The year 1870 opened with James and Ellen White living and working in Battle Creek. A number of factors united to make the situation for them much more comfortable than it had been for some months. J. N. Andrews was editing the Review. He had traveled and lived with James and Ellen for months at a time when he was serving as General Conference president. He had closely observed the fruitage of Ellen's work, her powerful influence in the churches. His testimony now in Battle Creek was positive. Through the columns of the Review, he and James were able to bring about a change in some basic understandings and attitudes. Before 1869 closed, substantial James White articles entitled “Our Faith and Hope, or Reasons Why We Believe as We Do” appeared weekly in the Review. The twenty-five first-page presentations ran well into 1870. Then on the editorial pages for January 25 and February 1 there were James White articles titled “The Spirit of Prophecy,” presenting the Biblical basis for the expectation of the gift in the church. 2BIO 284.6
The back page of the issue of February 8 carried an announcement of the Testimonies in permanent, hardbound form: 2BIO 285.1
Testimonies 17 and 18.—For the convenience of our friends we have caused a quantity of these two numbers to be bound together in a neat, substantial volume of 399 pages. This presents much important matter in convenient and desirable form. We need only state to our friends that these works are to be obtained in this form, to insure an extensive demand for this bound volume. Price 80 cents postage paid. 2BIO 285.2
Apparently the author of the note was not the only one who felt this way. The same Review page quoted from a letter by a layman, J. H. Rogers, giving his opinion that “Testimony No. 18 should be in the house of every believer in the message of present truth. It should be a book at hand for all who are desirous of overcoming this world and the evils therein.” He added, 2BIO 285.3
Dear brethren and sisters, there is reproof, correction, and instruction for all in this Testimony. I acknowledge many things apply to myself, to which I mean to try to take heed and overcome, for only the pure and holy will be able to enter the pearly gates. 2BIO 285.4