Chapter 37—(1900) Ellen White's Last Year in Australia

As the year 1900 opened, Ellen White was dividing her time and strength between the evangelistic interest at Maitland and her literary work. With this in mind on January 1, 1900, she wrote to Edson calling for her library to be sent to Australia:4BIO 448.1

I have sent for four or five large volumes of Barnes’ notes on the Bible. I think they are in Battle Creek in my house now sold, somewhere with my books. I hope you will see that my property, if I have any, is cared for and not scattered as common property everywhere. I may never visit America again, and my best books should come to me when it is convenient.—Letter 189, 1900.4BIO 448.2

After sending the final chapter of The Desire of Ages to the publishers in early 1898, Marian Davis turned her attention to the book on the parables, since it had been decided to lift these out of the manuscript on the life of Christ. She thus had in hand a sizable collection of E. G. White materials she had been laying aside for use. But as the work moved into this area, Ellen White was stirred to write rather copiously on this phase of Christ's ministry. In the year 1898 she wrote thirty-two manuscripts, averaging nearly ten pages each, dealing with the various object lessons by which Jesus taught. To these she added another seventeen during 1899. In some cases she wrote two or three times on the same topic, as she did on the wedding garment and the ten virgins. The resulting 487 pages provided bountiful resources from which Marian Davis could draw as she pulled together the chapters for the new book.4BIO 448.3

W. C. White, on June 18, 1899, mentioned the book in a letter to the manager of the Pacific Press:4BIO 449.1

Much valuable work is being done on the manuscript for the parables. This work has often been interrupted, but is nearing completion. The book will be larger than we had first intended, and much more valuable.—13 WCW, p. 291.4BIO 449.2

And to his brother he wrote on September 24:4BIO 449.3

For some days I have been engaged in giving a last reading to Mother's work on the parables, and I am deeply impressed that it will be one of the most useful and most popular books she has ever brought out. It will make a book of four hundred pages, I think, and if well illustrated, I have thought it would be a great seller.—14 WCW, p. 121.

As the finishing touches were being put on this volume, which came to be known as Christ's Object Lessons, Ellen White was thinking of books yet to be brought out. On June 16 she wrote to Edson:4BIO 449.4

My health is good when I do not have to stand on my feet to speak so often; but I am getting old. What I have to do I wish to do quickly and solidly.4BIO 449.5

I wish now to take the Old Testament history from Solomon to the last chapter of Malachi, and the New Testament history from the ascension of Christ to Revelation.... My writing ability continues, but how long this will be I know not.—Letter 102b, 1899.4BIO 449.6