Chapter 9—Summary

Now back to the questions asked in the beginning of this article.CWAWAN 6.2

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.CWAWAN 6.3

In the books prepared since Ellen White’s death the Trustees feel confident that they have followed Ellen White’s instructions when she wrote:CWAWAN 6.4

“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 3:76.)

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.CWAWAN 7.1

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 scrutinized by a committee to guard against misrepresentation.CWAWAN 7.2

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.CWAWAN 7.3

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.CWAWAN 7.4

Norma J. Collins
Associate Director, Ellen G. White Estate
May 1995, Updated December 2001
Based on an article by Arthur L. WhiteCWAWAN 7.5

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.