by Norma J. Collins
The last will and testament of Ellen G. White set up a
Board of Trustees to manage her estate and produce compilations from her
manuscripts. In harmony with this responsibility, the Trustees have issued more
than sixty compilations since her death in 1915.
Are these compilations really Ellen G. White books?
Should only the books published during her lifetime be considered genuine Ellen
White books? Do today's compilations fairly represent her inspired
counsel? Can they be trusted?
[Top of Document]
What is a compilation? Webster defines compile: "To
gather and put together (statistics, facts, etc.) in an orderly form."
"To compose (a book, etc.) of materials gathered from various
sources."
The book The Great Controversy provides a case
study of a compilation produced while Ellen White was alive. Mrs. White wrote
the first little 219-page book on the great controversy between Christ and
Satan as a result of the vision she was given at a funeral at Lovett's
Grove, Ohio, March 14, 1858. The devil struck her with paralysis to prevent her
from writing out the vision, but she had a great deal of
"stick-to-itiveness" and she worked at it a little at a time until
her strength was restored, the paralysis dissipated, and the book was
completed. It appeared as Spiritual Gifts, Volume 1.
After the publication of Volume 2 in 1860, which was
largely a biographical sketch, she wrote 21 chapters on Old Testament history
from creation to the Exodus and the giving of the Law at Sinai. This material
was published as Volume 3. She also wrote 16 chapters on the Israelites from
Sinai to David and Solomon. These chapters, along with an article on health and
a reprint of Testimonies 1-10, made up Volume 4 of Spiritual
Gifts. The four books--clearly compilations--were printed in 1864.
Next came four larger volumes titled Spirit of
Prophecy, covering the same subject. (Available today in facsimile
reprint.) They were printed in 1870, 1877, 1878, and 1884. As Ellen White was
given more visions with greater detail, the great controversy story expanded
into the five volumes of what is known today as "The Conflict of the Ages
Series." All were made up of materials originally written as books,
articles, letters, and manuscripts. By definition they were compilations.
"Compile: To compose (a book, etc.) of materials gathered from various
sources."
[Top of Document]
Ellen White's copyists secretaries well understood
that only her thoughts were to be used, and her own words, as far as they were
grammatically consistent in expressing those thoughts. In no case was a copyist
or editor to introduce thoughts not found in Mrs. White's manuscripts.
Where paragraphs and sentences were awkward or lost some of their force because
of sentence structure, the secretaries were expected to make needed grammatical
changes. They also were instructed to watch for unnecessary repetition. Mrs.
White gave her personal attention to a review of the final manuscript. Since
the author is no longer alive, the White Estate keeps this kind of editing to a
minimum. There is virtually no elimination of repetition of thought today.
Over the years Ellen White wrote more than 5,000
articles, and thousands of pages of testimonies and letters to individuals.
From this vast literary treasurehouse materials were drawn to incorporate into
her books. She wrote on many subjects and left a wealth of material, published
and unpublished.
[Top of Document]
In the 1870s Mrs. White wrote extensively on the life of
Christ. When she went to Australia in 1891, she hoped she could devote much of
her time to completing a book on this important subject. From 1892 until The
Desire of Ages was published in 1898, she spent many hours each day
preparing chapters for the book.
She did not just sit down and write the book straight
through, chapter by chapter. She assigned her helpers to gather what she had
written in past years on the subject. This matter was found in her published
books, in articles that had appeared in periodicals, and in her letters and
manuscripts. With all this material in hand she wrote many additional articles
as the experiences of Christ were opened anew to her. Then these passages were
put together in their natural order, and she wrote in the connecting history.
Her writings on the life and teachings of our Saviour
were so great that they could not be contained in one volume. So Thoughts
From the Mount of Blessing, Christ's Object Lessons, and a portion
of The Ministry of Healing, were made up of the overflow.
"Compile: To compose (a book, etc.) of materials
gathered from various sources."
The White Estate office has letters and other documents
telling of Mrs. White's work on The Desire of Ages and the manner
in which the book was prepared. She frequently mentioned the fact that she was
writing on the life of Christ, and included definite statements regarding the
part that Marian Davis acted. In a letter to Dr. J. H. Kellogg, October 25,
1895, she said:
"Marian is working at the greatest disadvantage.
