After eliminating duplicates, five quotes were found where Ellen used the phrase "Third Person" to identify the Holy Spirit. Each of those times she also used other names, within a paragraph(before or after).
(times mentioned) various phrases Ellen used to identify the Holy Spirit:
(5) Third Person
(15) the Spirit
(3) the Spirit of Truth
(1) a regenerating agent
(3) His Spirit
(3) Holy Spirit
(5) Comforter
(1) God's Spirit
(2) His representative
(2) divine Spirit
(1) The Spirit of Christ
(9) it
(9) he
She used other names for the Holy Spirit as well. The above list is only of the names she used with the phrase "Third Person".
Sid Note: Here are the five quotes(in context), with links to original sources, where Ellen used the phrase "Third Person". But just before the first one, note(below) that Ellen said, "The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ". I put this in a different color for easier comparison to similar language she used when referring to the third Person of the Godhead in 3 of the 5 quotes:
When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature. The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan. But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. -Desire of Ages, p. 324.1
Sid Note: Could it be important to consider what Ellen said earlier(324) in DA, when considering what she's referring to later(671) in the same book? Then, on page 671, notice all the phrases she used as she referred to the H.S.: The Spirit, regenerating agent, Third Person of the Godhead, His(Christ's) Spirit, the Spirit of truth.
The Holy Spirit was the highest of all gifts that He could solicit from His Father for the exaltation of His people. The Spirit was to be given as a regenerating agent, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail. The power of evil had been strengthening for centuries, and the submission of men to this satanic captivity was amazing. Sin could be resisted and overcome only through the mighty agency of the Third Person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fullness of divine power. -Desire of Ages, p. 671.2
By whom can we ONLY overcome sin and evil? Ellen's answer is found in the same paragraph:
Christ has given His Spirit as a divine power to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress His own character upon His church. -Desire of Ages, p. 671.2
In the 4th paragraph, Ellen equates the "Third Person" also as "the Spirit of truth":
“When He [the Spirit of truth] is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” The preaching of the word will be of no avail without the continual presence and aid of the Holy Spirit. -Desire of Ages, p. 671.4
According to Ellen, who is the Spirit of truth?
Jesus comes to you as the Spirit of truth; study the mind of the Spirit, consult your Lord... -
Ms8c-1891.14
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth... John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. -Jesus
“There is no power in you apart from CHRIST, but it is your privilege to have Christ abiding in your heart by faith, and HE can OVERCOME SIN in you, when you cooperate with His efforts.” -
The Youth’s Instructor June 29, 1893, par 8 (Ellen Gould White)
Sid Note: In the following quote, notice all the additional words/phrases Ellen used to refer to the H.S.: third person of the Godhead, divine Spirit, Comforter, the Spirit.
Christ determined to bestow a gift on those who had been with Him and on those who should believe on Him, because this was the occasion of His ascension and inauguration, a jubilee in heaven. What gift could Christ bestow rich enough to signalize and grace His ascension to the mediatorial throne? It must be worthy of His greatness and His royalty. Christ gave His representative, the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit. This gift could not be excelled. The divine Spirit, converting, enlightening, sanctifying, would be His donation, because He would give all gifts in one.
On the Day of Pentecost Christ gave His disciples the Holy Spirit as their Comforter. It was ever to abide with His church. During the whole Jewish economy the influence of this Spirit has often been revealed in a marked manner, but not in full. The Spirit had been waiting for the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. For ages prayers had been offered for the fulfillment of the promise, for the impartation of the Spirit; and not one of these earnest supplications had been forgotten. Now for ten days the disciples sent up their petitions, and Christ in heaven added His intercession. He claimed the gift of the Spirit, that He might pour it out upon His people. He ascended on high, leading captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. Having reached His throne, the Spirit was given as He had promised, and like a rushing, mighty wind, it fell upon those assembled, filling the whole house. It came with a fullness and power, as if for ages it had been restrained, but was now poured forth up on the church, to be communicated to the world. -Ms 44, March 29,1898 par 11
According to Ellen, who is the Comforter?
... the enemy has brought influences of a discouraging nature to bear upon trembling souls. He has sought to shut Jesus from their view as the Comforter, as one who reproves, who warns, who admonishes them, saying, “This is the way, walk ye in it.” Christ has all power in heaven and in earth, and He can strengthen the wavering, and set right the erring. He can inspire with confidence... -Ellen White (RC 21) -
Ellen White, Review and Herald, August 26, 1890
Christ is to be known by the blessed name of Comforter. -Ms7-1902.10 The Saviour is our Comforter. This I have proved Him to be... -
Ms20-1892.6
Is there another Comforter like Christ?
There is no comforter like Christ, so tender and so true. He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. His Spirit speaks to the heart. -
RH, October 26, 1897, par. 15
"I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." -Jesus (Jn 14:18)
In the following quote, notice how Ellen equates the Comforter to the Holy Spirit:
Christ declared that after His ascension, He would send to His church, as His crowning gift,
the Comforter, who was to take His place. This Comforter is the Holy Spirit—the soul of His life, the efficacy of His church, the light and life of the world.
