Ellen G. White -- the Myth and the Truth
by Å.
Kaspersen
16
-Retouching
The White Estate, which
stands as the zealous keeper of Ellen White's writings, manuscripts and letters,
has from time to time faked photographs in order to preserve the myths about
the adventist prophetess. As an example we will mention a photograph where Ellen
White's granddaughter Ella Robinson is sitting besides her grandmother. On the
photograph Ella Robinson wears a long necklace. This necklace was retouched
away when Arthur White put the photograph into his book The Elmshaven Years,
p. 243. The faking was probably done to create the impression that adventists
at that time - and especially Ellen White's relatives - were faithful to the
Testimonies, which condemn in no uncertain terms the use of jewelry. It was
however obvious that SDA people in general, and her own relatives, did not take
these statements on jewelry too serious, and it was evident that Ellen White
did not have any objections to pose on a photograph together with her granddaughter
wearing a long necklace. Otherwise, it was customary that artists at the Review
and Herald routinely removed jewelry from people before photograps were published
and printed. But now this practice has been abandoned, they say. There is a
photograph of Ellen White from 1878, where she stands beside her twin sister
Elizabeth. On this photo Ellen White wears a long gold chain and a brooch. This
was fifteen years after she had condemned other people wearing similar jewelry.
The artists at the Review and Herald did also doctor Ellen White's nose. The
stone which hit her in the nasal region when she was ten years old, damaged
her face, giving her a "pug-nose". W.A. Colcord, who was secretary of the General
Conference in the 1920's wrote a letter to Edward S. Ballenger,
"I am glad to see you getting after W.C. White. . . .No doubt he was the one
who had his mother's picture doctored up to represent her having a beautiful,
long, straight nose. . . . (it is) a misrepresentation which covers up the deformity
caused by an all but fatal blow in childhood which later brought on her epilepsy
and. . . fits mistaken for visions. . . . For many years he has figured in these
misrepresentations and defenses of his mother." (Letter, W.A. Colcord to E.S.
Ballenger, Feb. 29, 1928. Quoted in Sydney Cleveland's book, White-Washed.)
In other words: Not just the written words from Ellen White has been twisted
and retouched by the myth-keepers. Also photographic material has been doctored
to create wrong impressions about their revered prophetess among the common
SDA people.