“SPIRIT OF PROPHECY” VOLUMES VS “CONFLICT OF AGES” SERIES
The most important contribution Sr. White ever made to the field of Christian literature, was writing out the theme of the “Great Controversy between Christ and Satan.”
The initial sketching of this theme was undertaken in 1858, in the book, entitled “Spiritual Gifts”. Volume 1. It contained 219 pages, and covered from the Fall of Satan, to the Second Death and the New Earth.
As we found in Chapter Two, in Jeremiah 36:32, a prophet can expand their inspired message, but they cannot change or delete what they had previously written. And so from this initial sketch of the “Great Controversy” theme in 1858, Sr. White expanded this theme during the years 1870-1884, into the four volumes of “The Spirit of Prophecy” series, which were incidentally called “The Great Controversy between Christ and his angels and Satan and his angels”, with each volume being referred to as “Great Controversy” Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3 and Volume 4. We will also include with this series, “Sketches from the Life of Paul”, which is another original book, and these five books, total 2,092 pages, covering from the Fall of Satan, through to the Second Death and the New Earth.
THE VALUE OF THE “SPIRIT OF PROPHECY” VOLUMES:
R. & H .. book 1, p. 198: – “In the afternoon Eld. Haskell brought before the people the necessity of placing reading matter in private families, especially the *the three volumes of Spirit of Prophecy, and the four volumes of Testimonies. These could be read aloud during the long winter evenings by some member of the family so that all the family might be instructed.” (1878 NOTE: – *There were only three volumes of the “Spirit of Prophecy” series published when this was written in 1878. Volume four was published in 1884.)
R. & H .. book 1. p. 210: – “For young people, the Life of Joseph Bates is a treasure; also the three volumes of Spirit of Prophecy. These volumes should be placed in every family in the land. God is giving light from Heaven, and not a family should be without it.” (1879.)
R. & H .. book 1, p. 315: – “The volumes of Spirit of Prophecy, and also the Testimonies, should be introduced into every Sabbathkeeping family, and the brethren should know their value, and be urged to read them. It is not the wisest plan to place these books at a low figure, and have only one set in a church. They should be in the library of every family, and read again and again. Let them be kept where they can be read by many, and let them be worn out in being read by all the neighbors. … You should lend Spirit of Prophecy to your neighbors, and prevail upon them to buy copies for themselves.” (1882.)
NOTE: – The leaders of the SDA organization have taught for years, that the “Spirit of Prophecy” volumes had to be changed into the “Conflict of the Ages” series, to make the message suitable for the unbelieving world. This plain and unambiguous statement by Sr. White herself, exposes this teaching for what it is – ERROR! Sr. White herself urged SDA’s to loan these volumes to their neighbours, and get their neighbours to buy their own sets of the “Spirit of Prophecy” volumes. Obviously, the neighbours were going to be unbelievers! Thus proving that the “Spirit of Prophecy” volumes were highly suitable for the people of the world!
R. & H .. book 1. pp. 347. 348: – “Many of our people already have the “Life of Christ.” The “Life of Paul,” now offered for sale at this Office, is another useful and deeply interesting work which should be widely circulated. The volumes of “Spirit of Prophecy,” should be in every family and should be read aloud in the family circle. More than one-half of our people know little or nothing of the contents of these books, and they are losing much by their neglect.” (1882.)
***We pose a question to our reader: – If (and we stress the word “lf”) the “Spirit of Prophecy” volumes were written exclusively for SDA readers, and the “Conflict of the Ages” series was written for the unbelieving world, as SDA’s assert; Why do SDA’s read the “Conflict” series, and ignore the “Spirit of Prophecy” volumes, which they claim were written exclusively for themselves?***
The following statement from Sr. White is very important on this point.
