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Ellen White does not mention "anal sex" by name in her published writings. However, she repeatedly addresses sexual relations within marriage, emphasizing purity, self-control, and the avoidance of "base," "brutish," or "animal" passions. She warns against indulging in "corrupt passions" and "degrading" sexual practices, even within marriage, stating that some believe "because they are married, they think they commit no sin," but she asserts that certain indulgences are indeed sinful and degrading (see 2T 472.3; SA 171.1; CTBH 129.3). Ellen White describes the abuse of sexual powers as lowering individuals "beneath the brute creation" and as "sins of the darkest hue." She also cautions that the marriage covenant is sometimes used to justify sinful indulgence of lustful passions, which she condemns. While she does not specifically name or describe anal sex, her writings make it clear that any sexual practice considered "degrading," "brutish," or an indulgence of "corrupt passions"—even within marriage—is viewed as sinful and contrary to God's ideal for marital relations. In summary: Ellen White's writings strongly suggest that God does not approve of sexual practices within marriage that are considered unnatural, degrading, or driven by lustful passion rather than love and self-control. However, she does not specifically address anal sex by name. References: - White, E. G. (1870). Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 2, p. 472.3. - White, E. G. (1890). A Solemn Appeal, p. 171.1. - White, E. G. (1890). Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, p. 129.3. - White, E. G. (1870). Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 2, p. 391.1. If you would like to see the full context of these statements or need more specific information, please let me know.

Based on Ellen White's writings, "brutish" refers to sexual indulgence that is uncontrolled, selfish, and lacks the sanctity of love and respect. It is not about passionate sex itself, but rather the *abuse* of passion, often in a way that disregards the well-being and feelings of the other person. Here's a breakdown of how her writings define the concept, addressing both parts of your question: ### 1. It Is Not "Passionate Sex" but Uncontrolled "Animal Passion" Ellen White distinguishes between love and lust. "Brutish" or "animal" passion falls into the category of lust—a selfish desire for gratification without regard for higher principles. * **Lack of Control:** She describes it as an indulgence where reason and self-control are overcome by base desires. "The lower passions have their seat in the body and work through it. The words 'flesh,' 'fleshly,' or 'carnal lusts' embrace the lower, corrupt nature; the flesh of itself cannot act contrary to the will of God. We are commanded to crucify the flesh, with the affections and lusts. How shall we do it? Shall we inflict pain on the body? No; but put to death the temptation to sin. The corrupt thought is to be expelled." (AH 127.4) * **Health and Spirituality:** This type of indulgence is seen as physically and spiritually draining. "Those who indulge the animal passions, and live to please themselves, will disregard the laws of health and life. They are controlled by appetite and passion." (2T 474.1) ### 2. It Involves Disregard for the Other Person (Coercion) This directly addresses the second part of your question. A key element of "brutish" indulgence is forcing sexual relations on a spouse, especially when they are unwilling or unwell. This is seen as a violation of the sacredness of the marriage. * **Forcing Marital Rights:** Ellen White is explicit that a husband should not treat his wife as a slave to his desires. "He should not make her a slave to his lust. The husband should be temperate, and the wife should exercise reason and self-control. The wife should not be required to yield her body to an excessive indulgence of the sexual passion. Both are under solemn obligations to God to keep the body in a sanctified state, fit for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit." (HL 66.2) * **Disregarding the Wife's Well-being:** She condemns husbands who demand sexual gratification without considering their wife's health, strength, or feelings. "He has no right to endanger the life or health of his wife in order to gratify his own animal propensities. Very many husbands are not controlled by reason or conscience. They are governed by impulse and the baser passions, and will not be restrained in their lustful course." (2T 474.1) In summary, when Ellen White uses terms like "brutish" or "animal passions," she is describing sexual behavior that is: * **Selfish and lust-driven**, rather than motivated by love. * **Lacking in self-control**. * **Often coercive**, disregarding the health, feelings, and consent of the spouse. Therefore, "brutish" is far more aligned with **sex acts the other does not want to participate in** than it is with simply "passionate sex."

