Work in Australia on the Life of Christ

So the work in Australia on the life of Christ did not consist in producing creatively, chapter after chapter, but rather in Ellen White's writing more fully what had been revealed to her on Christ's life in many visions. Her time was much taken up with the developing work in Australia; Marian Davis, of whom little has been said, was busily occupied in drawing out from the various E. G. White sources materials that would broaden and enrich the presentation of the 1870s. Writing of this a decade later, Ellen White explained:4BIO 380.6

I feel very thankful for the help of Sister Marian Davis in getting out my books. She gathers materials from my diaries, from my letters, and from the articles published in the papers. I greatly prize her faithful service. She has been with me for twenty-five years, and has constantly been gaining increasing ability for the work of classifying and grouping my writings.—Letter 9, 1903 (see also Selected Messages 3:93).4BIO 381.1

At another time, writing of Miss Davis’ work, Ellen White explained:4BIO 381.2

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.4BIO 381.3

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 also Selected Messages 3:91, 92).4BIO 381.4

In this letter she mentioned Marian as her “bookmaker.”4BIO 381.5