8th Testimony. p. 236: – “I have a work of great responsibility to do – to impart by pen and voice the instruction given me, not alone to Seventh-day Adventists, but to the world.“
THE “CONFLICT OF THE AGES” SERIES:
From 1888 to 1917, the “Conflict of the Ages” series was developed, which covers from the Fall of Satan, through to the Second Death and the New Earth. It contains five volumes, and has 3, 628 pages (including Appendix notes). We find in this series of books, that there are many changes in the message, as compared with the original “Spirit of Prophecy” volumes; deletion of many pages of material, which was contained in the original books; that they contain some blatant unbiblical errors; and that they contain material copied from uninspired historians and authors.
It needs to be stated very plainly, that Sr. White did not write the “Conflict” series from cover to cover. In fact, this series is nothing more than a compilation from Sr. White’s earlier writings, and was prepared and edited by others (i. e. uninspired people) for sale to the public. Let us document this point. out of the SDA church leaders own mouths.
1919 Bible Conference: – “B. L. House: – … such books as “Sketches of the Life of Paul,” (“Acts of the Apostles”- compilers) “Desire of Ages,” and “Great Controversy,” were composed differently, it seems to me, even by her secretaries than the nine volumes of the Testimonies …. In that old edition of “Sketches of the Life of Paul,” (the original 1883 edition – compilers) she is very clear about the ceremonial law. That is not in the new book, and I wondered why that was left out.”
“D. A. Parsons: – I have an answer to that. I was in California when the book was compiled, and I took the old edition and talked with Brother Will White about this very question. He said the whole book, with the exception of that chapter, had been compiled for some time, and they had held it up until they could arrange that chapter in such a way as to prevent controversy arising. They did not desire the book (“Acts of the Apostles” – compilers) to be used to settle any controversy, and therefore they eliminated most of these statements on the ceremonial law just to prevent a renewal of the great controversy over the ceremonial law in Galatians. …”
“B. L. House: – As I understand it, Elder J. N. Anderson prepared those historical quotations for the old edition (the 1888 ”Great Controversy” – compilers), and Brother Robinson and Brother Crisler, Professor Prescott and others furnished the quotations for the new edition. Did she write the historical quotations in there?”
“A. G. Daniells: – NO. …”
“W. W. Prescott: – “You are touching exactly the experience through which I went, personally, because you all know that I contributed something toward the revision of “Great Controversy.” I furnished considerable material bearing upon that question. … In my mind, there is a difference between the works she largely prepared herself and what was prepared by others for sale to the public. … When I talked with W. C. White about it (and I do not know that he is an infallible authority), he told me frankly that when they got out “Great Controversy,” if they did not find in her writings anything on certain chapters to make the historical connections, they took other books, like “Daniel and the Revelation,” and used portions of them; … “
“IBID. : – “A. G. Daniells: – In Australia I saw “The Desire of Ages” being made up, and I saw the rewriting of chapters, some of them written over and over and over again.”
NOTE: – Daniells should know about the method of compiling the “Desire of Ages”, as he was in Australia at the time the book was compiled.
Seventh-day Adventists in the South Pacific – 1885-1985; p. 115: – “The work of Marian Davis is best illustrated with reference to the 1898 masterpiece The Desire of Ages, Ellen White’s crowning achievement during her Australian years. Ellen White had written copiously on many facets of the life of Christ, especially since 1858, and the publication of the first of her volumes entitled The Great Controversy, portraying the cosmic conflict between Christ and Satan. From diaries, letters, articles and books, Marian gleaned every thing to do with Jesus and His ministry, pasted up scrapbooks, and organized chapters. Marian also read books*, attended Bible classes, and gave suggestions to Ellen White on topics and content. Like Ellen White’s other secretaries, she removed repetitious matter, transposed thoughts, honed grammar and punctuation. But throughout her toil she kept clearly in mind that the thoughts and expressions were Ellen White’s responsibility.”
NOTE: – * Because Marian Davis read other books, in her work of compiling the “Desire of Ages”, this is where the charges of plagiarism have come from, which have been unfairly leveled at Sr. White, rather than at the book compilers.