Ellen White addresses the wife's role in marital relations with a focus on mutual respect, self-control, and concern for her husband's physical and spiritual well-being. Her counsel emphasizes that a wife should not simply submit to excessive sexual demands, but rather has a duty to help her husband maintain temperance and self-control. ## The Wife's Duty to Promote Temperance Ellen White clearly states that a wife should not passively accept her husband's excessive sexual demands. She writes: "If the wife feels that in order to please her husband she must come down to his standard, when animal passion is the principal basis of his love and controls his actions, she displeases God; for she fails to exert a sanctifying influence upon her husband" (1TT 272). She continues: "If she feels that she must submit to his animal passions without a word of remonstrance, she does not understand her duty to him nor to her God" (2T 476.3). This counsel makes it clear that a wife has both the right and the responsibility to speak up when her husband's sexual demands are excessive or driven by "animal passion" rather than love and mutual respect. Ellen White emphasizes that "sexual excess will effectually destroy a love for devotional exercises, will take from the brain the substance needed to nourish the system, and will most effectively exhaust the vitality. No woman should aid her husband in this work of self-destruction. She will not do it if she is enlightened and has true love for him" (1TT 272). ## Active Role in Promoting Self-Control Rather than denying sex outright, Ellen White's counsel focuses on the wife's active role in promoting temperance and self-control in the marriage relationship. She advises: "Let the Christian wife refrain, both in word and act, from exciting the animal passions of her husband" (1TT 272.3). The emphasis is on helping both partners maintain self-denial and temperanceas "the watchword in their married life" (2T 477.2). ## Balance and Mutual Consideration While Ellen White clearly gives wives permission to resist excessive demands, she also counsels wives to maintain a cheerful, supportive attitude in the home. She notes that "there is often a great failure on the part of the wife. She does not put forth strong efforts to control her own spirit and make home happy" (DG 181.4). The overall picture is one of mutual respect, self-control, and concern for each other's physical and spiritual welfare, rather than either partner making selfish demands or creating unnecessary conflict. In summary: Ellen White teaches that a wife should not passively submit to excessive sexual demands, but has a duty to help her husband maintain temperance and self-control. This is not about arbitrary denial, but about mutual respect and concern for each other's well-being. --- 💡 **You might also want to explore:** • What did Ellen White say about the husband's responsibilities in maintaining purity in marriage? • How does Ellen White connect physical health and spiritual devotion in marriage? • What counsel did she give about maintaining love and respect when the "romance" of marriage fades? --- 📚 **thousands of passages found** containing these search terms — [Explore in Full-Text Search](/advanced-search?q=What+about+denying+husband+sex)

Yes, Ellen White did counsel that it was not wise to have children in the end times. She wrote directly: "It is really not wise to have children now. Time is short, the perils of the last days are upon us, and the little children will be largely swept off before this" (LDE 36.5). ## Her Reasoning Ellen White explained her reasoning more fully in another passage, connecting this counsel to the urgency of mission work. She stated that the little children will be largely swept offin the perils of the last days, and that those who could work for God should consider that "while they are pleasing themselves in having little children and caring for them, they might be at work teaching the way of salvation to large numbers and bringing many sons and daughters to Christ" (DG 140.2). In her view, the reward for bringing spiritual children to Christ would be great in God's kingdom. ## Context and Timing It's important to note that Ellen White wrote this counsel in 1876 (LDE 36.5), expressing her belief that time was short and the end was near. She was addressing the urgency she felt about the times in which she lived, emphasizing that the perils of the last days were already upon them. ## A Personal Decision While Ellen White gave this counsel, she also recognized that individuals must make their own decisions based on their personal relationship with God and their own study. The compilation of her end-time writings acknowledges that everyone will have to stand alone, 'as though there were not another person in the world,'and that "it is essential that all Christians have their own convictions, based upon their own study and their own personal relationship with the Lord" (LDE 7.4). --- 💡 **You might also want to explore:** • What did Ellen White say about the role of parents in preparing children for the end times? • How did Ellen White balance family responsibilities with urgent mission work? • What counsel did she give about marriage in the last days?

