Seventh-day Adventists believe that Ellen G. White, one of the church's co-founders, was a prophetess, understood today as an expression of the New Testament spiritual gift of prophecy.

Seventh-day Adventist believe that White had the spiritual gift of prophecy, but that her writings are a lesser light to the Bible, which has ultimate authority. According to the 28 Fundamentals the core set of theological beliefs held by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, states that Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed and can be read online on the website of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The 18th of the 28 Fundamentals states the Adventists viewpoint on the Gift of Prophecy:

According to one church document, "her expositions on any given Bible passage offer an inspired guide to the meaning of texts without exhausting their meaning or preempting the task of exegesis". In other words, White's writings are considered an inspired commentary on Scripture, although Scripture remains ultimately authoritative.

Adventist believe she had the spiritual gift of prophecy as outlined in Revelation 19:10. Her restorationist writings endeavor to showcase the hand of God in Christian history. This cosmic conflict, referred to as the "Great Controversy theme", is foundational to the development of Seventh-day Adventist theology.

Viewpoints "The Inspiration and Authority of the Ellen G. White Writings", document was issued by the Biblical Research Institute of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. It has received worldwide review and input, although is not an official statement. It concludes that a proper understanding will avoid the two extremes of regarding her "writings as functioning on a canonical level identical with Scripture, or […] considering them as ordinary Christian literature."

Seventh-day Adventists believe White was inspired by God, while most non-Adventists believe that she was not. Adventist scholars today agree that: she was inspired by God her writings are important to the church today the Holy Spirit who inspired Bible writers, also inspired Ellen G. White (a non-scientific survey), See also a on the Adventist Review website. For reports on the survey, see and

Alberto Timm, rector at the Latin-American Adventist Theological Seminary in Brasilia, Brazil, believes that since the passing of Ellen White, "as far as we know, there is no genuine prophet alive in our days".

History Numerous Seventh-day Adventists have claimed the gift of prophecy throughout the history of the church, but only Ellen White is held by the church to have had the spiritual gift of prophecy.

Millerites

Seventh-day Adventists arose out of the Millerite movement, the followers of William Miller who expected the end of the world around 1843 or 1844. A number of the Millerites claimed the gift of prophecy.

Two Millerites claimed to have had visions prior to Ellen White – William Ellis Foy (1818–1893), and Hazen Foss (1818?–1893), Ellen White's brother-in-law. Adventists believe the gift offered to these two men was instead passed on to White. This was because the men kept their visions to themselves but when Ellen White revealed hers, it was the same as theirs.

Of the women visionaries, several made the press for their visions. The other known prophets are female: Dorinda Baker (associated with the Israel Dammon incident), Emily Clemons, Phoebe Knapp,For Knapp, see also http://www.smethporthistory.org/100.block/opera.hamilton/index.xmas.htm and Mary Hamlin, who are all mentioned in newspapers of the time."The Millerite Movement in Maine: Cradle of Seventh-day Adventism" by Frederick G. Hoyt. Presidential address to the Association of Western Adventist Historians in Angwin, California in April 1982, p8. As cited by Jonathan M. Butler in The Disappointed, p196, 206no29Mentioned in http://spectrummagazine.org/files/archive/archive16-20/17-5butler.pdf , Spectrum 17:5, p39

However most Adventists only believe Ellen White had the spiritual gift of prophecy.

William Foy William Ellis Foy (1818–1893) was an African American Freewill Baptist minister and preacher in the Millerite movement, who claimed to receive four visions from 1842 (two visions) to 1844. A tall man, he was the first of three Millerites to claim visions around the time of the 1844 "Great Disappointment".

A common theme of his visions was that the Second Coming would come later than the Millerites expected. They inspired many people through the Great Disappointment when Jesus did not return as they had expected. Ellen White supported his visions.Ellen White, "MR No. 1253 - William Foy Lectures in Beethoven Hall" p95–97 of Manuscript Releases, Volume 17, Hagerstown, Maryland: Review and Herald, 1987 They also concern the judgment, and rewards for the righteous."The inside story about people and events that shaped our history". Adventist Review 164:42 (October 15, 1987), p16

He claimed visions in January and February 1842, told in his autobiography The Christian Experience of William E. Foy, published 1845.The Christian Experience of William E. Foy Together with the Two Visions He Received in the Months of Jan. and Feb. 1842 by Foy. Published by John and C. Henry Pearson in Portland, 1845. OCLC 76043021. Online here. It was republished by Andrews University Press as Christian Experience; publisher's page , sample. (Berrien Springs, Michigan: Center for Adventist Research, 2005). . Apparently republished earlier in Early S.D.A. pamphlets by Joseph Bates, William Ellis Foy and others (Payson, Arizona: Leaves-of-Autumn Books, 1987) They were similar to those experienced by Ellen White.Benjamin Baker, Crucial Moments (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2005), 15-26.

Foy was reluctant to obey his commission to share the visions, yet did eventually. He never became a Seventh-day Adventist, and his subsequent history was unknown. J. N. Loughborough's accountRise and Progress of the Seventh-day Adventists (DjVu), 1892, p70 onwards was simply repeated by later historians (e.g. Light Bearers, 64) until Delbert Baker's definitive 1987 biography The Unknown Prophet traced his subsequent history.