In CHAPTER TWO, which dealt with the Bible prophets, we found that those Bible writers, who did use scribes, dictated their inspired messages to their scribes, who were to write out verbatim, what was dictated to them. Therefore, the method used by those who compiled the “Conflict of the Ages” series, was unbiblical.
Out of the church leaders own mouths, it is clear that the “Conflict” series was compiled and edited by others for sale to the public, and was not written out by Sr. White from cover to cover.
THE ROLE OF ELDER J. H. WAGGONER IN THE PREPARATION OF THE FIRST “CONFLICT” SERIES BOOKS:
We have previously documented on Pages 22 & 23 Elder J. H. Waggoner’s role in the changing of the “Testimonies”, and of his sin of adultery during this time period. Unfortunately he continued with his adulterous relationship after his work on the changing of the “Testimonies” was finished, and he then had a part to play in the preparation of the changed 1888 Great Controversy, and also with Patriarchs and Prophets. What a disgraceful situation this is, having a man who did not have the Spirit of God, helping with the preparation of these first two of the “Conflict” books!
Testimonies on Sexual Behaviour. Adultery and Divorce, pp. 184, 185: – “Dear Brother Butler: … I have spoken quite freely upon some things. I thought I had to do this. Am inclined to say I will hold my peace henceforth, but as I am not my own and as I am mightily wrought upon at times to write, I dare not say this. I have but one object in view–not only the present but future good of the cause and work of God. Should I resist these impressions to write, when I am so burdened? I cannot now promise. I must ponder these things in my heart. I must pray about them, and obey the movings of the Spirit of God or withdraw myself from having any connection with the work.” {TSB 184.1}
“The Lord knows I am not pleased with this kind of work. I love and respect my brethren, and would not in the slightest manner demerit them, cause them pain; but I have tried to move with an eye single to the glory of God. I feel a sadness now upon me and confusion that I cannot see clearly my duty.” {TSB 184.2}
“I wrote some things to H. He wrote me that it was just as I had stated the matter. I was so burdened with a dream I had that I arose at three o’clock and wrote to Elder H that he had not kept his promise, that while he was engaged in teaching the commandments of God he was breaking them, that he was giving attentions to Sister S which should be bestowed only upon his wife. I wrote very pointedly to him.” {TSB 184.3}
“He admitted my statements, said he had prayed over the matter and felt that his course was wrong, but did not say he would cease this thing forever. He says.” {TSB 184.4}
“Your strong condemnation of me is only just. That I know, and feel the difficulty with me was this: it was so hard for me to realize the sinfulness of my course. My reason, my judgment, the testimony and the Scriptures, all combined to teach me that it was wrong. Yet it had such a hold of me that I failed to realize it as I should. I could not bring myself to feel the extent of my wrong, and gradually it proved a snare to me. But I had been making it a subject of special prayer some time before I received your last letter, that God would enable me to see it in its proper light and to feel over it as I should; and I have reason to believe that my prayer was answered.” {TSB 184.5}
“If I know anything of the blessing of grace, I know that I was blessed in the effort. I greatly needed this blessing to enable me to do the work aright, which was put upon me here. It was expressed of all that I was helped of heaven to write the report on the matter of the arrest of our people for working on the Sunday and other important writings which it fell to me to do. But I am painfully conscious of my weakness and that my only safety is in constant watchfulness such as I did not exercise before. I see now that it is a question of life and death with me and shall strive to act accordingly.” – Letter 73, 1886. {TSB 185.1} Letter 73, 1886 To G. I. Butler, Jan. 16, 1886.
NOTE: – While it may appear that Waggoner had repented after Sr. White’s previous plain rebuke, a comparison of dates indicates that his “repentance” was not genuine. This letter was written in January 1886. The following letter was written in September 1886, and his situation was still grievous in God’s sight. He needed to repent, be converted and to be rebaptised!
