The Case in Brief

In conclusion, let us briefly summarize a few important features of Mrs. White’s work as herein presented.BSRWEGW 11.3

It was at the command of God, and in the face of insurmountable difficulties that she undertook to write for the church and for the world.BSRWEGW 11.4

Through the years the work grew and multiplied beyond all expectations. In addition to many messages of counsel and reproof and exhortation to the church, there were opened to her mind many graphic scenes connected with the age-long controversy beginning in heaven, and continuing till the final restoration of all things.BSRWEGW 11.5

Mrs. White read such books as she considered would be helpful to her in acquiring skill in presenting in clear, forceful language the instruction she had to give. Here was not, however, a case of one void of the thoughts she wished to present, and consulting books for the purpose of finding themes upon which she might write. On the contrary abundant light had been given her and she was looking for helpful and concise forms of expression and for gems of truth tersely expressed. This she did with the divine assurance that she would be guided in distinguishing the true from the false.BSRWEGW 11.6

In some instances she copied or paraphrased statements that exactly suited her purpose from historians of good repute, especially descriptive passages where she found them to be in exact accord with what had been revealed to her. In some instances these sentences were enclosed in quotation marks and in some instances they were not, especially where she paraphrased the wording to better express her thoughts.BSRWEGW 11.7

Mrs. White’s copying from others was not a necessity, but was done chiefly to conserve time and in the interests of brevity and forcefulness.BSRWEGW 11.8

She acted without knowledge of the literary standards that would count a moderate use of others’ writings as unfair or worthy of condemnation.BSRWEGW 11.9

Moreover, it is a fact that the present literary standards are not in all respects what they were a half century ago when the matter in question was written. We should do injustice to many an author who wrote fifty years ago were we to measure his work by the rules and standards of today.BSRWEGW 11.10

We must also recognize the fact that there is no evidence of intention on the part of Mrs. White to deceive her readers. Had she been largely dependent upon the writings of others for her thoughts, and had she endeavored to use as her own their ideas, and to keep this as a secret, she would not have chosen standard books such as D’Aubigne’s History of the Reformation, Wylie’s History of Protestantism, and Conybeare and Howson’s Life and Epistles of the Apostle Paul, which were and are in wide circulation, and many of which she knew to be in the libraries of the prospective buyers of her books.BSRWEGW 12.1

Not only have Mrs. White’s critics given a greatly exaggerated idea as to the quantity of matter found in her books that closely parallels the writings of other authors, but they have drawn most unwarranted conclusions therefrom. We feel assured that those who are familiar with the nature of Mrs. White’s writings as a whole and who candidly consider the facts herein set forth will not lightly accept as against her the charge that she was a “plagiarist,” as that term is generally understood.BSRWEGW 12.2

We should point out more clearly the fact that the class of matter written by Mrs. White, in which she used the writings of others, is comparatively small, when considering the vast field covered by her writings. It is in the delineation in prophetic and doctrinal exposition that we find that she used the words of others or had closely paraphrased them. In the vast field covering thousands of pages of messages of encouragement, reproof, and spiritual instruction, she worked independent of all other writers, also in her divine prediction of future experiences through which the church must pass. This is very evident by the nature of the matter written.BSRWEGW 12.3

Her use of historical matter was a means to the greater end,—to bring into brief form the indisputable facts of history, so as to emphasize the thoughts revealed to her, and to lay the foundation for the understanding of future events. Truly it will be a great misfortune if any reader shall allow the question of her use of some passages from the writings of others, to blind his mind that he cannot appreciate the great truths which are invaluable to the church and the world today.BSRWEGW 12.4