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Did God send a prophet?


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Color Key

Words that are exactly the same in both Ellen White's book and the alleged source.

Words that are similar, not exactly the same.

Words that are the same or similar, but which appear to be copied from the Bible.

The actual comparisons found in Cleveland's book

Inadequate use of ellipses, and changed capitalization or wording.

Borrowing from Conybeare and Howson: An Analysis

Distortion #3: Missing Ellipses and Altered Grammar

It would appear that either Sydney Cleveland or whomever he copied from did not adequately cite the material, making Ellen White's borrowed wording appear worse than it really was.

For example, in the first comparison below, Cleveland gives no hint whatsoever that he is not quoting entire sentences, minus the middle of one of them. Yet he left off a total of 26 words from the beginning and end of both sentences, without replacing the missing words with ellipses.

That Cleveland believed that ellipses were required when omitting words from the beginning of a quotation is suggested by the fact that in the third comparison below he placed an ellipsis ("...") in front of "he," something he did in a total of 17 places but neglected to do in a total of 6 places.

Similarly, Cleveland 11 times used ellipses at the end of his quotations to replace deleted words, but did not do so on 19 other occasions. While ellipses were used 16 times when words were deleted in the middle of quotations, they were not so used 3 times.

We only found one instance where wording was altered, as in changing "had never had experience" to "had never experienced" in the third comparison below. Twice capitalization was changed.

One other problem along these lines will be pointed out on page 10.

In Cleveland's 21 comparisons, we identified more than 35 problems of this sort.

Sketches from the Life of Paul
Ellen G. White, pp. 56, 57
Life and Epistles of Paul
Conybeare & Howson, p. 169
Scripture
"Paul ... perceived a cripple."—p. 56. "St. Paul observed a cripple."—p. 169.  
"In the presence of that idolatrous assembly, Paul commanded the cripple to stand upright upon his feet."—p. 56. "Paul said before his idolatrous audience at Lystra, 'Stand upright on thy feet.' "—p. 169.
"... he who had been a cripple walked and leaped as though he had never experienced an infirmity."—p. 57. "The lame man sprang up ... and walked like those who had never experienced of infirmity."—p. 169.
7 out of 159 words are the same or similar, but not found in the Bible account. 7 out of about 316 words are the same or similar, but not found in the Bible account.

As Paul recounted the works of Christ in healing the afflicted, he perceived a cripple whose eyes were fastened upon him, and who received and believed his words. Paul's heart went out in sympathy toward the afflicted man, whose faith he discerned; and he eagerly grasped the hope that he might be healed by that Saviour, who, although he had ascended to Heaven, was still man's Friend and Physician, having more power even than when he was upon earth.

In the presence of that idolatrous assembly, Paul commanded the cripple to stand upright upon his feet. Hitherto he had only been able to take a sitting posture; but he now grasped with faith the words of Paul, and instantly obeyed [p. 57] his command, and stood on his feet for the first time in his life. Strength came with this effort of faith; and he who had been a cripple walked and leaped as though he had never experienced an infirmity.

On one of these occasions2 St. Paul observed a cripple, who was earnestly listening to his discourse. He was seated on the ground, for he had an infirmity in his feet, and had never walked from the hour of his birth. St. Paul looked at him attentively, with that remarkable expression of the eye which we have already noticed (p. 134). The same Greek word is used as when the Apostle is described as "earnestly beholding the council," and as "setting his eyes on Elymas the sorcerer."3 On this occasion that penetrating glance saw, by the power of the Divine Spirit, into the very secrets of the cripple's soul. Paul perceived "that he had faith to be saved."4 These words, implying so much of moral preparation in the heart of this poor Heathen, rise above all that is told us of the lame Jew, whom Peter, "fastening his eyes upon him with John," had once healed at the temple gate in Jerusalem.5 In other respects the parallel between the two cases is complete. As Peter said in the presence of the Jews, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk," so Paul said before his idolatrous audience at Lystra, "Stand upright on thy feet." And in this case, also, the word which had been suggested to the speaker by a supernatural intuition was followed by a supernatural result. The obedient alacrity in the spirit, and the new strength in the body, rushed together simultaneously. The lame man sprang up in the joyful consciousness of a power he had never felt before, and walked like those who had never had experience of infirmity.


2 Acts xiv. 8, &c.

[3] Acts xxiii. 1, xiii. 9.

4 Acts xiv. 9. The word is the same as in xvi. 30.

5 Acts iii. Wetstein remarks on the greater faith manifested by the heathen at Lystra than the Jew at Jerusalem.

And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. (Acts 14:8-10)

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