21 MR .. pp. 378-381. 387: – “I am troubled in regard to Elder [J. H.] Waggoner. He writes me nothing, and I feel deeply pained on his account. It seems sometimes to me that the Lord is testing us to see whether we will deal faithfully in regard to sin in one of our honored men. The time is close at hand when the General Conference will have to decide the point, whether or not to renew his credentials.” {21 MR 378.1}
“If the Conference does this, they will be saying virtually, ‘We have confidence in you as a man whom God recognizes as His messenger; one to whom He has entrusted the sacred responsibilities of caring for the sheep of the Lord’s pasture; one who will be in all things a faithful shepherd, a representative of Christ” But can we do this? Have we not seen the workings of an unsanctified heart?” {21MR 378.2}
“The persistency in Elder Waggoner to accept and claim Mrs. Chittenden as his–what shall I call it–his affinity? What is this? Who can name it? Is Elder Waggoner one who has hated the light God has given him, showing that his preferences for Mrs. Chittenden’s society and his intimacy with her, was sinful as in the light of the Word of God? Or did he accept the message and act upon it?” {21 MR 378.3}
“Notwithstanding, I went to Elder Waggoner with the testimony given me of God, yet he did not reform. His course has said, “I will do as I please in the matter; there is no sin in it.” He promised before God what he would do, but he broke his promise, made to Brother C. H. Jones, W. C. White, and myself, and his feelings did not decidedly change; but he seemed to act like a man bewitched, under the spell of the devil, who had no power over his own inclinations. Notwithstanding all the light given, he has evidenced no real conviction or sense of sin, no repentance, no reformation. Hearts have ached sorely over this state of things, but they had no power to change his heart or his purposes.” {21MR 378.4}
“Now, we should be very grateful for the help of Elder Waggoner in England and in Switzerland, but what can we decide upon? We must have evidence that he is clear before God. We do not want to make a light matter of sin, and say to the sinner, “It shall be well with thee.” We do not want to connect Elder Waggoner with the work here unless he has a connection with God. We do not want to have the drawback that would come by connecting a man with the work who has a blot on his garments. We cannot pass lightly over this matter.” {21 MR 378.5}
“The plague of sin is upon Elder Waggoner, and pain and sorrow are upon the souls of all who are aware of this chapter in his experience. Christ is dishonored. A man blessed with superior light and knowledge, endowed with great capacity for good, that he may by a life of obedience and fidelity to God become equal with angels, [and] his life measure with the life of God, has perverted his God-given power to administer to lust, coveting the wife of another. God finds Elder Waggoner setting at naught the most costly lessons of experience, violating the most solemn admonitions of God, that he may continue in sin.” {21MR 379.1}
“I have hoped and prayed that he would restore reason to its right throne and break the fetters that for years Satan has been weaving about him, soul and body, and that the clouds that have shadowed his pathway be removed and Christ come to his soul to revive and bless it. Christ will lift the heavy burden from weary shoulders, and give rest and peace to those who will wear His yoke and lift His burdens.” {21 MR 379.2}
“I will say, Elder Waggoner, What can be the character of your experience when in the face of many warnings and reproofs you continue to pursue a course condemned of God? Can you think well of yourself? Just think of Jesus, crowned with thorns and nailed to the cross for our sins, and let it humble-yes, let it break–your heart. Look at the meekness of Christ, His loveliness, and then bow in the dust with shame and humiliation.” {21 MR 379.3}
“Will you please think what you would do in case one of our leading men be found in the position you are in? Could you, without any greater evidence on his part of the sense of his sin than you have given, advise that he have credentials as one of pure and holy purposes before God? Cannot you see you are placing your fellow laborers in a very unpleasant and unenviable position? Will they venture to become responsible for your character and your influence in the future in the work and cause of God?” {21 MR 379.4}
“Your case has been shown me to be worse than that of Elder Cornell, because you had greater light, capacity, and influence; and his course is a beacon to warn you off from following in his steps. Elder Cornell’s credentials were taken away from him; he is a deeply repenting man, humbled in the dust.” {21MR 379.5}
“Supposing David should, after being reproved by Nathan, have repeated the same offense, would the Lord then have had compassion upon him? But he repented bitterly; he declared his transgression was ever before him. Hear his humiliating confession, and listen to his despairing cries.” {21 MR 379.6}
