I seem to recall a story from the time of EGW, where it was determined by some committee that they had been quoting her too much in publications or something and so decided to stop quoting and publicizing her. After some months, they realized their mistake and resumed using her. Seems like she had something to say about this.

Is there such a story or did I imagine it?

___________

Dear ___________,

Thank you for contacting the Ellen G. White Estate. No, I don't think you imagined this story. It sounds like one that Arthur White wrote about in his 6-volume biography of Mrs. White. I'll copy the story for you below my signature.

I hope this is what you were looking for. Let me know if I can be of further service. Thank you for writing, and God bless!

--------
William Fagal, Director
Ellen G. White Estate Branch Office
Andrews University
Berrien Springs, MI 49104-1400 USA
Phone: 269 471-3209
FAX: 269 471-2646
Website: www.WhiteEstate.org or www.egwestate.andrews.edu
E-mail: [email protected]

From volume 1 of Arthur L. White's six-volume biography, Ellen G. White. The following, from pp. 326-330, is part of a longer chapter:

The Neglect of the Spirit of Prophecy

But there was another matter of large importance to which the conference addressed itself, and that was a seeming decline of the influence of the Spirit of Prophecy in their midst. Ellen White was to speak of it in reporting the vision given at the close of the conference: "I saw that the Spirit of the Lord has been dying away from the church."--1T, p. 113. Looking back a few weeks later, she wrote: {1BIO 326.1} The visions have been of late less and less frequent, and my testimony for God's children has been gone. I have thought that my work in God's cause was done, and that I had no further duty to do, but to save my own soul, and carefully attend to my little family.--RH, Jan. 10, 1856. {1BIO 326.2} In his report of the conference James White wrote of the concern of those at the meeting for the spiritual welfare of the church. He mentioned that there were "remarks and confessions relative to the evident departure of the remnant from the spirit of the message, and the humble, straight forward course taken by those who first embraced it. Strong desires were expressed, and fervent prayers were offered to heaven, for the return of the spirit of consecration, sacrifice, and holiness once enjoyed by the remnant."--Ibid., Dec. 4, 1855. {1BIO 326.3} Somehow the sense swept over them that this may have been the result of neglect on the part of the church in its relation to the visions. To avoid prejudicing those they hoped to reach with the third angel's message through the Review and Herald, they had published none of the visions in the paper for nearly five years, and only twice had James White referred to the visions in his articles or

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editorials. These exceptions were (1) in October, 1854, when under attack from the Messenger party for putting the visions ahead of the Bible, he reprinted an article that had appeared in the first volume of the Review on April 21, 1851; and (2) on October 16, 1855, in five brief articles, quite an extended defense of the position of the church in the issue. In one of these he may, in one statement, have gone a little too far in exercising his attempts to show that Seventh-day Adventist doctrines were not dependent on the visions. It seems this led some to conclude--quite contrary to his purpose--that he was downgrading the visions. In the one titled "A Test" he declared: {1BIO 326.4} There is a class of persons who are determined to have it that the Review and its conductors made the views of Mrs. White a test of doctrine and Christian fellowship. It may be duty to notice these persons on account of the part they are acting, which is calculated to deceive some. {1BIO 327.1} What has the Review to do with Mrs. White's views? The sentiments published in its columns are all drawn from the Holy Scriptures. No writer of the Review has ever referred to them as authority on any point. The Review for five years has not published one of them. Its motto has been "The Bible and the Bible alone, the only rule of faith and duty." Then why should these men charge the Review with being a supporter of Mrs. White's views?--Ibid., Oct. 16, 1855. {1BIO 327.2} James White then called the attention of his readers to his consistent position during the past eight years. He referred to his published statements, beginning with what appeared in A Word to the "Little Flock" in 1847. There he had declared: {1BIO 327.3} The Bible is a perfect and complete revelation. It is our only rule of faith and practice. But this is no reason why God may not show the past, present, and future fulfillment of His Word in these last days, by dreams and visions, according to Peter's testimony. True visions are given to lead us to God and to His written word; but those that are given for a new rule of faith and practice, separate from the Bible, cannot be from God and should be rejected.--Ibid.

