The upgraded five-hundred-page Great Controversy was enjoying an escalating sale. This led C. H. Jones, manager of the Pacific Press, to write Ellen White and her son, in Europe, pointing out the need of new printing plates. This would call for a resetting of the type for the book. 3BIO 435.4
The call for new typesetting put into motion a study of the text, with a contemplation of enlarging the book. Although at the time of writing, Ellen White had somewhat in mind that the book could reach beyond the ranks of Seventh-day Adventists, yet the terminology, and in some cases the content, was geared largely to Adventists. Now with the book being distributed by colporteurs to the general public, some adaptation of wording seemed desirable. Added to this was the fact that in Europe she was in the midst of Reformation history, a subject that bore heavily on the contents of the book. Moreover, the book was currently being translated into French and German. The combined elements called for a switch in plans for literary work in Basel. Volume 1 was laid aside, and a concentrated effort was made on volume 4. 3BIO 436.1
Study of the volume took on double objectives: to improve the book for a broader reading public, and to aid translators in obtaining a grasp of the finer meanings of the author. The fact that plans had already been set for Ellen White's return to the United States in late summer led to a hastening of this work. 3BIO 436.2