Chapter 3—The Writing of The Desire of Ages

All through the years it was Sister White’s desire to deal very fully in her writings with the mission of Christ, His ministry, His teachings, and His sacrifice for us. She wrote much on this phase of the conflict in the ‘70’s, which was published in Volumes Two and Three of the Spirit of Prophecy, but this did not satisfy her. So when work on Patriarchs and Prophets was finished and had gone to the publisher, she turned her thoughts to the preparation of a more comprehensive treatise on the life of Christ. For this work she carried a great burden, and we find many references in her letters to her hopes of soon being able to get the book under way.HEWBW 15.1

It was her hope when she went to Australia that much time could be devoted to this work. During the years 1892 to 1898 she was led to spend considerable time in the preparation of chapters for this book.HEWBW 15.2

In the preparation of this book on the life of Christ, as in the preparation of other later publications, she did not sit down and write the book straight through, chapter by chapter, in the order in which we find them today. She had those who were employed as her helpers, gather together what she had written in former years on the subject. This material was found in her published books, in articles that had appeared in periodicals, and in her letters and manuscripts.HEWBW 15.3

With this material in hand, she wrote many additional articles, as the experiences of Christ were opened anew to her. Then when these passages, with what she had written in former years were grouped in their natural order, she worked with energy to write in the connecting history.HEWBW 15.4

Altogether her writings on the life and teachings of our Saviour were found to be so voluminous that they could not all be contained in one volume. So Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, Christ’s Object Lessons, and a portion of Ministry of Healing, were made up of the overflow material, which could not be included in the already voluminous book on the life of Christ.HEWBW 15.5

We get a glimpse of the intensity under which Sister White wrote while preparing copy for this wonderful book, in a letter written in 1892 which she addressed to Elder Olsen, president of the General Conference:HEWBW 16.1

“I walk with trembling before God. I know not how to speak or trace with pen the large subject of the atoning sacrifice. I know not how to present subjects in the living power in which they stand before me. I tremble for fear lest I shall belittle the great plan of salvation by cheap words. I bow my soul in awe and reverence before God and say, ‘Who is sufficient for these things?’”—Letter 40, 1892.

Many letters written by Sister White during these years express her disappointment at being so pressed with other duties that she could make but slow progress with the work on the book. In 1894 she wrote:HEWBW 16.2

“Now after I have been in this country nearly three years, there is still much to be done before the book will be ready for publication. Many branches of work have demanded my attention. I am pressed beyond measure with the work of writing out testimonies, caring for the poor, and traveling with my own conveyance, 8, 11, and 13 miles to meet with the churches.”

Pressed with these burdens and cares, she did much of her writing when others were asleep. “My time for writing usually commences at three o’clock in the morning,” she says, “when all in the house are asleep. Often I am awakened at half past twelve, one or two o’clock.”—Letter 114, 1896.

One such morning, before resuming her writing on the book, she penned the following in her diary:HEWBW 16.3

“I awaken at half past two, and offer up my prayer to God in the name of Jesus. I am weak in physical strength; my head is not free from pain; my left eye troubles me. In writing upon the life of Christ, I am deeply wrought upon. I forget to breathe as I should. I cannot endure the intensity of feeling that comes over me as I think of what Christ suffered in our world. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed, if we receive Him by faith as our personal Saviour.”—Ms 70, 1897.