I find but little time in which to write on the life of Christ. I am
continually receiving letters that demand an answer, and I dare not neglect
important matters that are brought to my notice. Then there are churches to
visit, private testimonies to write, and many other things to be attended to
that tax me and consume my time. Marian greedily grasps every letter I write to
others in order to find sentences that she can use in the life of Christ. She
has been collecting everything that has a bearing on Christ's lessons to
His disciples, from all possible sources. . . .
"You know that my whole theme both in the pulpit
and in private, by voice and pen, is the life of Christ."--Letter 41,
1895.
Speaking of the work of her helpers in 1900, Mrs. White
made this statement about Miss Davis:
"She does her work in this way: She takes my
articles which are published in the papers, and pastes them in blank books. She
also has a copy of all the letters I write. In preparing a chapter for a book,
Marian remembers that I have written something on that special point, which may
make the matter more forcible. She begins to search for this, and if, when she
finds it she sees that it will make the chapter more clear, she adds it.
"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. . . . Marian is a
most valuable help to me in bringing out my books."--Letter 61a, 1900.
(See Selected Messages, book 3, pp. 91, 92.)
Marian Davis had a wonderfully organized mind and
memory, thus she was able to remember and find items that Mrs. White had
written on various topics. When enough material had been gathered for certain
chapters, the manuscript would be read to Ellen White or given to her to read.
This often revived her memory of certain scenes and she eagerly rewrote many
passages, giving them greater vigor and freshness. To uplift Christ and present
Him to others in all His beauty and holiness was always her main objective.
Soon after her arrival in Australia, Ellen White was
stricken with malarial fever and inflammatory rheumatism. For eleven months she
suffered greatly, and was confined to her bed for days at a time, unable to
write but a little each day. And yet she persevered and God sustained her as
she wrote on the life of Christ. Of this experience she wrote:
"I have been passing through great trial in pain
and suffering and helplessness, but through it all I have obtained a precious
experience more valuable to me than gold."-- Selected Messages,
book 2, p. 240.
She was disappointed that she was unable to visit among
the churches, but God used her affliction to advance His purposes. By placing
herself in a sitting/lying position she was able to use her crippled hands, and
she began to write. In a few months she had written sixteen hundred pages on
the life of Christ. She found that in the night when she could not sleep, Jesus
was preciously near. She thought of Christ a great deal during this time and
knew where her strength lay.
A letter written in 1892 to O. A. Olsen, president of
the General Conference, reveals the intensity with which Mrs. White wrote while
preparing this book:
"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. (See Selected Messages,
book 3, p. 115.)
Some of the most beautiful passages in The Desire of
Ages came from her pen when she was confined not only to her room, but to
her bed.
[Top of Document]
Did any of the literary assistants alter the thoughts or
make additions as the writings passed through their hands? This question is
answered clearly by the written statements of several of Mrs. White's
helpers:
"None of Mother's workers are authorized to
add to the manuscripts by introducing thoughts of their own."--W. C. White
to G. A. Irwin, May 7, 1900.
"From my own knowledge of the work, as well as
from the statements of Sister White herself, I have the strongest possible
ground for disbelieving that such a thing [the adding of thoughts by the
copyist] was done."--Marian Davis to G. A. Irwin, April 23, 1900.
"In all good conscience I can testify that never
was I presumptuous enough to venture to add any ideas of my own or to do other
than follow with most scrupulous care the thoughts of the author."--D. E.
Robinson, 1933, White Estate Document File 107g.
Mrs. White wrote voluminously on many topics. To
supplement what was written specifically for a definite book, the literary
assistant gathered other related gems of thought from her writings--books,
published articles, manuscripts, letters, and discourses. Working together,
Mrs. White and her assistants planned the outline of the books and prepared the
matter chapter by chapter. In its final form, the manuscripts were read and
given approval by Mrs. White herself and then sent to the printer.
[Top of Document]
Since the death of Ellen White in 1915, how have
compilations been prepared? The book Evangelism provides a case study.
In August 1944, representatives from the Ministerial
Association of the General Conference asked the White Estate whether there was
enough specific counsel on evangelism to create a volume that would give
guidance in the work of evangelism. If there was sufficient material, they
hoped that these counsels could be brought together and published as a single
volume.
