How Shall We Regard Her Writings?

A candid study of the experience and writings of Mrs. White show them to be the earnest, persistent and conscientious effort to present to the church and the world, a clear and impressive view of the things revealed to her in heavenly vision,—an effort to present them in the very best language that she could find.BSRWEGW 6.4

Thousands of the readers of her books longing for spiritual help, feel that her writings appeal to their hearts as do no other writings outside of the Bible.BSRWEGW 6.5

There are some persons who, after sharing the blessings which accompany the study of these writings and enjoying the conviction that the truths presented are the voice of inspiration, have been shaken in their confidence in the heaven-sent truths, because the writer presented the divine thoughts in imperfect language. And others have lost confidence because the writer in her intense desire for the best forms of expression sometimes clothed the thoughts in language previously used by other writers. By some this feature of her writings has been criticized,—the extent of her use of others’ phraseology is greatly exaggerated, and the use of expressions borrowed from others, held up to contempt as plagiarism.BSRWEGW 6.6

One who freely appropriates the writings of another without giving credit is called a plagiarist. If this is done with the intent to deceive or to increase financial gain, it is plainly censurable.BSRWEGW 7.1

An unprejudiced consideration of all the facts bearing upon the work of Mrs. White in writing out for the people the wonderful things revealed to her, permits the charge of plagiarism, as a shadow on her work, to sink into insignificance.BSRWEGW 7.2

That this was not the case in Mrs. White’s work may be easily discerned, for when some questioned her use of historical matter from other authors, she herself made a statement explaining the use she had made of such matter. This appears in the introduction to Great Controversy 1888 edition and all subsequent editions. The statement follows:BSRWEGW 7.3

[The Great Controversy, 11, 12 is quoted. See above, p. 6, where the identical passage appears.]BSRWEGW 7.4