Hazen Foss Hazen Foss (1818–1893) was another Millerite who claimed to receive several visions. However he refused to proclaim them, and God told him he was "released" from that ministry, and the message given to Ellen White instead.The Unknown Prophet p134–141 He was Ellen White's brother-in-law. Adventists tend to believe the prophetic gift offered to these two men was instead passed on to White.

Early Adventists

Adventists believe Hiram Edson received a vision about the heavenly sanctuary or investigative judgment on October 23, 1844 – the day following the "Great Disappointment". He wrote, "...while passing through a large field I was stopped about midway of the field. Heaven seemed open to my view, and I saw distinctly and clearly..." Jesus as High PriestHiram Edson, from a manuscript fragment about his life and experiences; as quoted by Francis D. Nichol in The Midnight Cry (Washington: Review and Herald, 1945), 458. A critical article is "Edson's Cornfield 'Vision:' Frisson or Fiction?" by Fernand Fisel: a revised version of "Edson's Cornfield Vision, Frisson or Figment?" Adventist Currents 1:1 (July 1983), pp.25–27

Moses Hull (c. 1836–1907) was an eloquent speaker and apologist (defender of Adventist beliefs). He converted to Adventism in 1857, but later converted to spiritualism (the key feature of which is allegedly contacting the dead), leaving the church. He claimed to write as influenced by spirits.Light Bearers: A History of the Seventh-day Adventist Church revised and updated edition, ed. Richard W. Schwarz and Floyd Greenleaf. (Nampa, Idaho: Pacific Press, 2000), 613–614

For two years prior, Ellen White had trying to help Moses Hull and been warning him on his focus and "overweening trust in his own abilities."Bio., vol. 2, p. 55. Hull sensed his problem and asked for Ellen White and others to come to his Battle Creek home to pray for him. Ellen writes "I was shown the condition of Bro. Hull. He was in an alarming state. His lack of consecration and vital piety left him subject to Satan's suggestions. . . . He is asleep to his own danger. . . . He was presented to me as standing upon the brink of an awful gulf, ready to leap. If he takes the leap, it will be final; his eternal destiny will be fixed. . . . Never should one man be sent forth alone to combat with a Spiritualist."Testimonies, vol. 1, pp. 426-430; see Bio., vol. 2, pp. 56, 57.

Ellen White

Adventists believe church co-founder Ellen G. White was a prophet, understood today as the New Testament "gift of prophecy".This terminology is used in the 28 Fundamentals, the official beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists. Also see for example, "The Biblical Basis for a Modern Prophet " by Frank B. Holbrook, Biblical Research Institute, April 1982. Also appearing on the White Estate website. "Can All Be Prophets? Ellen G. White Statements That Bear on the Question" by the White Estate, 1969 White preferred to describe herself as a "messenger".

She was one of about 200 claimed prophets in New England at the time.http://www.sdanet.org/atissue/books/bradford/prophet-14.htm Bradford For alleged miracles which occurred during her prophecies, see: inspiration of Ellen White#Tests of her inspiration.

White regarded herself as a messenger to the church of the end times.Ellen White Selected Messages book 1, p55 She believed her contemporary prophets were not legitimate.Ellen White Selected Messages book 1, p55; book 2, p64, 65, 72–84, 89. See also Denton Rebok, Believe His Prophets, 113–17; as cited elsewhere

E. J. Waggoner E. J. Waggoner claimed "a revelation direct from heaven" at a campmeeting in Healdsburg, California in 1882. In the midst of another's sermon,

In 1899 he claimed that all commandment keepers should have the gift of prophecy.Light Bearers, p617

After 1888 The 1888 Minneapolis General Conference provided "impetus" to those radically seeking God's presence.

Anna Phillips Anna Rice Phillips (1865–1926) was a claimed new prophetess, who was supported by W. W. Prescott and others. From Ogden, Utah, she first claimed visions in 1891, and in April, 1894, Adventist minister A.T. Jones presented Anna Phillips's testimonies as a genuine manifestation of the spirit of prophecy. However the next day he got a letter from Ellen White which convinced the church she was sincere yet mistaken. Anna Phillips repudiated her experience and became a trusted Bible worker.Seeking a Sanctuary, 79"An Experience With a False Prophetess" section, p469–71 of Appendix A in A Prophet Among You by T. Housel JemisonAnna Rice Phillips, Battle Creek prophetess: A bibliographical guide to sources in the Heritage Room, Pacific Union College Library. Gary W. Shearer. See also

Others By the 1890s, a "flood of volunteers" stepped forward, hoping to be the next prophet. However Ellen White usually responded to them that she had been given no "light" about the future prophetic gift.Chapter 5, "The Los Angeles Seventh-day Adventist Reform Church", p84-99 of Tarling

Fannie Bolton, a former literary assistant to White, claimed visions around the end of the 1800s.

In the 1900s, Mrs. Mackin claimed the gift of prophecy, and under her and her husband Ralph's influence, a young girl (a family friend) also prophesied; see: Ralph and Mrs. Mackin.

Anna Garmire