Writing Letters and Preparing Book Manuscript

Ellen White kept a record in her diary for much of February, March, and April, of letters written and of her work in book preparation. Picking somewhat at random, we find such notations as:3BIO 361.4

March 15—Have written seventeen pages notepaper.3BIO 361.5

March 18—Wrote several pages.3BIO 361.6

March 19—Wrote.3BIO 361.7

March 20—Wrote nineteen pages.3BIO 361.8

March 21—Twenty-five largest pages.3BIO 361.9

March 22—Wrote twenty-five pages, large scratch-book pages.... Wrote nine pages in regard to the condition of things [in the building]. Wrote sixteen pages for volume 1 [Patriarchs and Prophets].3BIO 362.1

March 23—fifteen large pages.3BIO 362.2

April 5 and 6—Wrote forty-eight pages; thirty pages of this was letter paper, eighteen note paper. Sent a long communication to be read to the Oakland April meeting. Sent letters to Elder Butler.3BIO 362.3

April 7—Wrote fourteen pages letter paper.3BIO 362.4

April 8—Wrote fifteen pages, volume 1.3BIO 362.5

April 9—Wrote fifteen pages letter paper, article for paper.—Manuscript 29, 1887.3BIO 362.6

In a letter to Edson and Emma written April 18, we get a further glimpse of the work going on in Basel.3BIO 362.7

Marian [Davis] ...is deeply buried in volume 1. That work is nearly completed. I stopped my work on that to put additions into volume 4. I work early and constantly until dark, then retire early and generally rise between three and four. I see so much to be done to get things in order. I talk, I pray, I write, and then must leave it all with God....—Letter 82, 1887.3BIO 362.8

She brought this letter to a close with a projection of plans for closing up her work in Europe:3BIO 362.9

We shall leave here for Prussia the twentieth of May, for conference meeting. After that we go to Norway, to attend the first camp meeting held in Europe, then attend conference in Stockholm, Sweden, then in Copenhagen, Denmark; from there to England. We cannot determine how long we shall stay there.—Ibid.3BIO 362.10