Happy Sabbath.

Praise God for the translation opportunity!

How did your talk go?

What wonderful blessings.

You wrote concerning how the Bible was written:

"... we must believe all the words of God, that the Holy Spirit dictated what the apostles wrote ..."

Webmaster, you wrote:

"First of all, the Spirit of Prophecy was inspired the same way as the Bible. The writers were given the actual words to use, and they wrote as directed. If this is not true, then we can all despair of ever knowing this side of heaven what God really said. If just the ideas are inspired, then each
generation will be free to interpret the way to suit their ideas and culture."

http://www.a4t.org/Letters/sop_tampering.html

"She was acquainted with the process of text transmission, and did not hesitate to use modern language translations. She knew that changes in wording had been introduced by copyists and translators over the centuries. To those among her readers who were overly concerned about possible mistakes in the copies or translations of the Scriptures she responded:

        "This is all probable, and the mind that is so narrow that it will hesitate and stumble over this possibility or probability would be just as ready to stumble over the mysteries of the Inspired Word, because their feeble minds cannot see through the purpose of God."^[8] Her own practice was, "I take the Bible just as it is, as the Inspired Word. I believe its utterances in an entire Bible."^[9]

        It is significant that Ellen G. White quoted from the English Revised Version soon after its publication and later also from the American Revised Version when it became available. She cited from both the text and marginal readings of the versions and, according to her son, W. C. White, instructed her literary assistants to quote from these translations whenever their renderings were preferable.
        Apart from the English Revised Version and the American Revised Version she also used the wording of several other less known translations. In the publication of The Ministry of Healing in 1905, Mrs. White employed 10 texts from the English Revised Version, more than 50 from the American Revised Version, two from Leeser, four from Noyes, and more than 10 marginal renderings."

http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/documents/Which%20Version%20Can%20We%20Trust.htm

Do you accept Ellen White's use of modern translations based on Westcott and Hort or do you see this as an issue of tampering occuring with her writings after 1881?

 

The Great Controversy Between Christ and His Angels, and Satan and His Angels (1858) chapter 19: "I saw that God had especially guarded the Bible, yet learned men, when the copies were few, had changed the words in some instances, thinking that they were making it more plain, when they were mystifying that which was plain, in causing it to lean to their established views, governed by tradition." And probably the most famous one among Seventh-day Adventists, regarding what is written in Daniel, Christian Experience and Views of Ellen White (1851): "Then I saw in relation to the "DAILY," that the word "SACRIFICE" was supplied by man's wisdom, and does not belong to the text; and that the Lord gave the correct view of it to those who gave the judgment hour cry. When union existed, before 1844, nearly all were united". Also, this word "sacrifice" is italicised in some Bibles, showing that the word has been supplied.
http://storm.prohosting.com/dannywin/inerrant-bible.html
This seems to exclude a belief in verbal (word for word) plenary (complete or absolute) preservation (kept from corruption or error) of scripture. How can one take the faith position that the Bible is perfect and accept the above quotes? I am really struggling with this.

I struggle some with this too, as i believe the original autographs of the Bible are exactly word-for-word from God, so naturally, without error.  But then some little errors have crept in over the centuries.  Why didn't God preserve it perfectly?  And why don't we have the original autographs today?

Recently i have seen more clearly how Satan will work thru his angels as they appear as Peter and Paul etc., and will perhaps even show us the "original" autographs, which of course will be a tad different from what is written in our Bible now.

On a related note - Many people say of books with Ellen White's name on them: "But she was still alive when this book was published".  But to me, that has no weight, as the words are God's, and not his prophet's.  So he is not beholden to the prophet to keep his words pure and safe.

I consider her "published writings" to be those she had printed for "anyone" to read.  In other words, her published writings do not include her personal diary, letters to family and friends etc. etc.  Yes, i know that many books after her death are collections of letters sent to people (Spalding and Magan, Kress, Paulson, Unpublished Manuscripts etc.), but have to conclude that these are NOT included in her published writings.  While giving a ton of good counsel, they are not to be taken as the voice of God.

Personally, i believe "Selected Messages" and some other books we normally associate in the "little red books" category would fit in the above group also, but i do not push this idea.

Does this sound too restrictive?

The other 3 books in what is today usually called "Spiritual Gifts" are excellent books also.  But they are not equal to the 1858 book.  That book is her masterpiece, and as such, i believe should get top billing.  If it is God's will, and he supplies the funds and people, of course i would like to see these books along with the first two books she wrote and the entire 30+ volumes of Testimonies to the Church all translated and published in the various languages.

Which books would you like to see translated?  Do you know any translators?

Ellen White originally did not want to publicize her private letters of warning and rebuke to people, but God told her to assemble them to get out before a larger audience, as many people needed the instruction contained therein.

What it seems like to me, is that God didn't tell her to publicize them at the very beginning, as the receiver of the letter needed a private moment.  After that moment had passed, then it was good to print the letters for everyone to see.