SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST HISTORY; (ADVENTIST HERITAGE) Credits to Adventist University of the Philippines Theology Students Reports, From the Class of Pastor Cadao From August - December 2018. - Report 1 (R1) - Report 23 (R23)

1. THE PROLIFIC
WRITER

2. Ellen White is thought to be the third most translated author
in history and the most translated American author, male or
female So far as we know, she wrote and published more
books, and in more languages, which circulate to a greater
extent than the written works of any other woman in history.
By the close of her seventy-year ministry, her literary
productions totaled approximately 100,000 pages, or the
equivalent of 25 million words, including letters, diaries,
periodical articles, pamphlets, and books.

3. At the time of Mrs. White’s death (1915), twenty-four books
were currently in print and two more
were at the publishers awaiting publication. In the 1990s, 128
titles were in print bearing Ellen White’s name, including
books hat are compilations of her thoughts on various subjects.
How did it all begin? Not a brilliant student, college-trained!
Not a skilled and published writer! It would be difficult to say
that Ellen White’s remarkable literary production was merely a
product of human genius and invention. Her contemporaries,
knowing her back ground and minimal education, also knew
that more than human wisdom was responsible for her incisive,
commanding eloquence in print as well as in the pulpit.

4. The
Prolific
Writer
Editorial Assistants
A 19th Century Accent
Wide Reading Habits
Writing for the General Public
Personal Experiences Enriched Her Writing
Variety of Personal Letters
How Categories of Literary Production Were Developed
Marian Davis “My Bookmaker”
Why Revisions Were Necessary
Opposition to Revisions
Revision Experience Teaches Lessons

5. The
Prolific
Writer
Editorial Assistants
In keeping up the demand for articles and books,
Ellen White organized an editorial assistants who will act
as helper and counselors. In the report that Ellen White’s
helpers are permitted to add matter or change the meaning
she write out, are not true. For none of the workers are
authorized to add to the manuscripts by introducing
thoughts of their own.
Those who are trouble by the use of assistants believe
that the inspired persons, including Mrs. White,
mechanically wrote out what God had spoken or revealed
word for word. And expect inerrancy as they do from the
Bible writers.
Ellen White recognized her own limitations of time
and literary skills. She employed literary assistants, for
the same reasons that Biblical writers did.

6. The
Prolific
Writer
Editorial Assistants
Ellen White’s contemporaries knew how
necessary literary helpers were, considering the
volume of writing to which she was committed.
In 1873, she wrote in her diary: “My mind is
coming to strange conclusions. I am thinking I
must lay aside my writing I have taken so much
pleasure in, and see if I cannot become a
scholar. I am not a grammarian. I will try, if the
Lord will help me, at forty-five years old to
become a scholar in the science. God will help
me. I believe He will.”

7. The
Prolific
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Editorial Assistants
In a letter to G. A. Irwin, General Conference
president, Willie White noted that his mother
sought literary assistance because she recognized
the varying quality in her writings: “Sometimes
when Mother’s mind is rested, and free, the
thoughts are presented in language that is not only
clear and strong, but beautiful and correct; and at
times when she is weary and oppressed with
heavy burdens of anxiety, or when the subject is
difficult to portray, there are repetitions and
ungrammatical sentences.”
By 1881 Willie served as the editorial
coordinator for his mother’s literary assistants.
Because his mother was either travelling or
writing new material, and she would be in a heavy
duties.

8. The
Prolific
Writer
Editorial Assistants
At times Ellen White reached out beyond
her immediate helpers for assistance. That all
publications closely examined, and that nothing
shall appear in print without careful
investigation.
When she wrote of about medical matters,
her office helper asked medical specialists to
review the manuscript with care.
Regardless of wherever she received
editorial help, Ellen White read everything in
final form, all must be read by Ellen White
before it is sent for publication.

9. The
Prolific
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A 19th Century Accent
Like the prophets who wrote the Bible, Ellen White wrote
from within the literary, historical, social, and religious context
of her time. She not only wrote with a human accent, she wrote
with the accent and the thought-forms of the 19th century.
As with the prophets of old, contemporary issues often
determined the emphasis and frequency of what she wrote about.
For example, she saw profound implications for understanding
last-day events as she noted Sunday-law activity.
Both Biblical prophets and Ellen White, though speaking to
contemporary issues in their day, provided us with ageless
principles that apply to us today.

