Was Ellen G. White a Prophet or a Free Mason?
The Young Girl Who Helped Found the Seventh-Day Adventist Movement
This is the third post in a series on the doctrine of the nature of the Holy Spirit and how it affects the Flat Earth community. If you’re just now jumping in, you can find the previous posts here:
Post #1: Are Flat Earthers Committing the Unpardonable Sin?
Post #2: The Great Disappointment and the Millerite Movement
Foundational Post: Flat Earth, the Trinity, and Ancient Mysteries
Now, we will explore a woman, who is adored by many — and often called a prophet. You are definitely going to WANT to read the footnotes that support my research. Many of them come from Ellen G. White and her supporters.
Before I came to this study, I was under the thought that women cannot be Free Masons. Yet, in my study of Mormonism (a Free Masonic cult), I came to find out that women are actually at the head of the food chain. Plus, women take part in Free Masonic rituals at the Mormon Temple. I won’t go into that in this post, yet, if you read, watch, or listen to all the footnotes, you will see what I mean. I’ve also discovered women have not always been and are not always excluded from Free Masonry. 1
So let’s dive in.
Who Is Ellen G. White (EGW)?
Most people know Mrs. White as the founder of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) movement. However, there is much more to that story than most are aware. In the previous installment, I mentioned that EGW was a former Millerite who spoke praises of William Miller, placing him on the same status as the Protestant Reformers of old.
In her book “The Great Controversy” (TGC), EGW devotes 17 chapters and 250+ pages to discussing church history and the glories of Reformers like Wycliff, Luther, and Zwingli. She establishes authority by telling readers what they already know (or should know) of their Christian heritage. 2 [Read the footnote.] After sharing the history of the church and the Reformers, EGW titles Chapter 18: “An American Reformer,” placing William Miller on equal footing as those previously written about by saying, “Like many other reformers, William Miller….”
As a reminder, Miller was responsible for leading tens of thousands of people to suffer “The Great Disappointment” when his predictions of Christ’s Return did not materialize. Some suffered economic devastation because they had sold their homes and given up their businesses and livelihoods. Many left the faith. After the failed prediction, Miller admitted that he was wrong about his date setting and the outcome of his new understanding of Scripture. Plus, Miller never abhorred his Free Mason background. He had left the Free Masons for one reason alone: Christians were railing against the organization. The only way he could get his vision into the hearts of Christians was to give up Masonry. He did so, reluctantly.
Does this sound like a man to be exalted alongside the other Reformers throughout church history?
But this is only the beginning.
Ellen G. White, Charles Taze Russell, and Joseph Smith
What do these three hold in common? More than you may know.
Charles Taze Russell
We discussed in the last installment, that the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW) Adventist cult sprang from the Millerite movement. While evidence reveals that Charles Taze Russell [The JW founder] was a Free Mason, both JWs and the Free Masons deny it. Nevertheless, his writings demonstrate that he is schooled in the same ancient mystery religion as the Free Masons and considers them his brethren. 3 Seriously check out that footnote.
And then there’s his gravesite.
After his death…. he was buried near a large and notable stone pyramid in the name of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. A large cross and wreath graces the top of the memorial monument…. His tombstone read, "Laodicean Messenger" and had a photo of him at the top of the stone. In 2021, Jehovah's Witnesses sent workers to remove the pyramid, as it bore the cross and represents his slightly [?] false understanding of prophecy. 4
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith, on the other hand, was an open Mason. Should it be a surprise that Mormonism and Free Masonry are interconnected? Joseph Smith incorporated Free-Masonic rituals into Mormon Temple worship. 5 Smith was more than a Free Mason, he was also steeped in the occult. 6 This is a recurring theme with cults that attack the nature of Christ, the Trinity, the doctrine of hell, and salvation by grace alone. Hmm…maybe Satan is at work here?
Ellen G. White
So where does EGW fit into this discussion? First, she was a Millerite, following the instructions of a Free Mason, even after he recanted his vision. [More on why she embraced his vision in the next installment.] Second, she had Free Masonic ties.7 Her organization denies these ties.8 And another pro-SDA organization claims, “Ellen White addresses the topic in about five different places, and each time it is abundantly clear that she does give counsel to stay away from associating with the Free Masons.” 9
Yet, here we see EGW surrounded by Free Mason ministers in the SDA donning the hidden hand. 10
Additionally, when searching EGW’s writings, we discover she didn’t always speak negatively of Free Masonry. In at least one case, she spoke favorably toward it. 11 Plus, more than one SDA conference was held at the Williamstown Freemasonic Hall. 12 And in another strange case, EGW instructed Free Mason, Nathaniel Faulkhead, who had taken vows of the highest order, was a member of five lodges — and had complete control over three of them. She told him to sever all ties to Free Masonry.
“Sister White, ‘he said, gave me the sign known only to the highest order of Freemasons….twice.”13 It was the sign of the Knight Templar. Yet, Ellen denied knowing what she had done. 14 Mere coincidence? I don’t think so — especially when considering the other evidence presented. What might motivate someone to be a secret Mason? I’ll let the reader decide.