As Arthur White, at that time director of the White
Estate, scanned the files, he found ample material that could be drawn together
for a book of counsels on evangelism. On September 10, 1944, the Board of
Trustees took the following action:
"Voted: That, in harmony with the recommendation
of the Ministerial Association Advisory Council, we authorize the compilation
of a manuscript, 'Counsels to Evangelists and Bible Instructors,' the work to
be done by a committee of five, appointed by the chair. The committee named as
follows: A. L. White, W. H. Branson, R. A. Anderson, Miss Louise Kleuser, J. L.
Shuler."--White Estate Board Minutes, Sept. 10, 1944.
As the committee members planned their work, they
decided that the new volume would serve best if it were complete in its
coverage, using both published and unpublished sources. This would include some
repetition of articles already published.
Arthur White and Louise Kleuser were named as a working
team to prepare the manuscript. The plan they followed called for bringing
together every item that had a bearing on the subject. Then with all the Ellen
White statements before them, they organized the material and developed the
manuscript. This plan minimized the influence of the compilers, allowing Mrs.
White's thoughts and emphases to come through clearly in the finished
work.
As Elder White and Miss Kleuser made the selections, it
was easy to see where Ellen White placed the emphasis, and the general outline
of the subject matter fell naturally into about 22 general divisions. In cases
where there were two or more statements covering the same point, the strongest
or most complete was chosen and the other laid aside. Because there could be no
change in Ellen White's words, which made up the text, the items were
drawn together by using side headings highlighting the main point. Side
headings and subtitles are almost always supplied by the compiler, and this is
generally understood.
At one point during preparation of the manuscript, Elder
White sought counsel on using italics to emphasize certain parts of the
manuscript. The ensuing Board action read:
"Voted: That the Trustees feel that it would be
out of place to use italics to emphasize certain parts of the manuscript, and
might appear to take on the form of private interpretation."--White Estate
Board Minutes, July 2, 1945.
The question arose as to whether the compilers should be
named in the Foreword. It was pointed out that it had always been policy not to
name those participating in the work of compilation but to keep the focus on
the author of the materials. The Trustees signed the Foreword, based on the
following action:
"Voted: That the Foreword to the
Evangelism manuscript be signed by the Trustees, and that we request the
Secretary to draft a statement for consideration."--Ibid.
The reports of the nine readers of the manuscript dealt
mostly with the wording of side headings, and a few additional Ellen White
statements were suggested that were thought to strengthen the manuscript.
The book Evangelism was on the market about 18
months after the decision to prepare the book. It has served as a guide and
inspiration to those engaged in evangelistic ministries. Each item carries its
source reference, thus enabling anyone to check for context and integrity of
use.
It is the primary concern of those in the White Estate
that all compilations be fully representative and as free as possible from any
bias of the compiler. The compiler does not leave out statements that may
differ from his personal opinion. Private opinions must have no weight in
selecting materials. The compilation must fully and correctly represent the
position, teachings, and emphasis of Ellen White.
[Top of Document]
In her later years Ellen White expressed her hope to get
out a book on the Christian home. But other works, such as The Acts of the
Apostles, Counsels to Parents and Teachers, Gospel Workers, and Prophets
and Kings, crowded in and Ellen White died before the book on the home
could be undertaken. Soon after the manuscript for Evangelism had been
accepted for publication, the Trustees commissioned the preparation of a
manuscript on the home. When the materials were assembled, following the same
methods used for Evangelism, there was enough for two books, The
Adventist Home and Child Guidance.
[Top of Document]
When all the items Ellen White was known to have written
on a given subject are assembled, often there is such a wealth of material that
it is difficult to hold the volume to a reasonable number of pages. When the
material for Mind, Character, and Personality was brought together,
there was such an abundance of material that it had to be issued in two
volumes.
In planning a new Ellen White book, there is always the
question of whether the volume should be limited to statements not already
available in previous books, or whether, for the sake of making the book a
complete unit in itself, all the counsel relating to the subject should be
included, regardless of whether some statements are in other of her books.
After in-depth study, the conclusion usually is reached that the book should be
complete in itself. "Compile: To compose (a book, etc.) of materials
gathered from various sources."
