Mind, Character, and Personality Volume 1

375 Pages·2010·1.4 MB·English

by  Ellen G. White

Mind, Character, and Personality
Volume 1
Ellen G. White
1977
Information about this Book
Overview
This ePub publication is provided as a service of the Ellen G. White Estate. It is part of a
larger collection. Please visit the Ellen G. White Estate website for a complete list of available
publications.
AbouttheAuthor
Ellen G. White (1827-1915) is considered the most widely translated American author, her
workshavingbeenpublishedinmorethan160languages. Shewrotemorethan100,000pageson
a wide variety of spiritual and practical topics. Guided by the Holy Spirit, she exalted Jesus and
pointedtotheScripturesasthebasisofone’sfaith.
FurtherLinks
ABriefBiographyofEllenG.White
AbouttheEllenG.WhiteEstate
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Foreword
InEllenG.White’slifetime(1827-1915)psychology,thesciencewhichtreatsofthemindand
itspowersandfunctions,wasinitsinfancy. Yetthereemergesthroughoutherwritingsadistinctive
philosophyinwhichguidelinesinthisscienceandtomentalhealthareclearlyportrayed.
The purpose of this compilation is to bring the Ellen G. White statements in this broad,
important,andsometimescontroversialfieldtogetherforconvenientstudy. Seventh-dayAdventists
andotherswiththeirconvictionthatEllenG.WhitewroteundertheinfluenceofthespiritofGod
treasureguidanceinafieldsovitaltoallhumanityatatimewhenschoolsofpsychologicalthought
arevariedandchanging.
The soundness of Ellen White’s views in the areas of physiology, nutrition, and education,
as well as in other fields, has already been demonstrated. There is no doubt that as research
in psychology and mental health progresses, her reputation for setting forth sound psychological
principleswillbestillmorefirmlyestablished. TothedevoutAdventistthiswork,Mind,Character,
andPersonality,willsupplymanyanswers. Wearecertainthatastruthunfolds,thepositionstaken
herewillappealmoreandmoretoallthoughtfulreaders.
Inthesecircumstancestheoccasionalappearanceofsuchexpressionsas“Isaw,”“Iwasshown,”
“Ihavebeeninstructed,”arenotonlyunderstood,butarewelcomedfortheassurancetheygivethat
theconceptsportrayedoriginatedwithHimwhoshapedthehumanmind.
In assembling this material in the White Estate offices there has been no attempt to select
passages that support views advocated by various authorities in the fields of education and
psychology. Nopreconceivedviewsheldbythecompilersarerepresentedhere. Rather, aneffort
hasbeenmadetoallowEllenWhitetofreelypropoundherviews. Thishasbeenaccomplishedby
drawingfromthevaststoreofherpublishedwritings,pennedthroughsixdecades,astheyappearin
currentorout-of-printbooks,pamphlets,herthousandsofperiodicalarticles,andinhervoluminous
manuscriptandcorrespondencefileshousedintheWhiteEstatevault.
AlargeportionofMind, Character, andPersonalitypresentsgeneralguidingprinciples. This
isinterspersedandsupplementedwithmaterialssettingforthpracticaladmonitionsandcounselsin
the setting of the relationship of the teacher and the student, the minister and the parishioner, the
physicianandthepatient,ortheparentandthechild.
The counsels in scores of instances addressed to an executive, minister, physician, teacher,
editor, husband, housewife, or youth, may in their revelation of circumstances and advice given,
partake somewhat of the form of case histories. Attention should be directed to the principle
involved.
Obviously Ellen White did not write as a psychologist. She did not employ terminology in
common usage in the field of psychology today. In fact, the reader must even approach her uses
of the terms “psychology”, “phrenology,” etc., with understanding. The knowledgeable reader,
however,willbedeeplyimpressedbyherunusualinsightintobasicprinciplesofpsychology,which
thesewritingsevince. TheEllenG.Whitestatementsonthevariousaspectsofthemind, itsvital
place in the human experience, its potentials, and the factors that lead to its optimum functioning
asdrawntogetherinalogicalsequenceyieldachoiceadditiontotheEllenG.Whitebooksissued
posthumously. Thesehelpustocomprehendwhatmanisandtounderstandhisrelationshiptohis
earthlyenvironment,toGod,andtotheuniverse.
Tenyearsago,whenworkwasbegunonthiscompilation,itwasthoughtthatitwouldhaveits
widestappealtothosestudyingparticularlyinthefieldofmentalhealth.Hence,anarrangementhas
been followed that would make statements readily available to those considering classified areas.
