Mrs. White's Department

At the General Conference session held in February, 1871, James White was elected editor of the Health Reformer. In his reorganization of the journal he would continue “Dr. Trall's Special Department” and introduce a new one, “Mrs. White's Department. “Having observed the efficacy of her work with the general public at camp meetings, he persuaded her to take hold with him in attempts to save the paper.2BIO 308.1

Ellen White's consent to take on this task committed her to the work of a columnist, responsible for furnishing copy sufficient to fill from four to six pages of the Health Reformer each month. This meant that each month, six weeks before publication date, she must have, at the office of publication, materials aggregating from 3,200 to 4,800 words (eight hundred words per Reformer page).2BIO 308.2