“We must as a people arouse and cleanse the camp of Israel. Licentiousness, unlawful intimacy, and unholy practices are coming in among us in a large degree; and ministers who are handling sacred things are guilty of sin in this respect. They are coveting their neighbors’ wives, and the seventh commandment is broken. We are in danger of becoming a sister to fallen Babylon, of allowing our churches to become corrupted, and filled with every foul spirit, a cage for every unclean and hateful bird; and will we be clear unless we make decided movements to cure the existing evil?” {21MR 380.1}
“Will you have others follow your example? Will you wish them to pass over the ground you have traveled, and feel that they have done no great wrong? Without repentance and conversion, you are a ruined man.” {21 MR 380.2}
“I hear you [Elder Waggoner] are taking treatment at the sanitarium, acting as chaplain, speaking in the Tabernacle. Now, this does not look right for you to take such positions, until you have done all in your power to correct past evils.” {21 MR 380.3}
“I have felt for your sake, restrained from opening the matter of Mrs. Chittenden’s infidelity to her husband, but I fear I have neglected my duty. If we had dealt with this matter as if it had been the case of a lay member of the church, I believe God would have then sent you repentance that needed not to be repented of.” {21 MR 380.4}
“Our pity, our love, to save you from reproach, has hurt you. My heart is so sad and agonized at times for you, I can only weep. I say, Must he be lost? Must he after suffering for the truth’s sake, after standing in its defense until he is old and gray-headed, become an idolater, as did Solomon? Will he, for the love of a woman, trample down the law of God and look about him as much as to say, I do no sin; I am all right?” {21 MR 380.5}
“Will we be clear to let such things be concealed and sins hidden, with no real evidence of repentance or reform? Your leaving California does not give you a new heart. You are out of sight of the infatuating influence of your “adorable charmer,” but this does not change the affections or impulses of the heart. Elder Himes might have finished his course with joy had it not been for sensual practices, but he was led away of his own lusts and enticed. The days and years which might have been his very best were his worst.” {21MR 380.6}
“We see in the character of Solomon intellectual greatness combined with moral degradation. He might have gone forward from strength to strength, but instead of this he went backward from weakness to weakness. After a life of promise, his history was one of deterioration.” {21MR 380.7}
“My Brother, my heart yearns toward you for Christ’s sake. You have been attempting what other ministers have attempted–to harmonize light with darkness, Christ with Belial, purity with impurity, good with evil. The result will be moral ruin unless you can be aroused to see that you are standing upon the very brink of the precipice. There are many such cases that I have to write about.” {21MR 381.1}
“It alarms me to see how the sin of licentiousness is coming in upon us. I felt this when I wrote to Elder Butler upon this point at the last General Conference, begging him to do all that he could to fence against what was coming in upon us. We must elevate the standard and build up barriers about the soul so that nothing shall mar its simplicity and purity, and thus defile the religious character. God has given men intellect, and let every soul beware how this great gift is prostituted to the soul’s eternal ruin.” {21 MR 381.2}
“There is no more hope of you than of any common sinner, nor as much, unless you greatly humble your soul before God, repent, and are converted. Take the first steps in the way to life–repentance, faith, and baptism. You have tampered with the divine safeguards of your peace. If you refuse to listen to the voice of reproof, if you choose your own course, if you will not allow the grace of Christ to transform you, your guilt will be as much greater than that of the common sinner as your advantages of light and influence have been greater.” {21MR 381.3}
“…Had you, Elder Waggoner, an elder of the church, looked up, you would have seen yourself a spectacle to God and to the pure angels who veil their faces and turn away from your pollution of soul and body. My words seem tame as I pen them when I think of the wonderful truths we profess and the great light that shines upon us from the Word of God. The Judge of all the earth is standing before the door, and every case must pass in solemn review before Him. I inquire, How can anyone with this light shining upon them dare in thought or word to deny the Lord God who hath bought them? Make haste, my brother, to cleanse your hands. Jesus is still pleading as your Intercessor. Commence the work of forsaking your sins without delay. Do not rest till you find pardon, for no soul can enter the paradise of God who has a single spot or stain in his character. Make thorough work for eternity.” – Letter 51 , 1886. {21 MR 387.2} Written September 6, 1886, from Basel, Switzerland, to G. I. Butler.
