Expert: Sal - 4/15/2006

Question
Dear Sir:

Is not Ellen White's prophecy of the distruction of San Fransico and Oakland in 1906 a true prophecy? You say that Ellen White gave false prophecies but you never mention this true prophecy. Like Sodom and Gomorrah was the predicted destruction of San Fransico and Oakland. Your response please.--Marcus.

Answer
Dear Marcus:

I do not see any evidence that Ellen G. White (EGW) predicted the San Francisco earthquake. EGW did write out a vision that she had concerning a judgment on San Francisco and Oakland. However, she did not write it out until after the event had occurred. Note that she mentioned a judgment not an earthquake. She wrote of destroying angels doing the damage not a natural earthquake. “The destroying angels of God were at work. One touch, and buildings…quickly became heaps of rubbish” (Testimonies, vol. 9, pp. 92-93). So it appears that she did not predict an earthquake.

Even if we grant that EGW meant an earthquake and if we grant that she predicted it before the event, it still would not have been fulfilled in the way you mentioned. It was not like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. EGW did note the parallel. “San Francisco and Oakland are becoming as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the LORD will visit them. Not far hence they will suffer under His judgments” (Manuscript 30). While on April 18, 1906, San Francisco was severely damaged by an earthquake Oakland was relatively undamaged. In fact refugees actually fled to Oakland for safety. Did the residence of Sodom flee to Gomorrah? “Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; and he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground” (Gen. 19:24-25). “…like Sodom and like Gomorrah. She shall never be inhabited, nor dwelt in, from age to age” (Is. 13:19-20). “He blanketed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah in ashes and condemned them to destruction, thereby showing what would happen in the future to the godless” (2 Pt. 2:6). So while one could loosely relate the destruction of San Francisco with Sodom in no honest way could the minor damage to Oakland be equated with the destruction of Gomorrah.

If EGW can be shown to be wrong on one prophecy than she was not a prophet of God (Deut. 18:21-22). Therefore, one is not required to report any time that a self-proclaimed prophet may have been correct. Just one wrong prophecy and she is a false prophet and EGW has been proven to have made many false prophecies.

God Bless You,
Sal