3AMS

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〉 Appendix C

Appendix C

W. C. White letter to L. E. Froom, [At that time Elder Froom was an associate secretary of the General Conference Ministerial Association.] January 8, 1928

January 8, 1928 (3SM 451)

Dear Brother Froom (3SM 451)

Yesterday’s mail brought me your letter of January 3. In it you present some queries calling for a reply from me. (3SM 451.1)

You refer to a memory of a conversation with me in which you think I remarked that Mother said with reference to some of her writings, “My work is to prepare; your work is to shape it up.” (3SM 451.2)

I do not remember of ever hearing Mother make such a statement, and I do not think that any of her helpers ever heard her make such a statement. The thought which would prompt such a statement is not in harmony with her ideas regarding her work and the work of her copyists and secretaries. (3SM 451.3)

There is a statement which I have made to several of our leading workers from which the idea conveyed in your query may have developed. I have told them that in the early days of our work, Mother had written a testimony to an individual or to a group, containing information and counsel that would be valuable to others, and the brethren were questioning her as to howit ought to be used. She said to my father often and sometimes to him and his associates—“I have done my part. I have written out what the Lord has revealed to me. Now it is for you to say how it shall be used.” (3SM 451.4)

You will readily see that such a proposition was very reasonable. My father and his associates were in contact with all the problems pertaining to the cause of present truth, which has since developed into the work of the General Conference, and it was a wise provision of heaven that they should share in the responsibility of saying how and in what manner the messages should be placed before whom they were intended to benefit. (3SM 452.1)

You seem to think that if there was such a statement as referred to in your letter, it would be a benefit to some of our brethren. I cannot comprehend how it would benefit them. Possibly you can make it plain to me. (3SM 452.2)

Regarding the two paragraphs which are to be found in Spiritual Gifts and also in the Spirit of Prophecy regarding amalgamation and the reason why they were left out of the later books, and the question as to who took the responsibility of leaving them out, I can speak with perfect clearness and assurance. They were left out by Ellen G. White. No one connected with her work had any authority over such a question, and I never heard of anyone offering to her counsel regarding this matter. (3SM 452.3)

In all questions of this kind, you may set it down as a certainty that Sister White was responsible for leaving out or adding to matters of this sort in the later editions of our books. (3SM 452.4)

Sister White not only had good judgment based upon a clear and comprehensive understanding of conditions and of the natural consequences of publishing what she wrote, but she had many times direct instruction from the angel of the Lord regarding what should be omitted and what should be added in new editions.... (3SM 452.5)

Consider for a few moments the chapter in the first edition of Great Controversy, Volume IV, published by pacific press in 1884. In Chapter XXVII, “The Snares of Satan,” you find that about four pages in the latter partof the chapter were omitted from the later editions of Great Controversy. These four pages are to be found in Testimonies to Ministers, pages 472 to 475. The information contained in these four pages is very valuable to Seventh-day Adventists and was very appropriately included in the first edition of Great Controversy, Volume IV, which when it was published was like the other volumes considered to be a message especially to Seventh-day Adventists, and to [all] Christian people sympathizing with them in beliefs and aims. (3SM 452.6)

But when it was decided that Great Controversy, Volume IV should be republished in form for general circulation by subscription agents, Ellen G. White suggested that the pages be left out because of the likelihood that ministers of popular churches reading those statements would become angered and would array themselves against the circulation of the book. (3SM 453.1)

Why will not our brethren study God’s merciful dealings to us by imparting information to us by the Spirit of Prophecy in its beautiful, harmonious, and helpful features, instead of picking and criticizing and dissecting, trying to cut it up into little mechanical concrete blocks such as we buy for our children to play with and then ask somebody else to fit it together so that it will make a pattern that pleases them and leave out the particular parts of the pattern that they do not like? I pray the Lord to give us patience and guidance in doing what we can to help such ones to see the beauty of God’s work. (3SM 453.2)

You refer to other letters containing questions which I have not answered. I hope to get at them soon, but not this morning.
Yours faithfully,
W. C. White (3SM 453.3)

W. C. White letter to L. E. Froom, January 8, 1928

Dear Brother Froom (3SM 453)

Since sending away a letter to you yesterday I havefound yours of December 22. In it you tell me that for two full years you have been encouraging Elder Daniells to prepare a book on the Spirit of Prophecy, but you failed to tell me what response he gives to these requests. (3SM 453.4)

Referring to the statements that have been published by Elder Loughborough, you speak of the stress placed upon him by the physical manifestations and intimate that these do not appeal to you. (3SM 454.1)