10. The
Prolific
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Wide Reading Habits
Ellen White is a wide reader. She long for stories with moral
lesson that would be suitable especially for Sabbath reading. In the
1870s many of articles were sorted out into books for different age
groups.
In 1920, E. E. Andross, president of the North American
Division, made a plea for clarification on Mrs. White’s use of
materials found in her reading. W. C. White responded: “In the
early days of her work, Mother was promised wisdom in the
selection from the writings of others, that would enable her to
select the gems of truth from the rubbish of error.

11. The
Prolific
Writer
Wide Reading Habits
We have all seen this fulfilled, and yet when she told me of
this, she admonished me not to tell it to others. Why thus
restricted I never knew, but now am inclined to believe that
she saw how this might lead some of her brethren to claim
too much for her writings as a standard with which to correct
historians.”
These words could be applied to Ellen White. Her ability
to read voluminously and to select carefully provided her
with the tools that her prophetic mission required. Mentally
armed with the inspired outline of truth, her extensive reading
frequently helped her to fill in the details with pertinent
historical background and with literary adaptations that make
her writings forceful, delightful, and creative.

12. The
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Writing for the General Public
When her books were to be published later for non-Adventists,
she authorized revisions that would eliminate possible
misunderstandings. For example the different wording that appeared
in the HEALTH REFORMER because it was prepared for the
general public. She has often said:
‘These statements are true, and they are useful to our people; but
to the general public, for whom this book is now being prepared,
they are out of place. Christ said, even to His disciples, “I have
many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.” And
Christ taught His disciples to be “wise as serpents, and harmless as
doves.” Therefore, as it is probable that more souls will be won to
Christ by the book without this passage than with it, let it be
omitted.

13. The
Prolific
Writer
Writing for the General Public
She often said: ‘Essential truths must be plainly told; but so
far as possible they should be told in language that will win,
rather than offend.’” 34 Ellen White’s sermons were often
published as articles in the Signs of the Times or the Review and
Herald. However, preparing them for the Review was much
easier than preparing articles for the Signs. Why? Because
readers of the Review were mainly Seventh-day Adventists, and
those of the Signs, primarily the general public.

14. The
Prolific
Writer
Personal Experiences Enriched Her
Writing
One of her personal experiences that enriched her
writing was her many traveled experiences. For instance,
after spending a day on a sail boat in San Francisco Bay
(1876), she was writing on the life of Christ.
In 1886 visited the Cathedral of Saint Apollinaire where she
observed the impressiveness of a Catholic worship service.
This kind of experience help her to described the grandeur
(impressive quality) of catholic worship.
In view of the fact that she was then enlarging The Great
Controversy, especially the part dealing with the Protestant
Reformation era, Ellen White’s comments on this city tour
are understandable: “We gathered many items of interest
which we will use.”

15. The
Prolific
Writer
Variety of Personal Letters
Today much of Ellen White’s private, confidential
correspondence (letter she never published) has become public.
This happened because her letters became treasured
correspondence by recipients. Older members passed them on
their children or to trusted pastor or students. The problem is
when her writings specially her letter are misused.
Another way her letter have become published is by White
Estate releasing them to researchers. All of this letters are
available on CD-ROM.
Some of these letter may appear abrupt and defensive.
Considering time, place, and circumstance the reader today can
easily empathize with a busy intensely committed, and sometimes
tired wife. Her private letter to son Edson appear frank, even
sharp, but still she had their eternal interests in mind at all times,
and simply did not want her love confused with indulgence.

16. The
Prolific
Writer
How Categories of Literary
Production Were Developed
The letters, sermons, periodical articles, and books
were further processed by her literary assistants into
other forms for publication.
Although the editors had earned this trust, they
changed the fewest possible words and sentences to fit
their needs. This accounts for the slight differences
between the periodical article and the same material
used later in a book.

17. The
Prolific
Writer
Marian Davis “My Bookmaker”
In preparing a chapter for a book, Marian remembers that
Ellen White have written something special on that point, which
may make the matter more forcible. And when she finds it, and
sees that it will make the chapter more clear, she adds it.
Ellen White said: “The books are not Marian’s productions,
but my own, gathered from all my writings. Marian has a large
field from which to draw, and her ability to arrange the matter is
of great value to me. It saves my poring over a mass of matter,
which I have no time to do.”
They work together in perfect harmony all the time
including others.