Through the years since her death, the White Estate
board has been requested to prepare compilations on various subjects. The board
considers only those projects thought to make a definite contribution to the
needs of the church, and counsels with church leaders before commencing any
project. Some people have the misconception that compilations are just a
rearrangement of materials appearing in other published books. The fact is,
most compilations include previously unpublished counsel and instruction from
Ellen White's letters and manuscripts. The Trustees see no light in
recycling the counsels available in books already in print.
[Top of Document]
While all compilations are prepared in essentially the
same way, not all are prepared for the same purpose; that is, some are more of
an encyclopedic or reference type, such as Counsels on Diet and Foods.
This book is not designed to be read as a narrative from cover to cover, but to
bring together counsels on certain topics in an orderly and easily accessible
way. The devotional books are just that--devotional. They are planned as brief
readings to direct one's thoughts toward God at the beginning of the day.
Other, larger books, such as the Conflict of the Ages series, give a thrilling
history from creation to the second advent of Christ. Still others give counsel
on various aspects of everyday life.
[Top of Document]
Now back to the questions asked in the beginning of this
article.
Whether counsel was published before or after Ellen
White's death has no bearing on the inspiration of the counsel. Printing
the materials before her death did not give them more inspiration, nor are they
any less her work after her death. While alive she participated in drawing
together materials from articles and letters to be published in books, the
preparation of which she could oversee. In her will she gave the charge to her
Board of Trustees to continue this work, and to supervise its preparation in
her stead.
In the books prepared since Ellen White's death the
Trustees feel confident that they have followed Ellen White's instructions
when she wrote:
"Abundant light has been given to our people in
these last days. Whether or not my life is spared, my writings will constantly
speak, and their work will go forward as long as time shall last. My writings
are kept on file in the office, and even though I should not live, these words
that have been given to me by the Lord will still have life and will speak to
the people."--Letter 371, 1907. (See Selected Messages, book 3, p.
76.)
The Board of Trustees and the White Estate staff take
seriously their responsibilities in rightly representing Ellen White and her
teachings. When materials are prepared for publication, the only adjustments
made are grammatical. We feel that her guidelines to her secretaries provide
this authority. If a word needs to be supplied in order to make a sentence
clear, that word is placed in brackets so that the reader knows it is supplied.
No one at the White Estate ever adds his or her own words to Ellen White's
material. If it is felt that additional information is needed, it is placed in
a footnote or in an appendix. References are given so that the researcher can
check the original sources. Enough context is supplied so that the material can
stand on its own. If material is adapted or paraphrased, this is clearly and
prominently stated.
Subtitles or side headings, which help to organize the
materials, are supplied by the compiler, but all of the text is written by
Ellen White. The compiler seeks to be entirely objective, avoiding personal
bias in selecting materials. The final product is designed to represent Ellen
White's full thought on a subject and is scrtinized by a committee to
guard against misrepresentation.
When a new book is brought out, it is indeed an Ellen G.
White book, even though she is no longer living and cannot give her personal
attention to it. If she were here, no doubt she would add connective phrasing
to join certain paragraphs for a smooth flow. Since this is a task reserved for
the author only, the compilers sometimes use side headings to introduce the
next subject or idea, but they never add phrasing to connect one paragraph or
thought with another.
So, the answers to the questions asked at the beginning
of the article are: Yes, books published posthumously under Ellen White's
by-line are truly Ellen G. White books; No, they are not products of other
writers; and, Yes, they contain inspired messages given by God for the
guidance, edification, and strength of the church in these last days of
earth's history.
Norma J. Collins
Associate Director, Ellen G. White
Estate
May 1995, Updated December 2001
Based on an article by Arthur L.
White
For further information see:
"How Ellen
White's Books Were Written," by W. C. White, June 18, 1935.
"In Defense of Compilations," by Arthur L. White, in
Spectrum, August 1985/
Brief Statements Regarding the Writings of
Ellen G. White, by W. C. White
and D. E. Robinson, 1933. Reprinted as
Supplement to Adventist Review, June 4, 1981.
How the Desire of
Ages Was Written, by Robert W. Olson, 1979.
"Guidelines for
Editing Ellen G. White Material," by Kenneth H. Wood, September, 1989.