Sr. White had no confidence in Elder Waggoner’s decisions or feelings. While there is no specific date to this letter, it was written sometime in 1886.
21 MR., pp. 147, 148 149: – “I wish you could see what a delicate, dangerous matter it is to meddle with the work of God unless you have light from heaven to guide you in your decisions. I have not the confidence in Elder J. H. Waggoner’s judgment in these matters that you have. I know that he needs his soul as well as lips touched with live coals from off the altar, that shall refine and purify the uncleanness from his lips and from his soul. I fear you have grieved the Spirit of God. The fruits were good in the work at Healdsburg, but the spurious was brought in as well as the genuine. Then it needed men of discernment, of calm, well-balanced minds, to come in when there was peril and indiscretion, to have a molding influence upon the work. You could have done this. You had no moral right to stop the meetings and to stop Elder Daniels from going right forward with the work and making the very most of the interest started, to gather outsiders into the interest if possible.” {21 MR 147.6}
“…Now with the fruits of a good work evidenced before your senses, that you should feel competent to come in and hinder the work or to be sufficient to say, Thus far shall you go and no farther, is a work I would not have dared to do, unless God had given me a message direct from His throne. I tell you plainly, I have no confidence in Elder Waggoner’s decisions or feelings. His son would naturally take his view of the case and seek to make his decisions appear true and righteous, because these decisions must be maintained. – Letter 76, 1886. (Written in 1886 to Elders A. T. Jones, J. N. Loughborough, E. J. Waggoner, and J. H. Waggoner.) {21MR 149.3}
- Elder J. H. Waggoner arrived in Europe in February 1887, and helped Marian Davis prepare some of the chapters for both the 1888 Great Controversy and Patriarchs and Prophets; and he wrote some of the appendix notes that appeared in these books. 3rd Volume of Sr. White’s Biography (by Arthur White). p. 440: – “In the meantime, J. H. Waggoner, who was to work in Europe for a time, arrived in Basel. He joined Marian, working with her on the chapters for volume 4 and also on the chapters for volume 1 that had been laid aside.” {3BIO 440.1}
Ibid., p. 442: – “The enlarged edition, which came to be known as the 1888 edition, carried twenty-six full-page illustrations and at the close devoted thirteen pages to general notes and thirteen pages to biographical notes. These notes were prepared by several authors, including J. H. Waggoner, Uriah Smith, and M. C. Wilcox. Marian Davis assisted.” {3BIO 442.5}
Yet as we have previously seen in 1885 and late In 1886 (a few months before Waggoner came to Europe in February 1887), Sr. White wrote letters to Waggoner and also to Elder George Butler, the president of the General Conference, that Elder Waggoner was guilty of violating the seventh commandment; she names the woman who he was involved with; and questions whether the upcoming 1886 General Conference Session should withdraw his credentials, and that for years he had been fettered by Satan, and that the Spirit and wisdom of God had left him.