Theresearchershouldunderstandthatwhileanattempthasbeenmadetoavoidredundancyasmuch
aspossible,afewkeystatementsarerepeatedindifferentchaptersbecausethestudentwouldexpect
to find them under different appropriate headings. It is now clear that this compilation is of vital
interesttoallAdventistsandtotheirfriendsaswell,forallofusareinvolvedinthebattleforthe
mind.
Theworkofthecompilershasbeenconfinedtotheselectionofthematerials,placingthesein
whatseemedtobealogicalsequence,andsupplyingtheheadings,includingthesideheadingsthat
introduce the items chosen. An attempt has been made to include all essential statements on the
subjectspresented,pennedthroughtheyearsofEllenWhite’sactiveservice,thustakingadvantage
of approaching a given point from all angles and presenting the widest possible coverage. In so
doingthereishereandthererepetitionofthoughtingeneralbasiclinesthatthecasualreadermay
find somewhat irritating. The careful student, however, will welcome each phrase that makes a
contribution to the subject under discussion. Thus Mind, Character, and Personality is somewhat
encyclopedic.
EachquotationcarriesaspecificcredittoitssourceintheEllenG.Whitematerials,makingit
possibleforthereaderinmanycasestoturntothefulloriginalcontextifdesired.Intheinterestof
conservingspace,thecommonlyacceptedabbreviationstotheE.G.Whitewritingsareemployed
in the source references. A key to these abbreviations follows in the introductory pages. In
all cases the date of writing or of first publication is supplied. The original sources are given
as primary references, and if currently available in book form, the appropriate current published
referencesappear. CreditstotheSeventh-dayAdventistBibleCommentaryaretotheE.G.White
supplementarystatementsappearingatthecloseofeachoftheCommentaryVolumes,orinVolume
7AoftheSDABibleCommentary.
Limitation of space has precluded the inclusion in these volumes of some mind-related topics
as “insanity”, etc., for which the reader is referred to the Comprehensive Index to the Writings of
EllenG.White.
ThiscompilationhasbeenpreparedintheofficesoftheEllenG.WhiteEstateunderthedirection
of the Board of Trustees as authorized by Ellen White in her will. Unlike most compilations of
Ellen G. White materials it was first released in temporary form under the title of Guidelines to
MentalHealth,forclassroomtestingandforcriticalreadingbyAdventisteducators,psychologists,
and psychiatrists. It was the desire of the White Estate to make certain that all known statements
relevanttothetopicsrepresentedweretakenintoaccountandthatthearrangementofmaterialswas
acceptable.
Thefavorableresponsefromtheclassroomuseandofothersensurestheplaceofthisworkwith
the many other Ellen G. White books of posthumous publication. As now issued in two parts, it
becomesasegmentofthepopularChristianHomeLibrary.
In its present from it represents somewhat of a revision in the selection of items and an
improvementintheorderoftheirappearance. Achaptertitled“LoveandSexualityintheHuman
Experience”hasbeenadded. Additionshaveroundedoutcertainchapters,andsomedeletionshave
eliminatedunnecessaryrepetition.Pagingiscontinuousthroughthetwoparts,andthescriptureand
subjectindexestotheentireworkareattheclose.
Thattheclearlytracedpictureofthegreatcontroversybetweentheforcesofgoodandevilfor
the control of the human mind may warn and enlighten all readers and provide suggestions and
directionforchoosingthatwhichwillgivesafeguidancetodayandensureafutureinheritancein
thelifetocomeistheearnesthopeof
TheBoardofTrusteesoftheEllenG.WhiteEstate
Washington,D.C.
