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    Are Mrs. White’s Writings Worthy of Confidence?

    There are men who assert that the writings of Mrs. White are not worthy of confidence, because she has copied from other writers. Let us study this matter in a thorough and fair minded way.BSRWEGW 5.3

    When in the early days of her public labors, Ellen White was bidden to write the things that had been revealed to her in heavenly vision, it appeared to her to be an impossibility. The views were amazing in their character. Many things were presented in figures and many things in panorama. Spiritual truths were presented in a brilliancy that human language could hardly describe, and historical events were vividly pictured, sometimes with clear geographical and chronological setting, and sometimes without such setting.BSRWEGW 5.4

    What an overwhelming task! How could she find courage to make a beginning? Her command of language was inadequate,—What could she do?BSRWEGW 5.5

    Much of her time was occupied with traveling and preaching, and much time was demanded for personal labor with individuals. Nevertheless, the burden was constantly pressed upon her to write, write, write for publication.BSRWEGW 5.6

    She must study the Bible and church history to find the correct geographical and chronological setting of some of the scenes and events revealed to her. She must strive to improve her language, both in speaking and in writing. She must endeavor to give proper expression to the deep spiritual truths vividly revealed to her in vision. She must battle with weakness and disease, that she might have power to successfully minister.BSRWEGW 5.7

    By faith she battled, battled, battled with difficulties, with sickness in the family, with a wayward and backslidden church, with an unbelieving world. Time and again she was told by physicians that she had but a few months to live and then in a most marvelous way, she was snatched from the edge of the grave in answer to prayer. Steadily she advanced in knowledge, and by the blessing of God, in power for service.BSRWEGW 5.8

    The one who gave her the wonderful views told her to write them. He told her whom she could trust to copy and prepare them for publication and He gave her counsel regarding the plan of her books.BSRWEGW 5.9

    In her early experience when she was sorely distressed over the difficulty of putting into human language the revelations of truths that had been imparted to her, she was reminded of the fact that all wisdom and knowledge comes from God and she was assured that God would bestow grace and guidance. She was told that in the reading of religious books and journals, she would find precious gems of truth expressed in acceptable language, and that she would be given help from heaven to recognize these and to separate them from the rubbish of error with which she would sometimes find them associated.BSRWEGW 5.10

    In her writings regarding the events of ancient and modern history, and especially the history of the great reformation of the sixteenth century, she sometimes made quotations from historians. These were usually enclosed in quotation marks, but without giving specific credit to the historians from which they were taken. Where the historian stated what she desired to present but in language too extended for her use, she would in some cases paraphrase the statement, using some of the words of the book and some of her own words. In this way she was able to present forceful and comprehensive statements in a brief way.BSRWEGW 5.11

    Regarding this use of matter which she copied from reliable authors, she said,—BSRWEGW 6.1

    “The great events which have marked the progress of reform in past ages, are matters of history, well known and universally acknowledged by the Protestant world; they are facts which none can gainsay. This history I have presented briefly, in accordance with the scope of the book, and the brevity which must necessarily be observed, the facts having been condensed into as little space as seemed consistent with a proper understanding of their application. In some cases where a historian has so grouped together events as to afford, in brief, a comprehensive view of the subject, or has summarized details in a convenient manner, his words have been quoted; but except in a few instances no specific credit has been given, since they are not quoted for the purpose of citing that writer as authority, but because his statement affords a ready and forcible presentation of the subject. In narrating the experience and views of those carrying forward the work of reform in our own time, similar use has occasionally been made of their published works.”—Introduction to Great Controversy, pp. 11, 12, printed in 1888.

    Mrs. White never claimed to be an authority on the details of history. She never wrote to correct historians. She never wrote history merely for the entertainment of her readers. She regarded a knowledge of history as helpful to a proper understanding of the great conflict going on in heaven and earth over the eternal destinies of men. She regarded the records of the conflicts and victories of men in past days, as intended for our instruction upon whom the ends of the earth have come.BSRWEGW 6.2

    She recognized that there was a difference of opinion among historians regarding some historical events and was not surprised or perturbed when she was told that in some detailed description she had used statements from the pen of some writers which were disputed by other historians.BSRWEGW 6.3

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