Wait. I forgot to mention where and how Ellen received the inspiration for the second sign.
“Ellen White went on about how impossible it is to be a committed Christian and a Freemason. Then she made another secret sign, which she said ‘my attending angel made to me.’ Faulkhead knew that this particular sign was known only to the highest order of Masons, and said later: ‘This convinced me that her testimony was from God.’” 15
So Ellen G. White had an attending angel that showed her Free Masonic mysteries. That’s interesting. And we will discuss that more in the next installment. But first, let’s consider some evidence that suggests she gave the sign intentionally.
The Free Mason, Nathaniel Faulkhead, according to SDA literature remained a Free Mason throughout his life and died a Free Mason with a proper burial.
While Faulkhead subsequently spent many years speaking against Masonry and was an elder in the Seventh-day Adventist Church right up to his sudden death in 1923, Masonic records document periodic membership in various lodges during the remainder of his life and that he was a member at the time of his death on March 23, 1923. The Masons conducted a funeral service for him according to their rites, following the denominational committal at the cemetery. 16
And then there’s the curious case of the obelisk at EGW’s gravesite.
EGW defenders write:
Some people have expressed surprise and concern to find a monument in the shape of an obelisk on the family cemetery plot of James and Ellen White. The obelisk … serves as the family marker in the center of the plot. The concern arises because of the obelisk’s connection to pagan worship in Egypt and to other questionable associations. Evidently, however, many people in the nineteenth century didn’t think this was a problem. Obelisks were common markers in cemeteries of the day. Within sight of the White family plot there may be as many as twenty or thirty other grave or plot markers in the form of an obelisk. A similar situation exists at the cemetery in Rochester, New York, where some of Adventism’s early pioneers were laid to rest. It’s quite unlikely that all these people were Freemasons [???], nor were they adherents of ancient sun-worship religions [???]17. Use of the obelisk for a marker in a cemetery was simply a common occurrence, not a tribute to Masonic or pagan beliefs. Adventists of that era seem to be among the ones who saw no problem with the use of an obelisk. 18
Convenient. Nothing to see here. No sun worship. No pagan practices. No Free Masonry. It’s just cultural. And, apparently, PART of the Adventist culture according to their literature.
Another Note of Connection Before We Move On
Though I could, I will not mention additional connections of Ellen G. White to Free Masonry — save ONE.
This final connection was brought to my attention while listening to the Cultish Podcast featuring former SDAs Colleen Tinker and Nikki Stevenson. 19 It involves the death of the Free Mason, Joseph Smith, who died on June 27, 1844.
Hmm.
That date is eerily close to another significant event during Ellen G. White’s lifetime. That’s right! The Great Disappointment.
Guess what else happened around that time?
Young Ellen G. White (Harmon) had her first vision and the Seventh Day Adventism movement was off to its start.
Mere months after Joseph Smith died, a new prophet was born, figuratively speaking. Equally interesting is that she also had visiting angels and occult practices that surrounded her “visions” and “prophecies.”
And that’s what we will talk about next.
Next: The Visions and Prophesies of Ellen G. White (Available 10/21/24)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry_and_women
There is heavy speculation that she plagiarized much in this and her other published works. Here are some sources if you’d like to study this topic more. I’m giving sources on both sides so you can sort through the material and decide for yourself.
https://freemasonry.bcy.ca/biography/russell_c/russell_c.html
Charles Taze Russell’s Convention Discourses: Search the words Mason, Masonry, Masonic, and Pyramid. You will see from CTR’s own testimony that he is schooled in the same mystery religions and the Free Masons. I have a backup copy of this work on my computer in case it is pulled down.
The Watchtower and the Masons: A Preliminary Investigation by Fritz Springmeier. I have a backup copy of this work on my computer in case it gets pulled down.
Ellen G. White and The All-Seeing Eye: https://www.ellen-white-truth.com/gems-from-other-books/freemason-symbol-at-adventist-head-quarters/
Ellen G. White and Occult/Free Masonic Language: https://ia801601.us.archive.org/35/items/EllenG.WhiteUsesMasonicWords/EllenG.WhiteUsesMasonicWords.pdf
The following image can be credited to this website (contains explicit images): https://mindcontrolblackassassins.com/tag/ellen-g-white/
Here is some information I dug up confirming their involvement in Masonry:
Arthur Hickox: A minister, evangelist, and medical doctor as well as an admittedly a member of the Fruitvale branch of the Masonic Lodge. https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=9IHY
N.C. McClure: He was vice president of the SDA in 1894. The proof he is a Mason, according to some, is because of the hidden hand displaying The Sign of the Master of the Second Veil.
John Norton Loughborough: Served many roles in the organization through the years, including elder, preacher, minister, and president of the Mission Conference. We have to rely upon the hidden hand symbol to decide if he was a freemason.
I cannot wait to talk about this in a future post.