Ellen White gave clear and sobering counsel about marriage in the last days, emphasizing caution, restraint, and the need to seek God's guidance. Her primary message was that **"the fewer the marriages contracted the better for all, both men and women"** (LDE 37.1). She wrote this in 1885, explaining that as we approach the close of earth's history and enter the time of trouble, marriage should be carefully reconsidered. ## The Spiritual Climate of Last-Day Marriages Ellen White observed that the marriages of her time reflected the spiritual decline characteristic of the last days. She stated that **"the majority of the marriages of our time and the way in which they are conducted make them one of the signs of the last days. Men and women are so persistent, so headstrong, that God is left out of the question. Religion is laid aside, as if it had no part to act in this solemn and important matter"** (CCh 115.6). She further warned that **"we are living in the last days, when the mania upon the subject of marriage constitutes one of the signs of the near coming of Christ. God is not consulted in these matters. Religion, duty, and principle are sacrificed to carry out the promptings of the unconsecrated heart"** (4T 503). She noted that this paralleled conditions before the Flood, when **"the minds of the people were bewitched upon the subject of marriage"** (4T 515.2). ## The Success Rate and God's Approval Ellen White's assessment of marriages in her day was stark. She wrote that **"there is not one marriage in one hundred that results happily, that bears the sanction of God, and places the parties in a position better to glorify Him"** (4T 503). She observed that there have been marriage relations formed in Battle Creek with which God has had nothing to doand that **"marriages have been ill-assorted in some cases, immature in others"** (4T 515.2). ## The Need for Careful Consideration and Counsel Despite her caution about marriage in the last days, Ellen White never absolutely forbade it. She clarified: **"We have, as a people, never forbidden marriage, except in cases where there were obvious reasons that marriage would be misery to both parties. And even then, we have only advised and counseled"** (1MCP 219.6). However, she strongly emphasized the need for careful deliberation and seeking wise counsel. She wrote: **"If there is any subject which should be carefully considered, and in which the counsel of older and more experienced persons should be sought, it is the subject of marriage; if ever the Bible was needed as a counselor, if ever divine guidance should be sought in prayer, it is before taking a step that binds persons together for life"** (CE 228.3; PP 175.4). ## Avoiding Display and Celebration Given the uncertainty and danger surrounding marriages in the last days, Ellen White counseled against elaborate celebrations. She stated: **"When there is so much uncertainty, so great danger, there is no reason why we should make great parade or display, even if the parties were perfectly suited to each other"** (4T 515.2). She added that **"there should be no great display and rejoicing over the union of the parties"** (4T 503). ## Summary Ellen White's counsel on marriage in the last days can be summarized as: exercise great caution, seek God's guidance earnestly, consult experienced advisors, avoid hasty decisions driven by impulse or passion, and recognize that fewer marriages would be better as we approach the end of time. Her warnings reflect her concern that most marriages of her era lacked God's approval and that the prevailing attitude toward marriage was itself a sign of the last days. --- 💡 **You might also want to explore:** • What did Ellen White say about the connection between marriage decisions and spiritual discernment? • How did she counsel young people specifically about choosing a life partner? • What principles did she give for maintaining a godly marriage once entered into? --- 📚 **thousands of passages found** containing these search terms — [Explore in Full-Text Search](/advanced-search?q=What+counsel+did+she+give+about+marriage+in+the+last+days%3F)