I fully agree with you that the great proof of the divine hand in the gift to the remnant church is in the internal evidence of the writings themselves. Nevertheless, I must believe that in the physical manifestations which have accompanied the bestowal of light and revelation, there is some real value; otherwise God would not have given them. Furthermore I am brought in contact with a great many people, earnest, sincere, and precious in the sight of the Lord, who do regard these physical manifestations as a matter of serious importance, and they testify that their faith has been greatly strengthened by a clear knowledge of the methods adopted by our heavenly father for the confirmation of the receivers in the light he has given them. (3SM 454.2)

You refer to the little statement which I sent you regarding verbal inspiration. This statement made by the General Conference of 1883 was in perfect harmony with the beliefs and positions of the pioneers in this cause, and it was, I think, the only position taken by any of our ministers and teachers until Prof. [W. W.] Prescott, president of Battle Creek College, presented in a very forceful way another view—the view held and presented by Professor Gausen. [Probably Francois Gaussen, a Swiss clergyman (1790-1863), who maintained that the Bible was verbally inspired.] The acceptance of that view by the students in the Battle Creek College and many others, including Elder Haskell, has resulted in bringing into our work questions and perplexities without end, and always increasing. (3SM 454.3)

Sister White never accepted the Gausen theoryregarding verbal inspiration, either as applied to her own work or as applied to the Bible. (3SM 454.4)

You say that in your endeavor to have a loyal and rational understanding of the background of this marvelous gift, you have been seeking to gain information concerning the various persons who helped Sister White in the literary phase of the work. (3SM 455.1)

It is my conviction, Brother Froom, that you will never get light regarding the background of the gift of the Spirit of Prophecy by studying the characteristics and qualifications of the faithful copyist and the copy editors, whom Sister White called to her assistance in preparing for publication articles for our periodical and chapters for her books. (3SM 455.2)

The foundation by which to fix faith in the messages which God has sent to His people, will be more readily found in the study of his dealings with His prophets in past ages. It seems to me that the study of the life and labors and writings of Saint Paul are more helpful and illuminating than any other line of study we might suggest, and I do not think we shall be greatly helped in establishing confidence in the writings of Paul by searching to make a list of his helpers and by study into their history and their experience. It is easy for me to believe that Jeremiah was directed of God in his selection of Baruch as a copyist; also that Paul had heavenly wisdom in selecting those who should act as his amanuensis from time to time according to his needs. (3SM 455.3)

It is my belief that Sister Ellen G. White had heavenly guidance in choosing the persons who should act as copyists and those who should help to prepare articles for our periodicals and chapters for our books. (3SM 455.4)

I am well acquainted with the circumstances which led her to select some of these workers and of the direct encouragements given her regarding their qualifications and trustworthiness for the work. I also know of instances where she was directed to instruct, to caution, and sometimes to dismiss from her employ those whose lack of spirituality disqualified them for satisfactoryservice. Regarding this, Elder Starr could give you an interesting chapter regarding Sister White’s experience with Miss Fannie Bolton, and I could tell you of a circumstance under which she was separated from her own niece, Mary Clough, whom she greatly loved. (3SM 455.5)

In the early ‘60’s, Sister White was unaided, except by her husband, who would listen to her as she read chapters of manuscript and would suggest grammatical corrections as they occurred to his mind. As a little boy I remember witnessing circumstances like this—Elder White in his weariness would be lying on the sofa and sister White would bring in a chapter written for Spiritual Gifts and would read to him and he would suggest, as stated above, grammatical corrections. Articles for the Testimonies were treated in a similar way. (3SM 456.1)

Beside the few testimonies which were printed, many personal testimonies were sent to individuals and oftentimes Sister White would write saying, “I have no one to copy this testimony. Please make a copy for yourself and send the original back to me.” As a result of this method of work, we have in our manuscript vault many of the early testimonies in Sister White’s handwriting. (3SM 456.2)

In the earlier ‘60’s, Sister Lucinda M. Hall acted as sister White’s housekeeper, secretary, and sometimes traveling companion. She was both timid and conscientious, and only the plainest grammatical errors were corrected by her. About 1862, Sister Adelia Patten connected with the White family and did some copying for Sister White. Later on she connected with the Review and Herald. (3SM 456.3)

In the Autumn of 1872 Sister White visited Colorado and became acquainted with her niece Mary C. Clough, and in '74, '75 and '76 Miss Clough assisted in preparing copy for Spirit of Prophecy, Volumes II and III. She also accompanied Elder and Mrs. White in their camp-meeting labors and acted as reporter for the public press. In so doing, she was the first publicity agent regularly employed by the denomination and may be looked up toas the grandmother of our publicity department. (3SM 456.4)