With His Spirit, Christ sends a reconciling influence and a power to take away sin. -
Lt155-1902.15
According to Ellen, who is the Holy Spirit?
We want that complete and perfect understanding which the Lord alone can give. It is not safe to catch the spirit from another. We want the Holy Spirit, which is Jesus Christ. If we commune with God, we shall have strength and grace and efficiency. (Lt66-1894.18)
Sid Note: Notice in the following quote the the "third person of the Godhead is Christ's representative. And, speaking as the Comforter and "Spirit of truth", Christ says, "I will come to you". Then, near the end of the same quote, Ellen seems to equate the third person of the Godhead with "the Spirit of Christ." So, who/what is Ellen referring to as the "third person of the Godhead?
During the Jewish economy, the influence of God's Spirit had been seen in a marked manner, but not in full. For ages prayers had been offered for the fulfilment of God's promise to impart his Spirit, and not one of these earnest supplications had been forgotten.
Christ determined that when he ascended from this earth, he would bestow a gift on those who had believed on him, and those who should believe on him. What gift could he bestow rich enough to signalize and grace his ascension to the mediatorial throne? It must be worthy of his greatness and his royalty. He determined to give his representative, the third person of the Godhead. This gift could not be excelled. He would give all gifts in one, and therefore the divine Spirit, that converting, enlightening and sanctifying power, would be his donation.
Just before his trial, condemnation, and crucifixion, Christ said, “I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” “I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you.” “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
This is a wonderful announcement. Christ longed to be in a position where he could accomplish the most important work by few and simple means. The plan of redemption is comprehensive; but its parts are few, and each part depends on the others, while all work together with the utmost simplicity and in entire harmony. Christ is represented by the Holy Spirit; and when this Spirit is appreciated, when those controlled by the Spirit communicate to others the energy with which they are imbued, an invisible chord is touched which electrifies the whole. Would that we could all understand how boundless are the divine resources!
But the time had now come. The Spirit had been waiting for the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. For ten days the disciples offered their petitions for the outpouring of the Spirit, and Christ in heaven added his intercession. This was the occasion of his ascension and inauguration, a jubilee in heaven. He had ascended on high, leading captivity captive, and he now claimed the gift of the Spirit, that he might pour it out upon his disciples.
The Spirit was given as Christ had promised, and like a mighty rushing wind it fell upon those assembled, filling the whole house. It came with a fulness and power, as if for ages it had been restrained, but was now being poured forth upon the church, to be communicated to the world.
... <paragraph omitted>
Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Sid Note: Notice in the next quote how Jesus identifies Himself as the Comforter and the Spirit of truth and how Ellen identifies the third person of the Godhead as the Holy Spirit:
Before He offered Himself as the sacrificial victim, Christ sought for the most essential and complete gift to bestow upon the world, which would act in His place, and bring the boundless resources of grace within the reach of His followers. “I will pray the Father,” He said, “and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” [John 14:16, 17.]
The striking feature of divine operations is the accomplishment of the greatest work that can be done in our world by very simple means. It is God’s plan that every part of His government shall depend on every other part, the whole as a wheel within a wheel, working with entire harmony. He moves upon human forces, causing His Spirit to touch invisible cords, and the vibration rings to the extremity of the universe.
The prince of the power of evil can only be held in check by the power of God in the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit. -Ms 22, March 5, 1897 par 19
Sid Note: Notice in the next, and final, quote(letter) that Ellen identifies the Comforter to be the Holy Spirit and the third person of the Godhead.
Brethren in America
“Sunnyside,” Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia
February 6, 1896
This letter is published in entirety in 1888 1493-1501. +
To my brethren in America:
The great office work of the Holy Spirit is thus distinctly specified by our Saviour, “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin.” [John 16:8.] Christ knew that this announcement was a wonderful truth. He was nearing the close of His ministry on this earth, and was standing in view of the cross, with a full realization of the load of guilt that must be placed upon Him as the Sin-bearer. Yet His greatest anxiety was for His disciples. He was seeking to find solace for them, and He told them, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” [Verse 7.]
Evil had been accumulating for centuries, and could only be restrained and resisted by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified energy, but in the fulness of divine power. Another spirit must be met; for the essence of evil was working in all ways, and the submission of man to this satanic captivity was amazing. -Lt 8, 1896
In giving His commission to His followers, Christ did not tell them they would be left alone. He assured them that He would be near them. He spoke of His Omnipresence in a special way. Go to all nations, He said. Go, to the farthest portion of the habitable globe, but know that My presence will be there. Labor in faith and confidence, for the time will never come when I shall forsake you. -Ms 138, 1897 par. 21
"I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." "and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." -Jesus (
John 14:18; Heb 13:5; Mt 28:20)
CONCLUSION, via simple math:
Third Person of the Godhead = Holy Spirit = Comforter = Spirit of truth = Spirit of Christ = the omnipresence of Jesus Christ in the personality of the Son of God.