Based on the writings of Ellen White, the topic of death is multifaceted, encompassing theological definitions, the state of the dead, and personal experiences with grief. ### The State of the Dead and the Second Death Ellen White distinguishes between the first death, which all humanity experiences as a result of Adam's sin, and the "second death," which is the ultimate penalty for unrepentant sin. * **Death as a Sleep:** The state of the dead is described as a sleep, an unconscious rest until the resurrection. * **The First and Second Death:** "The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23. While life is the inheritance of the righteous, death is the portion of the wicked. Moses declared to Israel: “I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil.” Deuteronomy 30:15. The death referred to in these scriptures is not that pronounced upon Adam, for all mankind suffer the penalty of his transgression. It is “the second death” that is placed in contrast with everlasting life." (GC 544.1) * **The Finality of the Second Death:** The wicked, after their punishment, will face a final end. "They suffer punishment varying in duration and intensity according to their works, but finally ending in the second death. Covered with infamy, they sink into hopeless, eternal oblivion." (4SP 364.2) ### The Experience of Death The experience of death is portrayed differently for the righteous and the wicked. * **The Righteous:** A believer's death is depicted as a peaceful transition into rest, with a hopeful expectation of the resurrection. Describing the death of a young man, she wrote: "He fell asleep in Jesus a few hours after we left... We followed the body to the grave, to rest until the righteous dead awake to immortality." (2SG 92.1) * **The Wicked:** In contrast, the death of the unrighteous can be one of terror and agony. "But suddenly a terrible change came over him. His face became pallid as death and distorted with agony... he cried in hollow, despairing tones, He whom you have exalted as a god is stricken with death." (AA 151.2) ### Personal Grief and Suffering Ellen White also wrote about her own profound grief and the crushing weight of personal loss, particularly after the sudden death of her husband. * "The shock of my husband's death—so sudden, so unexpected—fell upon me with crushing weight. In my feeble condition I had summoned strength to remain at his bedside to the last, but when I saw his eyes closed in death, exhausted nature gave way, and I was completely prostrated. For some time I seemed balancing between life and death." (LS 252.2) * At times, her suffering was so great that she longed for death as a release: "I coveted death as a release from the responsibilities that were crowding upon me. At length the sweet peace I had so long enjoyed left me, and despair again pressed upon my soul." (LS 70.1)

Based on the writings of Ellen White, true fellowship is a deep, spiritual union between believers, founded on a shared connection with Christ. It is characterized by love, unity, and a common purpose. ### The Definition and Foundation of Fellowship Fellowship is defined as "participation, partnership" (GW 392.3). The foundation of this partnership is a collective connection to God. Believers are encouraged to draw near to God, and in doing so, they draw nearer to one another. This unity is not merely social but spiritual, binding believers to each other and to the throne of God through "the golden links of the chain of love" (6T 238.3). ### Characteristics of True Fellowship * **Unity in Christ:** True fellowship is impossible without a personal connection to Jesus. Ellen White states, "True religion unites hearts not only with Christ, but with one another in a most tender union" (9T 145.2). This love for Christ is described as "the golden chain that bound them together" (6T 421.4). * **Putting Away Differences:** A key aspect of this fellowship is the intentional setting aside of personal conflicts and desires for supremacy. The early disciples, for example, "Putting away all differences, all desire for the supremacy, they came close together in Christian fellowship" (AA 37.1). * **Brotherly Love and Sympathy:** Believers are called to "cultivate Christian affection for one another" (9T 145.2). The apostle Peter's exhortation is highlighted: "Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another; love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous" (1 Peter 3:8, quoted in PP 520.3). * **Truth and Righteousness:** True fellowship stands in opposition to worldly values. Those who have learned from Christ "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness" (Ephesians 5:11). Their speech and life are to be "simple, straightforward, and true; for they are preparing for the fellowship of those holy ones in whose mouth ‘was found no guile.’” (MB 69.1). * **A Witness to the World:** This unity serves as the primary evidence of discipleship. Jesus's prayer was that His followers would be one, so "that the world might believe that God had sent Him" (John 17:20, quoted in PP 520.3). He declared, "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:35, quoted in PP 520.3). In essence, true fellowship is a sacred bond that reflects the character of Christ. It is an active, loving, and truthful relationship among believers who are united in their devotion to God and their mission to the world.