“Spiritual Gifts,” Volumes 3 and 4

Prefacing Spiritual Gifts, volume 3, Mrs. White declared her purpose in presenting to the public “this, my third little volume.” Because the Bible dwells at considerable length on the sins and apostasies of some of the servants of God and treats sparingly of praise of noble deeds and holy lives, infidels have sought to denounce all Bible characters as unworthy. Much insight had been given in vision to Ellen White as to the balanced picture of the lives of these men, and she felt it a duty to present the light. The author also indicated that a further volume was in prospect.APAY 304.2

“When I commenced writing, I hoped to bring all into this volume, but am obliged to close the history of the Hebrews, take up the cases of Saul, David, Solomon, and others, and treat upon the subject of Health, in another volume.” Spiritual Gifts 3:6.APAY 304.3

Spiritual Gifts, volume 1, passes over the time from the fall of man to the first advent of Christ without comment. Volume 3 begins with the story of creation week, expands the early history of the antediluvian world, and tells of the Flood and events that followed down to the Exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, their arrival at Sinai, and their reception of the law.APAY 304.4

The first half of volume 4 treats of the building of the sanctuary, experiences of the Israelites while traveling through the wilderness, and the early kings of Israel before the division of the kingdom, and it closes with miscellaneous chapters on health, some personal experiences, and the delusions of teachings regarding progression. Thus volumes 1, 3, and the first half of 4 combined cover the high points from the fall of Satan to the ultimate eradication of sin. Still the account had not been given in detail. Two major steps remained to be taken before the great-controversy story reached the form in which we find it today.APAY 306.1