21/09/2026
REFORMATION, THE FOUNDATION, AND THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
1. A Thorough Reformation—But the Early Principles Must Be Maintained
“I have been hoping that there would be a thorough reformation, and that the principles for which we fought in the early days, and which were brought out in the power of the Holy Spirit, would be maintained.
Night after night in our early experience our brethren studied out the truths which we now hold. When they came to something that they could not understand, they would get down on their knees, and would remain there for hours sometimes. Sometimes the sun would rise before they would give up the struggle.
At times, when they said, ‘We can do nothing more,’ the power of God would come upon me, I would be taken off in vision, and instruction would be given me. Then I could explain what they could not understand. I would read the Scriptures to them, never looking at the printed page. Thus light was given in regard to Christ, His mission, and His priesthood, and the great points of our faith were firmly established.”
— Ellen G. White, Manuscript 46, 1904, par. 21–22; The Foundation of Our Faith, 1SAT 345.1
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2. The Foundation Was Laid by Prayerful Study and Revelation
“Let none seek to tear away the foundations of our faith,—the foundations that were laid at the beginning of our work, by prayerful study of the Word and by revelation.
Upon these foundations we have been building for more than fifty years. Men may suppose that they have found a new way, and that they can lay a stronger foundation than that which has been laid; but this is a great deception. ‘Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid.’
In the past many have undertaken the building of a new faith, the establishment of new principles. But how long did their building stand?—It soon fell; for it was not founded upon the Rock.”
— Ellen G. White, Gospel Workers, p. 307.1
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3. The Waymarks That Made Us What We Are Must Be Preserved
“Messages of every order and kind have been urged upon Seventh-day Adventists, to take the place of the truth which, point by point, has been sought out by prayerful study, and testified to by the miracle-working power of the Lord.
But the waymarks which have made us what we are, are to be preserved, and they will be preserved, as God has signified through His word and the testimony of His Spirit.
He calls upon us to hold firmly, with the grip of faith, to the fundamental principles that are based upon unquestionable authority.”
— Ellen G. White, Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 2, p. 59; also Counsels to Writers and Editors, p. 52.1
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4. The Sure Pillars of Our Faith
“As a people, we are to stand firm on the platform of eternal truth that has withstood test and trial.
We are to hold to the sure pillars of our faith. The principles of truth that God has revealed to us are our only true foundation. They have made us what we are.”
— Ellen G. White, *Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 2, p. 51.2
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5. The Enemy’s Counterfeit Reformation
“The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization.
Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church would be discarded. Our religion would be changed.
The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced.
The Sabbath, of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement.
Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure.”
— Ellen G. White, Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 2, pp. 54–55
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6. Do Not Tear Down the Foundation That Made Us Seventh-day Adventists
“I am instructed to say to those who endeavor to tear down the foundation that has made us Seventh-day Adventists:
We are God’s commandment-keeping people.
For the past fifty years every phase of heresy has been brought to bear upon us, to becloud our minds regarding the teaching of the Word—especially concerning the ministration of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, and the message of heaven for these last days, as given by the angels of the fourteenth chapter of Revelation.
Messages of every order and kind have been urged upon Seventh-day Adventists, to take the place of the truth which, point by point, has been sought out by prayerful study and testified to by the miracle-working power of the Lord.
But the waymarks which have made us what we are, are to be preserved, and they will be preserved, as God has signified through His word and the testimonies of His Spirit.
He calls upon us to hold firmly, with the grip of faith, to the fundamental principles that are based upon unquestionable authority.”
— Ellen G. White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 4, p. 246.1
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7. The Foundation Must Not Be Replaced With a New One
“What influence but that of the deceiver could lead men at this stage of our history to work in an underhand, powerful way to tear down the foundations of our faith—the foundations which were laid at the beginning of our work by prayerful study of the Word and by revelation?
Upon these foundations we have been building for the last fifty years.
Shall a new foundation be built up by men to whom God has not granted the special experience He has granted to the men whom He ordained to establish the foundations of our faith?
The men who are striving to build up this false foundation may suppose that they have found a new way, and that they can lay a stronger foundation than that which has been laid. But this is a great deception.
Other foundation can no man lay than that which has been laid.”
— Ellen G. White, Letter 232, 1903, par. 45
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8. The Early Experience and the Establishment of the Great Points of Our Faith
“Night after night in our early experience our brethren studied out the truths which we now hold.
When they came to something that they could not understand, they would get down on their knees, and would remain there for hours sometimes. Sometimes the sun would rise before they would give up the struggle.
At times, when they said, ‘We can do nothing more,’ the power of God would come upon me, I would be taken off in vision, and instruction would be given me.
Thus light was given in regard to Christ, His mission, and His priesthood, and the great points of our faith were firmly established.”
— Ellen G. White, Manuscript 46, 1904, par. 21
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9. Hold the Beginning of Our Confidence Steadfast
“Thus saith the Lord: Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein.
Let none seek to tear away the foundations of our faith,—the foundations that were laid at the beginning of our work, by prayerful study of the Word and by revelation.
Upon these foundations we have been building for the last fifty years.
Men may suppose that they have found a new way, that they can lay a stronger foundation than that which has been laid; but this is a great deception.
‘Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid.’
So we are to hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.”
— Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, March 3, 1904
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10. The True Meaning of the Reformation
The reformation called for among Seventh-day Adventists was not a call to throw away the pillars of the faith, discard the fundamental principles, or replace the foundation established through prayerful Bible study and the leading of God.
Rather, the reformation was to bring God’s people back to faithfulness—to preserve the truths established in the early Advent experience, to maintain the principles brought out through the power of the Holy Spirit, and to stand firmly upon the foundation that God had established.
The warning is therefore clear: a reformation that destroys the foundation is not the reformation for which Ellen White called. The true work of reformation must bring God's people back to the truth, the old paths, the waymarks, the pillars, and the fundamental principles upon which the Advent movement was established.
— Summary of the principles expressed in the foregoing Ellen G. White statements.