What a horrible situation to have a leading minister who Satan had for years been binding with fetters of sin, to come and help in the preparation of the Manuscript for the 1888 Great Controversy and Patriarchs and Prophets. Yet, in a letter written in 1894, Sr. White supposedly wrote that she submitted the Manuscript for these two books to the “Book Committee” for their criticism, and to other ministers, and that she did not want anybody who did not have a sound Christian experience to examine the Manuscript. If that is true, how could she conscientiously allow J. H. Waggoner to work on the Manuscript for these two books? What a glaring contradiction! And it makes Sr. White appear to be a most casual and careless person in handling sacred writings.
10 Manuscript Releases, pp. 12. 13: – “I have all my publications closely examined. I desire that nothing shall appear in print without careful investigation. Of course I would not want men who have not a Christian experience, or are lacking in ability to appreciate literary merit to be placed as judges of what is essential to come before the people, as pure provender thoroughly winnowed from the chaff. I laid out all my manuscript on Patriarchs and Prophets and on vol. IV (Great Controversy] before the book committee for examination and criticism. I also placed these manuscripts in the hands of some of our ministers for examination. The more criticism of them the better for the work. –Letter 49, 1894. (August 3, 1894, to W. H. Littlejohn.)” {10MR 12.4}
MARIAN DAVIS CONFESSES TO SR. WHITE IN 1891 HER LACK OF APPRECIATION FOR THE SACREDNESS OF THE WORK SHE WAS HANDLING:
1888 Materials. pp. 869, 870: – “Battle Creek, Sunday, January 4, 1891”
“Entertained visitors all day. I wrote some letters. I was made very happy today. Sister Davis has solicited a conversation with me and with deep feelings confessed that she had not had a correct appreciation of the work which she was handling. She felt that she had not had the sympathy for, and felt the sacredness of the work as she should have done. Now she saw it in altogether a different light, and she was determined to make thorough work, for her soul’s sake and for Christ’s sake, that the work should never be marred in her hands. She was made free in Jesus, and was free indeed. She has changed greatly. Peace and happiness are now expressed in her countenance. She is certainly under the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness, for all her features express brightness proceeding from inward joy.” {1888 869.3}
This means that Marian Davis who was very heavily involved in preparing the Manuscript for both the 1888 Great Controversy, and Patriarchs and Prophets in 1890, “had not had a correct appreciation of the work which she was handling. She felt that she had not had the sympathy for, and felt the sacredness of the work as she should have done.”
SR. WHITE IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN WRITING REGULARLY ON THE MANUSCRIPT OF “THE DESIRE OF AGES.”
3rd Selected Messages. p. 115. 116: – “July 15, 1892.–This week I have been enabled to commence writing on the life of Christ. Oh, how inefficient, how incapable I am of expressing the things which bum in my soul in reference to the mission of Christ! I have hardly dared to enter upon the work. There is so much to it all. And what shall I say, and what shall I leave unsaid? I lie awake nights pleading with the Lord for the Holy Spirit to come upon me, to abide upon me… .” {3SM 115.1}
“I walk with trembling before God. I know not how to speak or trace with pen the large subject of the atoning sacrifice. I know not how to present subjects in the living power in which they stand before me. I tremble for fear lest I shall belittle the great plan of salvation by cheap words. I bow my soul in awe and reverence before God and say, “Who is sufficient for these things?”- Letter 40, 1892. {3SM 115.2}
“May 23, 1893. – lt is cloudy and raining this morning. I have been writing upon the life of Christ since four o’clock. Oh, that the Holy Spirit may rest and abide upon me, that my pen may trace the words which will communicate to others the light which the Lord has been pleased in His great mercy and love to give to me.”–Manuscript 80, 1893. {3SM 115.3}
“July 2, 1893. – I write some every day on the life of Christ. One chapter sets my mind fresh upon other subjects so that I have several scratch books that I am writing upon. I hardly dare send manuscript by young Linden, fearing it may get lost, and I wish to give more time to some subjects.”–Letter 132, 1893. (Written from New Zealand.) {3SM 116.1}
“June 15, 1893.- I am anxious to get out the life of Christ. Marian [Davis] specifies chapters and subjects for me to write upon that I do not see really need to be written upon. I may see more light in them. These I shall not enter upon without the Lord’s Spirit seems to lead me. The building [of] a tower, the war of kings, these things do not burden my mind, but the subjects of the life of Christ, His character representing the Father, the parables essential for us all to understand and practice the lessons contained in them, I shall dwell upon.” – Letter 131, 1893. {3SM 116.2}
“July 7, 1893. – I have written you a little bit every mail we heard of that went to … [America], and when Brother Linden went, sent you a letter and manuscript … some on the life of Christ … That on life of Christ can be used for articles for the paper”. – Letter 133, 1893. {3SM 116.3}
YET IN THE FOLLOWING LEITER WRITTEN IN 1896, SR. WHITE INDICATED THAT THE MANUSCRIPT FOR THE “LIFE OF CHRIST” (I.E. “DESIRE OF AGES”) WAS READY FOR THE PRINTERS, AND SHE PLAINLY STATED THAT SHE HAD DEVOTED LITTLE TIME TO THE BOOK.