Her experience as a newspaper reporter, the confidence that she thus gained and the praise that was heaped upon her work, unfitted her for the delicate and sacred work of being copy editor for Review articles and the chapters for the Great Controversy. In a vision it was presented to Sister White that she and Mary were looking at some wondrous developments in the sky. They meant much to Sister White, but to Mary they seemed to mean nothing; and the angel said, “Spiritual things are spiritually discerned,” and then instructed Sister White that she should no longer employ her niece as her book editor. (3SM 457.1)

During '68, '69, and '70, various ones were employed by Sister White to copy her testimonies. Among them were miss Emma Sturgess, afterward the wife of Amos Prescott; Miss Anna Hale, afterward the wife of Irwin Royce; and others, whose names I do not now remember. (3SM 457.2)

After the death of Elder [James] White in 1881, Sister White employed Sister Marian Davis. She had been for some years a proofreader in the Review and Herald, and Sister White received assurance through revelation that Sister Davis would be a conscientious and faithful helper. Later on Sister Eliza Burnham was employed by Sister White, and at one time Mrs. B. L. Whitney and Fannie Bolton were employed at Battle Creek as helpers when there was much work to do. Sister Davis was with Sister White in Europe in 1886 and 1887. She was also Sister White’s principal helper in Australia. (3SM 457.3)

As the work in Australia grew, Sister Burnham was called to assist in the book editing, and Maggie Hare and Minnie Hawkins were employed as copyists. (3SM 457.4)

I had forgotten to mention that during the years when Sister White was in Healdsburg, Sister J. I. Ings did much copying of testimonies and of manuscripts. (3SM 457.5)

At one time, while we were in Australia, it was proposed that the Special Testimonies to Ministers (I.E.,Special Testimonies, Series A) published and sent out by Elder [O. A.] Olsen [General Conference president.] in the early ‘90’s should be reprinted—the matter to be grouped according to subjects. While this was under consideration, it happened that Elder W. A. Colcord, who had once been secretary of the General Conference and for many years a leading writer on religious liberty topics, was out of employment, and at my solicitations Sister White employed him to take the special testimonies and group the matter according to subjects for republication. He spent several weeks on this work and was paid by Sister White; but the work was never used. If I remember correctly, this was the extent of his connection with her literary work. (3SM 457.6)

The last work done by Sister Davis was the selection and arrangement of the matter used in Ministry of Healing. (3SM 458.1)

Elder C. C. Crisler assisted Sister White in selecting and arranging the matter appearing in Acts of the Apostles and Prophets and Kings. (3SM 458.2)

This sketch of the work and the workers does not claim to be complete. It was never considered by me or by any of Sister White’s helpers that the personnel of her working force was of any primary interest to the readers of her books. She wrote the matter. She wrote very fully. There was always a controversy between her and the publishers regarding the quantity of matter that should be used. Sister White was best pleased when a subject was presented very fully, and the publishers were always bringing pressure to bear to have the matter condensed or abbreviated so that the book would not be too large. Consequently, after important chapters were prepared for the printer, and sometimes after they were sent to the printer, a new presentation of the subject would be given Sister White, and she would write additional matter and insist upon its being incorporated. This experience applied chiefly to the Great Controversy, Vol. IV. (3SM 458.3)

A corresponding difficulty regarding the amount ofmatter prepared for Desire of Ages was overcome in part by the setting apart of portions which were used in Christ’s Object Lessons and Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing. (3SM 458.4)

Regarding the reading of works of contemporary authors during the time of the preparation of these books, there is very little to be said, because, when Sister White was busily engaged in writing she had very little time to read. Previous to her work of writing on the life of Christ and during the time of her writing, to some extent, she read from the works of Hanna, Fleetwood, Farrar, and Geikie. I never knew of her reading Edersheim. She occasionally referred to Andrews, particularly with reference to chronology. (3SM 459.1)

Why did she read any of these books? The great events of the conflict of the ages as brought out in the Great Controversy [i.e., Conflict] Series, were presented to her in part at many different times. In the first presentation a brief outline was given her as represented in the third section of the book now called Early Writings. (3SM 459.2)

Later on the great events of the patriarchal age and the experience of the prophets were presented to her as brought out in her articles in Testimonies for the Church, and in her series of articles published in later years in the Review, The Signs of the Times, and the Southern Watchman. These series, you will remember, deal quite fully with the work of Ezra, Nehemiah, Jeremiah, and other of the prophets. (3SM 459.3)

