We need no fanciful teaching regarding the personality of God.

Ellen G. White, the prophetess and guide of the Seventh-day Adventist tradition, once declared with clarity and reverence: “We need no fanciful teaching regarding the personality of God. What God desires us to know of Him is revealed in His word and His works. The beautiful things of nature reveal His character and His power as Creator.” In this truth she strikes down speculation, imagination, and vain philosophies, pointing instead to the two great witnesses that stand firm in every age: the Holy Scriptures and the world God has made.

The meaning of this quote lies in its rejection of empty human invention. Too often, men have sought to describe God through the lens of their own fancy, fashioning Him after their desires or their fears. They build philosophies like towers of Babel, reaching upward with pride, but their towers crumble because they are built not upon truth but upon imagination. White reminds us that God has not left His nature hidden in shadows. He has revealed Himself in His word, where His will is written, and in His works, where His power and beauty shine. Thus, there is no need for invention when revelation already stands before us.

The origin of these words flows from White’s larger mission: to restore simplicity and truth to faith in an age clouded by skepticism, superstition, and division. Living in the nineteenth century, she witnessed both the arrogance of those who would deny God altogether and the errors of those who invented strange doctrines without grounding in Scripture. Her counsel was to turn away from the fanciful, and to fix one’s gaze on what is eternal and sure: the Bible, and the book of Nature, written by the same hand.

History itself testifies to her wisdom. Consider Francis of Assisi, who centuries earlier declared that the birds, the flowers, and even the sun and moon were his brothers and sisters, each bearing witness to the goodness of the Creator. He did not need elaborate philosophies to know the love of God; he saw it in the lilies of the field and the sparrows of the air. Or think of Isaac Newton, who studied the heavens not only to understand gravity, but also to glimpse the power and order of God woven into the cosmos. Both men lived out the truth that White proclaimed: God is known not through fancy, but through His revealed word and His radiant works.

Her words also serve as a rebuke to the restless heart of humanity that seeks mystery for its own sake. Men often hunger for elaborate tales, secret teachings, or mystical speculations that flatter the mind but do not feed the soul. Yet White declares that such hunger is misplaced. True wonder is not found in what is imagined but in what is already revealed. The grandeur of mountains, the rhythm of the sea, the delicate pattern of a flower—all cry out of the character of God: His majesty, His faithfulness, His artistry. And the Scripture gives voice to what creation silently proclaims, uniting word and works into one testimony of truth.

The lesson for us is clear: seek not after inventions when revelation already stands open before you. If you desire to know God, open the Scriptures with a humble heart, and walk into the fields and forests with open eyes. Read His word in the morning, and behold His works at night beneath the stars. Do not despise simplicity, for in simplicity lies the deepest truth. The fanciful may dazzle for a moment, but only the revealed endures forever.

Practically, this means we must discipline ourselves to return daily to the sources of true knowledge. Set aside time for the Bible, not as a relic but as living speech. Take time in nature, not as mere scenery, but as testimony of the divine. Resist the temptation to chase after endless speculations or teachings that flatter the ear but lead the heart astray. Anchor yourself in what is revealed, and let both the word of God and the works of creation form your faith.

So let Ellen G. White’s teaching stand as a guiding star: God is not hidden in the mist of fancy, but revealed in His word and His works. The beautiful things of nature speak of His character, and the Holy Scriptures declare His will. To know Him, we need not invent—only open our eyes and hearts. For in every flower, in every sunrise, in every verse of His Word, the Creator whispers: Behold, I am here.