The Counsels Are Gathered

With this assignment, the working team, under the guidance of the fostering committee, undertook their work. They did not begin with an outline as to what should go into the book, but they took the position that the materials themselves should determine the outline and the emphasis. Consequently, they set about to assemble all the E. G. White materials which might have a bearing on the subject of evangelism. Every E. G. White source was drawn from the current books; early, out-of-print books and pamphlets; periodical articles; and the E. G. White manuscript files. The Index to the Writings of Mrs. E. G. White guided to the sources in the current published works. The card indexes in the White Publications vault led to the other sources. All the materials which might have a bearing on the subject were copied, regardless of repetitious materials, each statement on a separate sheet for convenience in handling.EGWMR 95.6

This mass of material—several thousand pages—was finally ready. As the statements were being gathered out and copied, the working team found a general outline becoming apparent—an outline determined by the materials themselves and by the Ellen G. White emphasis. The next step was to set down this outline in its general features. In this case, there were some twenty general divisions, or sections. Now the materials were sorted out according to these sections. This sorting led the working team to the formation of a more detailed outline for the various sections. Next, the materials that fell naturally into each section were grouped according to the various topics that would comprise a section.EGWMR 95.7

This being done, each of the twenty groups of materials was carefully studied. The best and most comprehensive statements, regardless of their source, were selected and arranged in their logical order. Side headings were then chosen. Each member of the working team did the initial work on certain sections, and this was thoroughly and carefully reviewed by the other member. The body of material, now in this preliminary arrangement, was copied, and a copy was furnished to each member of the fostering committee.EGWMR 95.8

The materials were read carefully by the fostering committee, and suggestions were made as to arrangement, headings, the inclusion of items that might have been overlooked, and the deletion of repetitious statements.EGWMR 95.9