18. The
Prolific
Writer
Marian Davis “My Bookmaker”
The1878GeneralConferencevotedthatallpreviousTestim
onies should be reprinted in permanent form. Reprinting
involved a complete resetting of type, creating a new page
format and providing consecutive paging.
Ellen White and her close assistants (W. C. and Mary
White, Marian Davis, Eliza Burnham, and J. H. Waggoner)
saw this request as an opportunity to improve imperfect
grammar and clarity of expression. Her aim continued to be
to present truth in the clearest manner possible.

19. The
Prolific
Writer
Why Revisions Were Necessary
“Many of these testimonies were written under the most
unfavorable circumstances, the writer being too heavily
pressed with anxiety and labor to devote critical thought to the
grammatical perfection of the writings, and they were printed
in such haste as to allow these imperfections to pass
uncorrected; etc.”
Leaders knew (1) that critics of the denomination would
jump at the opportunity to show that the Adventist “prophet”
was unreliable, that she was manipulated by circumstances
and other people; (2) that changes in published writings would
unsettle some Adventists, causing them to feel they had been
misled and that Ellen White was not a safe guide. Were these
fears justified? Yes and No.

20. The
Prolific
Writer
Why Revisions Were Necessary
Were these fears justified? Yes and No. Fears were justified
when leaders observed that many people, both Adventists and
non-Adventists, held an inadequate view of how God speaks to
His human messengers; they believed that God dictated the exact
words that prophets used in revealing divine messages. However,
fears were unnecessary whenever people understood that God
inspired the messenger with thoughts, not words.
The 1883 General Conference resolution did its best to clarify
the truth about the nature of revelation/inspiration: “We believe
the light given by God to His servants is by the enlightenment of
the mind, thus imparting the thoughts, and not (except in rare
cases) the very words in which the ideas should be expressed;
therefore—

21. The
Prolific
Writer
Why Revisions Were Necessary
“Resolved, That in the republication of these volumes
such verbal changes be made as to remove the above-
named imperfections, as far as possible, without in any
measure changing the thought.” This General
Conference resolution became a benchmark for the
Adventist understanding of revelation/inspiration.

22. The
Prolific
Writer
Why Revisions Were Necessary
However, the fears did not abate. Three months after the
Conference, Ellen White wrote to Smith, defending the revision
project that was nearing completion. “As far as possible every
defect should be removed from all our publications. As the truth
should unfold and become widespread, every care should be
exercised to perfect the works published.
“Now, Brother Smith, I have been making a careful, critical
examination of the work that has been done on the Testimonies,
and I see a few things that I think should be corrected in the matter
brought before you and others at the General Conference
[November, 1883]. But as I examine the matter more carefully I see
less and less that is objectionable. Where the language used is not
the best, I want it made correct and grammatical, as I believe it
should be in every case where it can be without destroying the
sense. This work is delayed, which does not please me....

23. The
Prolific
Writer
Why Revisions Were Necessary
But Mrs. White, with her good judgment and common sense,
conceded to leadership fears, and had her assistants “re-revise”
the project so that only the most glaring imperfections were
changed.

24. The
Prolific
Writer
Revision Experience Teaches
Lessons
What do we learn from this revision experience?
1. have an “official” understanding of what Adventists believe
about revelation/inspiration. Adventists are thought
inspirationists, not verbal inspirationists.
2. We have an example of the problems created when people
have a wrong concept of the revelation/inspiration process.
Misunderstanding how God’s thoughts become the words
of an inspired messenger directly affects how a person
reads the Bible as well as the writings of Ellen White.
Misunderstanding this subject creates problems in
understanding truth, and eventually could destroy
confidence in both the Bible and the writings of Mrs. White
when imperfections of language are discovered.

25. The
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Revision Experience Teaches
Lessons

26. The
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Revision Experience Teaches
Lessons
For the sake of defending the high view of Scripture, they
employed an indefensible view of inspiration. Gaussen, for
example, believed that the prophet’s words were inspired, not
the prophet: “If the words of the book are dictated by God, of
what consequence to me are the thoughts of the writer?”

27. The
Prolific
Writer
Editorial Assistants
A 19th Century Accent
Wide Reading Habits
Writing for the General Public
Personal Experiences Enriched Her Writing
Variety of Personal Letters
How Categories of Literary Production Were Developed
Marian Davis “My Bookmaker”
Why Revisions Were Necessary
Opposition to Revisions
Revision Experience Teaches Lessons

28. The End…