Ellen White provided rich counsel on maintaining a godly marriage once entered into, emphasizing mutual love, respect, self-control, and Christ-centered principles. Her guidance centers on both partners cultivating Christlike character and working together for God's glory. ## Mutual Love, Respect, and Equality The foundation of a godly marriage, according to Ellen White, is mutual love and respect without power struggles. She wrote clearly: **"Neither husband nor wife is to make a plea for rulership. The Lord has laid down the principle that is to guide in this matter. The husband is to cherish his wife as Christ cherishes the church. And the wife is to respect and love her husband. Both are to cultivate the spirit of kindness, being determined never to grieve or injure the other"** (7T 47.1). This principle appears repeatedly in her writings, showing its importance. The husband's role is to cherish his wife as Christ cherishes the church, while the wife is to respect and love her husband (CCh 127.2). Both partners share equal responsibility to cultivate kindness and avoid grieving or injuring each other. ## Christ as the Center and Pattern Ellen White emphasized that Christ must be the unifying center of marriage. She taught that **"as their marriage vow unites them as one, so their belief in Christ should make them one in Him"** (DG 181.2). She asked, **"What can be more pleasing to God than to see those who enter into the marriage relation seek together to learn of Jesus and to become more and more imbued with His Spirit?"** (DG 181.2). Christ's example of humility and self-sacrifice provides the pattern for both spouses. Ellen White pointed to Jesus, who when reviled, reviled not againand **"when the cruelty of man caused Him to suffer painful stripes and wounds, He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him who judgeth righteously"** (2T 427.1). She applied this directly to marriage relationships, teaching that we dishonor Christ when we become jealous of every slight and ready to resent every injury. Rather than defending self and preserving our own dignity, we should follow Christ's example of forbearance. ## Sanctified Principles Governing Every Action Ellen White stressed that sanctified principle must be the basis of every action in marriage. She counseled that couples **"should duly consider the result of every privilege of the marriage relation, and sanctified principle should be the basis of every action"** (MYP 462). This means that decisions, interactions, and even intimate relations should be governed by holy principles rather than selfish impulses or unconsecrated desires. ## The Husband's Role as Priest of the Household The husband has a special responsibility as the spiritual leader and priest of the household. Ellen White wrote that as the priest of the household, the husband and father should bind his wife and children to his heart (BEcho September 4, 1899, par. 8). This binding is not through domination but through love and cherishing. The wife should feel that the large affections of her husband sustain herboth before and after children are born, and he should co-operate with her in the management of the little ones, who should be wisely, tenderly, and lovingly educated (BEcho September 4, 1899, par. 8). ## Maintaining an Atmosphere of Love and Kindness Ellen White emphasized the importance of maintaining a loving atmosphere in the home. She urged couples to let no draught of unkindness chill the atmosphere of love which should surround them (BEcho September 4, 1899, par. 8). This requires both partners to be intentional about cultivating kindness and avoiding words or actions that grieve or injure the other. ## Seeking God's Strength and Wisdom Ellen White recognized that maintaining a godly marriage requires divine help. She encouraged couples to seek God's strength and wisdom: **"There is strength to be obtained of God. He can help. He can give grace and heavenly wisdom. If you ask in faith, you will receive; but you must watch unto prayer. Watch, pray, work, should be your watchword"** (2T 427.1). ## The Wife's Influence for Good While emphasizing mutual responsibility, Ellen White also addressed the wife's unique opportunity to exert a sanctifying influence. She noted that a wife can exert an influence for goodand should have a softening, elevating influenceon her husband (2T 427.1). However, this influence must be based on principle rather than simply conforming to her husband's views without reaching down deep to be guided by principle in all her actions. In summary, Ellen White's counsel for maintaining a godly marriage centers on Christ as the pattern and unifying force, mutual love and respect without power struggles, sanctified principles governing all actions, cultivating kindness, seeking God's strength through prayer, and both partners working together for spiritual growth and God's glory. --- 💡 **You might also want to explore:** • What did Ellen White say about resolving conflicts in marriage? • How did she counsel couples to maintain spiritual devotion together? • What guidance did she give about the husband's and wife's roles in child training? --- 📚 **thousands of passages found** containing these search terms — [Explore in Full-Text Search](/advanced-search?q=What+principles+did+she+give+for+maintaining+a+godly+marriage+once+entered+into%3F)