The great events occurring in the life of our Lord were presented to her in panoramic scenes as also were the other portions of the Great Controversy. In a few of these scenes chronology and geography were clearly presented, but in the greater part of the revelation the flashlight scenes, which were exceedingly vivid, and the conversations and the controversies, which she heard and was able to narrate, were not marked geographically or chronologically, and she was left to study the Bible and history, and the writings of men who had presented thelife of our Lord to get the chronological and geographical connection. (3SM 459.4)

Another purpose served by the reading of history and the Life of Our Lord [This may refer to William Hanna’s Life of Our Lord (1863).] And the Life of St. Paul, was that in so doing there was brought vividly to her mind scenes presented clearly in vision, but which were through the lapse of years and her strenuous ministry, dimmed in her memory. (3SM 460.1)

Many times in the reading of Hanna, Farrar, or Fleetwood, she would run on to a description of a scene which had been vividly presented to her, but forgotten, and which she was able to describe more in detail than that which she had read. (3SM 460.2)

Notwithstanding all the power that God had given her to present scenes in the lives of Christ and His apostles and His prophets and His reformers in a stronger and more telling way than other historians, yet she always felt most keenly the results of her lack of school education. She admired the language in which other writers had presented to their readers the scenes which God had presented to her in vision, and she found it both a pleasure, and a convenience and an economy of time to use their language fully or in part in presenting those things which she knew through revelation, and which she wished to pass on to her readers. (3SM 460.3)

In many of her manuscripts as they come from her hand quotation marks are used. In other cases they were not used; and her habit of using parts of sentences found in the writings of others and filling in a part of her own composition, was not based upon any definite plan nor was it questioned by her copyists and copy writers until about 1885 and onward. (3SM 460.4)

When critics pointed out this feature of her work as a reason for questioning the gift which had enabled her to write, she paid little attention to it. Later on, when complaint was made that this was an injustice to other publishers and writers, she made a decided change—achange which you are familiar with. (3SM 460.5)

It is my belief, Brother Froom, that I cannot too frequently restate the fact that Sister White’s mind was keenly active with reference to the contents of the articles published in our periodicals, and the chapters composing her books, and that she had help from heaven and was remarkably acute in detecting any error made by copyists or by copy editors. This condition prevailed during all her busy years before the death of her husband and after the death of her husband, during her ministry in Europe and Australia and in the greater part of the years spent in America after her return from Australia. (3SM 461.1)

In her very last years her supervision was not so comprehensive, but she was marvelously blessed in her intelligence in directing regarding the matter previously written which was being used in her last years and in pointing out those subjects which needed to be emphasized and those subjects which could be spared as we proceeded with the work of abridgment of the larger books in preparing copy for translation into foreign tongues. (3SM 461.2)

Please read this statement to Elder Daniells, and if you observe that in my haste I have left matter so that it can be easily misunderstood, please point this out to me and give me an opportunity to strengthen the matter before it is placed by you before others of your brethren. (3SM 461.3)

Yours truly, W. C. White (3SM 461)

W. C. White Letter to L. E. Froom At this time secretary of the General Conference Ministerial Association.] December 13, 1934

Dear Brother Froom (3SM 461)

I hold in my hand your letter of December 3. The questions you ask are very comprehensive and rather difficult to answer. (3SM 461.4)

It is a fact that during my thirty or more years of association with Ellen White I had the utmost confidence in her ministry. I know that she received revelations from God which were of untold value to the church and to the world. I did not enter as fully as some of our brethren wish to do in an analysis of the sources of information which enabled her to write her books. (3SM 462.1)

The framework of the great temple of truth sustained by her writings was presented to her clearly in vision. In some features of this work, information was given in detail. Regarding some features of the revelation, such as the features of prophetic chronology, as regards the ministration in the sanctuary and the changes that took place in 1844, the matter was presented to her many times and in detail many times, and this enabled her to speak very clearly and very positively regarding the foundation pillars of our faith. (3SM 462.2)

In some of the historical matters such as are brought out in Patriarchs and Prophets and in Acts of the Apostles, and in Great Controversy, the main outlines were made very clear and plain to her, and when she came to write up these topics, she was left to study the Bible and history to get dates and geographical relations and to perfect her description of details. (3SM 462.3)

Ellen White was a rapid reader and had a very retentive memory. The revelations which she had received enabled her to grip subjects regarding which she read in a vigorous way. This enabled her to select and appropriate that which was true and to discard that which was erroneous or doubtful. (3SM 462.4)