March22,1977
Contents
InformationaboutthisBook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
AbouttheAuthor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
FurtherLinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
EndUserLicenseAgreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
SectionITheStudyoftheMind 3
Chap. 1-ItsImportance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Chap. 2-TheChristianandPsychology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Chap. 3-DangersinPsychology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Chap. 4-SpiritualInfluencesandtheMind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Chap. 5-TheFanaticalMind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Chap. 6-AHealthyNormality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
SectionIIBasicRelationships 59
Chap. 7-DiseaseThatBeginsintheMind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Chap. 8-ReligionandtheMind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Chap. 9-Mind,theCitadel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Chap. 10-Understanding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
SectionIIIDevelopmentoftheMind 89
Chap. 11-BibleStudyandtheMind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Chap. 12-Diligence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Chap. 13-FoodfortheMind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Chap. 14-Exercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Chap. 15-EmotionalFactors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
SectionIVTheGrowingPersonality 131
Chap. 16-PrenatalInfluences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Chap. 17-HeredityandEnvironment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Chap. 18-SecurityintheHome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Chap. 19-ParentalInfluences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Chap. 20-TheHomeAtmosphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Chap. 21-ChristDealsWithMinds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Chap. 22-TheSchoolandtheTeacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
SectionVLife’sEnergizingForce 205
Chap. 23-Love—aDivine,EternalPrinciple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Chap. 24-LoveintheHome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Chap. 25-LoveandSexualityintheHumanExperience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
(A)ThePositive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
(B)TheNegative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
(C)BalanceandVictory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Chap. 26-BrotherlyLove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Chap. 27-God’sLove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
SectionVISelfishnessandSelf-Respect 255
Chap. 28-Self-respect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Chap. 29-DependenceandIndependence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
(A)DependenceUponGod,NotMan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
(B)DependenceandIndependenceinWorkingRelationships . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
(C)IndependenceofSpirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
(D)MoralIndependence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
(E)IndependenceofMind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Chap. 30-SelfishnessandSelf-centeredness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
SectionVIIAdolescenceandYouth 281
Chap. 31-ProblemsofYouth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Chap. 32-InfatuationandBlindLove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Chap. 33-DangersFacingYouth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Chap. 34-Conscience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
SectionVIIIGuidingPrinciplesinEducation 331
Chap. 35-TheInfluenceofPerception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Chap. 36-PrinciplesofMotivation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Chap. 37-PrinciplesofStudyandLearning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Chap. 38-BalanceinEducation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Section I The Study of the Mind
Chap. 1 - Its Importance
The Nicest Work.—To deal with minds is the nicest work in which men ever
engaged.—TestimoniesfortheChurch3:269(1873).
ToKnowtheLawsThatGovernMindandBody.—Itisthedutyofeveryperson,forhisown
sakeandforthesakeofhumanity,toinformhimselfinregardtothelawsoflifeandconscientiously
toobeythem. Allneedtobecomeacquaintedwiththatmostwonderfulofallorganisms,thehuman
body. Theyshouldunderstandthefunctionsofthevariousorgansandthedependenceofoneupon
anotherforthehealthyactionofall. Theyshouldstudytheinfluenceoftheminduponthebodyand
of the body upon the mind, and the laws by which they are governed.—The Ministry of Healing,
128(1905).
Train and Discipline the Mind.—No matter who you are ... the Lord has blessed you
with intellectual faculties capable of vast improvement. Cultivate your talents with persevering
earnestness. Trainanddisciplinethemindbystudy,byobservation,byreflection. Youcannotmeet
themindofGodunlessyouputtouseeverypower.Thementalfacultieswillstrengthenanddevelop
ifyouwillgotoworkinthefearofGod,inhumility,andwith
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earnestprayer. Aresolutepurposewillaccomplishwonders.—LifeSketchesofEllenG.White,275
(1915).
Potential of the Disciplined Mind.—Self-discipline must be practiced.... An ordinary mind,
well disciplined, will accomplish more and higher work than will the most highly educated mind
andthegreatesttalentswithoutself-control.—Christ’sObjectLessons,335(1900).
ToDealWithMindsaParamountWork.—Thefutureofsocietyisindexedbytheyouthof
today. In them we see the future teachers and lawmakers and judges, the leaders and the people,
that determine the character and destiny of the nation. How important, then, the mission of those
whoaretoformthehabitsandinfluencethelivesoftherisinggeneration.
To deal with minds is the greatest work ever committed to men. The time of parents is too
valuable to be spent in the gratification of appetite or the pursuit of wealth or fashion. God has
placed in their hands the precious youth, not only to be fittedfor a place of usefulness in this life
but to be prepared for the heavenly courts.—Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the
Seventh-dayAdventists,209,1886. (Temperance,270.)
Teacher’sUsefulnessDependsUponaTrainedMind.—Theteacher’susefulnessdependsnot
somuchupontheactualamountofhisacquirementsasuponthestandardatwhichheaims. The
trueteacherisnotcontentwithdullthoughts,andindolentmind,oraloosememory. Heconstantly
seekshigherattainmentsandbettermethods.Hislifeisoneofcontinualgrowth.Intheworkofsuch
ateacherthereisafreshness,aquickeningpower,thatawakensandinspireshispupils.—Education,
278(1903).
He Will Strive for the Highest Mental and Moral Excellence.—To know oneself is a great
knowledge. TheteacherwhorightlyestimateshimselfwillletGodmold
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