Sister White was laid to rest right at the height of the crisis. Why did the Lord not preserve her life a little longer, so she could have told the brethren distinctly about the great apostasy in Europe and rectified the grave injustice committed against the disfellowshipped group?
Answer:
There were good reasons. First of all, consider the following texts: “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among My disciples. . . . To the law and to the testimony: . . .” Isa. 8:16,20. The texts show the very close relationship between the Ten Commandments and the Spirit of prophecy. And Revelation 12:17 verifies this fact: “. . . Which keep the Commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
Of ancient Israel the prophet Hosea said: “Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.” Hosea 4:17. In other words, the people were transgressing God’s holy law. What would be the result? Hosea answered this in the same chapter: “Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.” Hosea 4:5. So, we conclude, when God’s people ignore His inspired prophet and transgress His divine law, He will take the prophet away from them. And this is exactly what happened first in 1914 in the open revolt against God’s law, and then in 1915 when the prophet was taken away.
Then there is another important point. If Sister White had openly condemned the European apostasy and taken sides with the faithful few, many may have joined the Reform Movement for Sister White’s sake and not from their own conviction. The Lord did not permit this to happen.