3rd Selected Messages. p. 119: – “July 16, 1896. – The manuscript for the “Life of Christ” is just about to be sent to America. This will be handled by the Pacific Press. I have employed workers to prepare this book, especially Sister Davis, and this has cost me three thousand dollars. Another three thousand will be needed to prepare it to be scattered broadcast through the world in two books. We hope that they will have a large sale. I have devoted little time to these books, for speaking, writing articles for the papers, and writing private testimonies to meet and repress the evils that are coming in keeps me busy.” – Letter 114, 1896. {3SM 119.1}
To conclude this chapter, the following statement is taken from a letter written by W. W. Prescott to W. C. White in 1915, which sheds additional light on the fact that deceptions concerning the process of the making of some of Sr. White’s books had been palmed off onto the lay members of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church for years; and that Prescott was concerned that eventually this issue would bring in a crisis within SDA ranks. It is rather a candid admission to make coming from the pen of a Church leader.
“It seems to me that a large responsibility rests upon those of us who know that there are serious errors in our authorized books and yet make no special effort to correct them. The people and our average ministers trust us to furnish them with reliable statements, and they use our books as sufficient authority in their sermons, but we let them go on year after year asserting things which we know to be untrue. I cannot feel that this is right. It seems to me that we are betraying our trust and deceiving the ministers and people. It appears to me that there is much more anxiety to prevent a possible shock to some trustful people than to correct error.”
“Your letter indicates a desire on your part to help me but I fear that it is a little late. The experience of the last six or eight years and especially the things concerning which I talked with you have had their effect on me in several ways. I have had some hard shocks to get over, and after giving the best of my life to this movement I have little peace and satisfaction in connection with it, and I am driven to the conclusion that the only thing for me to do is to do quietly what I can do conscientiously, and leave the others to go on without me. Of course this far from a happy ending to my life-work, but this seems to be the best adjustment that I am able to make. The way your mother’s writings have been handled and the false impression concerning them which is still fostered among the people have brought great perplexity and trial to me. It seems to me that what amounts to deception, though probably not intentional, has been practised in making some of her books, and that no serious effort has been made to disabuse the minds of the people of what was known to be their wrong view concerning her writings. But it is no use to go into these matters. I have talked with you for years about them, but it brings no change. I think however that we are drifting toward a crisis which will come sooner or later perhaps sooner. A very strong feeling of reaction has already set in.” (W. W. Prescott letter to W. C. White, dated April6, 1915.)
NOTE: – At the bottom of the copy which I have from the Ellen G. White Estate., there is found a very curious “P. S.” that Prescott wrote in his own hand writing, “I have written this myself, as I did not wish to dictate it to anyone.” In other words, he did not even trust his secretary to type this letter, because of the possibility that its contents might be leaked to the “Adventist Grapevine”, and become public knowledge.