328 {1BIO 327.4} In attempting to make his point, he quoted other statements he had made through the years, which in no way downgrade the visions. But it was strong language he had used in mid-October, and it would appear that this, with the absence of visions in the Review, had undercut in the minds of some the importance of the gift of prophecy in the remnant church. This was felt at the conference in Battle Creek right after the move to that city. {1BIO 328.1} At any rate, the conference was led to give consideration to the matter. Among its resolutions was the vote: {1BIO 328.2} 9. That Joseph Bates, J. H. Waggoner, and M. E. Cornell be appointed to address the saints on behalf of the conference, on the gifts of the church.--Ibid., Dec. 4, 1855. {1BIO 328.3} That address, appearing in the same issue of the Review as the conference actions, is quite revealing and will be mentioned again shortly. {1BIO 328.4} Now, back to the last meeting of the conference, James White, after writing of the distress of the brethren over the spiritual state of the church, reported: {1BIO 328.5} Our long-suffering and tender Father in heaven smiled upon His waiting children, and manifested His power to their joy. The brethren separated greatly refreshed and encouraged.--Ibid. {1BIO 328.6}

The "Conference Address"

The disquieting situation sensed at the conference led to the action calling for a conference address "on the gifts of the church." This address opened with penitent words: {1BIO 328.7} To the Dear Saints Scattered Abroad, Greeting: In view of the present low state of the precious cause of our blessed Master, we feel to humble ourselves before God, and confess our unfaithfulness and departure from the way of the Lord, whereby the spirit of holiness has been grieved, our own souls burdened, and an occasion given to the enemy of all righteousness to rejoice over the decline of faith and spirituality amongst the scattered flock.--Ibid.

329 {1BIO 328.8} The address comes immediately to the subject of the gifts of the Spirit in the church and confesses: {1BIO 329.1} Nor have we appreciated the glorious privilege of claiming the gifts which our blessed Master has vouchsafed to His people; and we greatly fear that we have grieved the Spirit by neglecting the blessings already conferred upon the church. . . . {1BIO 329.2} We have also, in our past experience, been made to rejoice in the goodness of our God who has manifested His care for His people by leading us in His way and correcting our errors, through the operations of His Spirit; and the majority of Sabbathkeepers in the third angel's message have firmly believed that the Lord was calling His church out of the wilderness by the means appointed to bring us to the unity of the faith. We refer to the visions which God has promised to the remnant "in the last days." {1BIO 329.3} The relation of the Spirit of Prophecy to the Bible was next dealt with:

Nor do we, as some contend, exalt these gifts or their manifestations, above the Bible; on the contrary, we test them by the Bible, making it the great rule of judgment in all things; so that whatever is not in accordance with it, in its spirit and its teachings, we unhesitatingly reject. But as we cannot believe that a fountain sends forth at the same place sweet water and bitter, or that an evil tree brings forth good fruit, so we cannot believe that that is of the enemy which tends to unite the hearts of the saints, to lead to meekness and humility and holy living, and incites to deep heart-searching before God, and a confession of our wrongs. {1BIO 329.4} Squaring up to the crux of the matter, the authors of the address recognized an attitude that was surely displeasing to God: {1BIO 329.5}

While we hold these views as emanating from the divine mind, we would confess the inconsistency (which we believe has been displeasing to God) of professedly regarding them as messages from God, and really putting them on a level with the inventions of men. We fear that this has resulted from an unwillingness to bear the reproach of Christ (which is indeed

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greater riches than the treasures of earth), and a desire to conciliate the feelings of our opponents; but the Word and our own experience have taught us that God is not honored, nor His cause advanced, by such a course. {1BIO 329.6}

While we regard them as coming from God, and entirely harmonizing with His written word, we must acknowledge ourselves under obligation to abide by their teaching, and be corrected by their admonitions. To say that they are of God, and yet we will not be tested by them, is to say that God's will is not a test or rule for Christians. {1BIO 330.1} There was more in the address, but the main points have here been brought forward. The fruitage of this humble confession and declaration of loyalty to God's leadings was soon evident. Wrote Ellen White of the painful experience and its hopeful outcome: {1BIO 330.2}

At our late conference at Battle Creek, in November, God wrought for us. The minds of the servants of God were exercised as to the gifts of the church, and if God's frown had been brought upon His people because the gifts had been slighted and neglected, there was a pleasing prospect that His smiles would again be upon us, and He would graciously and mercifully revive the gifts again, and they would live in the church, to encourage the desponding and fainting soul, and to correct and reprove the erring.--Ibid., Jan. 10, 1856. {1BIO 330.3} The events and experiences at this conference of November, 1855, may well be considered as marking a turning point in Seventh-day Adventist history. With the church accepting the responsibility for its publishing work, and the Spirit of Prophecy now given its rightful place, added blessing attended the labors of the ministers, the publishing enterprise prospered, and the work moved forward. {1BIO 330.4}