriedtoanUnbelievingSpouse 39
5. TheChristianSpouse’sBehavior. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
SectionIII-AMutilatedSpouse 54
6. CounselstoWalterandLaura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
7. AdmonitiontoWalter’sSecondMother-in-law . . . . . . . . . . 67
8. FailureofWalter’sSecondMarriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
SectionIV-SeparationandGroundsforDivorce 76
9. Separation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
10. GroundsforDivorce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
SectionV-LicentiousnessandAdultery 81
11. TheSinofLicentiousness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
12. DisregardoftheSeventhCommandment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
13. DealingwithImpureThoughtsandSuggestions . . . . . . . . . 103
SectionVI-OtherSexualEvils 109
14. SexualExcesswithinMarriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
15. PettingandPremaritalSex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
16. Homosexuality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
17. Masturbation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
18. ChildAbuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
SectionVII-CounselstoPeoplewithMoralProblems 130
19. AHousewife]
130
20. ALong-StandingAdventistandHisMistress . . . . . . . . . . 133
21. AHospitalWorker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
22. ASanitariumSuperintendent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
23. AWould-BeSanitariumSuperintendent . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
24. AMedicalDoctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
25. ALiteratureEvangelist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
26. APublicEvangelist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
27. AnHonoredMinister . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
28. AnInfluentialMinister . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
29. FourUnholyMinisters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
30. EllenWhite’sAssistants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
SectionVIII-UnscripturalMarriages 218
31. RespectforUnbiblicalMarriages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
32. BrotherG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
33. StephenBelden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
34. WilliamE(PartI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
SectionIX-CounselstoChurchAdministrators 228
35. WilliamE(PartII) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
36. AppealtoMinisters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
37. CounseltoaGeneralConferencePresident . . . . . . . . . . . 239
38. CounselstoCityMissionandInstitutionalLeaders . . . . . . . 243
39. TheAdultererandChurchMembership . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
40. AStatementbyEllenandJamesWhite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
SectionX-LovefortheErringandTempted 253
41. God’sLovefortheSinner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
42. UnderstandingOthers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
AppendixAMasturbationAndInsanity 268
AppendixBAnEarlyChurchProblem 270
12