She read diligently the History of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century. Much of D’Aubigne’s history she read aloud to my father. She was an interested reader of religious journals, and during the many years that Uriah Smith was editor of the Review, It was her custom to request him after having made use of the religious exchanges, to pass them over to her and she would spend a portion of her time in scanning them in selecting precious things which sometimes appeared in the Review.In these she also gathered information regarding what was going on in the religious world. (3SM 462.5)

Regarding the study of books, there came a time shortly after the erection of the brick edifice which housed the Review and Herald plant that the large room facing the north end on the second floor was assigned to Elder and Mrs. White as their editorial and writing room. In this was located the Review and Herald library. To this Elder White made reference in his writings, and from the library Ellen White made selection of books which she considered profitable to read. (3SM 463.1)

It was remarkable that in her reading and scanning of books that her mind was directed to the most helpful books and to the most helpful passages contained in those books. Occasionally she would mention to Father, and in my presence, her experience in being led to examine a book which she had never looked into before, and her experience in opening it to certain passages that helped her in describing that which she had seen and wished to present. (3SM 463.2)

I am supposing that Bliss’s Memoirs was in this library, but I have no knowledge as to whether she read it or not. I never heard her mention that book in connection with her work. (3SM 463.3)

The explanatory notes found in her large subscription books were, some of them, written by herself, but most of them were written by J. H. Waggoner, Uriah Smith, and M. C. Wilcox in conjunction with Marian Davis. (3SM 463.4)

You ask if James White brought to Ellen White books, the reading of which would help her in her writing. I do not remember of any such occurrence. I do remember that she occasionally brought interesting passages which she had been reading to the attention of her husband. (3SM 463.5)

You ask if her helpers brought statements to her attention which they thought would help her in her writings. Nothing of this kind occurred previous to the writing of Great Controversy, Volume IV, at Healdsburg, in 1883 or 1884. Then it was seldom and related to minor details. (3SM 463.6)

When we were in Basel, in 1886, we had a very interesting experience with a group of translators. We found that our brethren in Europe were very desirous of having Great Controversy, Volume IV, translated in the French and German languages.... (3SM 464.1)

To provide this book for the French people, Elder Au Franc had been employed as translator and had put twenty or more chapters into what he considered his first-class French. Not everyone was satisfied with his translation and Elder Jean Vuilleumier had been employed to make a translation and had gotten through with a half dozen more chapters. (3SM 464.2)

Regarding the German, there were three attempts at translation. Professor Kuhns, Madam Bach, and Henry Fry were the translators. (3SM 464.3)

What should we do? Several persons were united in condemning each of these translations and it was difficult to find more than two persons who would speak a good word for either one. (3SM 464.4)

Elder Whitney, manager of the Basel office, recognized the fact that Sister White’s writing was difficult. The figures of speech were in some cases imperfectly understood by the translators, and in some cases where they were understood the translators did not know the religious phraseology of their own language well enough to give a correct translation. (3SM 464.5)

Finally a way was arranged. Each morning at nine o’clock, two of the German translators, two of the French translators, Elder Whitney, Sister Davis, and myself met in the editorial room and chapter by chapter of the English book was read and commented upon. The translators recognizing a difficult passage, would stop the reading and discuss between themselves what the wording should be in French and in German. Frequently Elder Whitney would stop the reading and say, “John, how would you translate that?” Then he would appeal to Elder au Franc saying, “Do you agree with that?”Discerning that they did not understand in completeness the English text, Sister Davis and Brother Whitney would discuss its meaning and then the translators would again propose translation. (3SM 464.6)

When we reached those chapters relating to the Reformation in Germany and France, the translators would comment on the appropriateness of the selection of historical events which Sister White had chosen, and in two instances which I remember, they suggested that there were other events of corresponding importance which she had not mentioned. When this was brought to her attention, she requested that the histories be brought to her that she might consider the importance of the events which had been mentioned. The reading of the history refreshed to her mind that which she had seen, after which she wrote a description of the event. (3SM 465.1)

I was with Mother when we visited Zurich and I well remember how thoroughly her mind was aroused by seeing the old cathedral and the marketplace, and she spoke of them as they were in the days of Zwingle. (3SM 465.2)

During her two years’ residence in Basel, she visited many places where events of special importance occurred in the Reformation days. This refreshed her memory as to what she had been shown and this led to important enlargement in those portions of the book dealing with the Reformation days.... (3SM 465.3)

With very kind regards, I remain,
Sincerely your brother,
W. C. White (3SM 465)