Chapter 2—Regarding Changes of Wording in Later Editions

Much criticism has been brought to bear against Mrs. Ellen G. White and her writings because in later presentations of the subjects covered in some of her earliest volumes, some of which are now out of print, some changes in the wording has been made. Her critics say, If the first writing was a correct statement of what was shown her, what right had she to change the wording?BSRWEGW 12.5

All will agree that if the matters revealed to Mrs. White in vision, were all presented as word for word statements that she was to repeat, and continue to repeat without variation, expansion, or abbreviation, she would not be justified in making any changes in the wording.BSRWEGW 12.6

But this is not the way in which the revelations were given to her. No one associated with her held such a view of her work, and her own clear statements were to the contrary. In 1867, she stated through the Review and Herald, the facts regarding this matter in the following words:BSRWEGW 12.7

“Although I am as dependent upon the Spirit of the Lord in writing my views as I am in receiving them, yet the words I employ in describing what I have seen are my own, unless they be those spoken to me by an angel, which I always enclose in marks of quotation.”—The Review and Herald, October 8, 1867.

In 1889, Mrs. White wrote about the manner in which revelations were made to her on same occasions, thus:BSRWEGW 13.1

“The question is asked, How does Sister White know in regard to the matters of which she speaks so decidedly, as if she had authority to say these things? I speak thus because they flash upon my mind when in perplexity like lightning out of a dark cloud in the fury of a storm.

“Some scenes presented before me years ago have not been retained in my memory, but when the instruction then given is needed, sometimes even when I am standing before the people, the remembrance comes sharp and clear, like a flash of lightning, bringing to mind distinctly that particular instruction. At such times I cannot refrain from saying the things that flash into my mind, not because I have had a new vision, but because that which was presented to me perhaps years in the past, has been recalled to my mind forcibly.”—MS-33-1911.

As we study the writings of Mrs. White with this understanding of how the revelations of truth were imparted to her, we can more easily comprehend her motive in changing words and forms of expression. This was sometimes done to remove grammatical errors. It was often done to enable her thought to be more clearly understood.BSRWEGW 13.2

She viewed with sorrow the imperfections of expression in some of her writings. These imperfections incident to her lack of experience and scholarship she counted it her privilege to correct. Therefore in many passages she so changed the wording for the future editions as to present the identical thought in better language.BSRWEGW 13.3

Moreover in a few passages where she saw that some of her statements were misunderstood or misconstrued, she endeavored to present the matter as revealed to her by a more accurate or fuller statement in which her view of the matter under consideration could be clearly understood.BSRWEGW 13.4

When the question of her making grammatical corrections in the printed volumes of the Testimonies to the Church came before the General Conference of 1883, the delegates took action as follows:BSRWEGW 13.5

“32. Whereas, Some of the bound volumes of the Testimonies to the Church are out of print so that full sets cannot be obtained at the office: andBSRWEGW 13.6

“Whereas, there is a constant and urgent call for the reprinting of these volumes; therefore,—BSRWEGW 13.7

“Resolved, that we recommend their republication in such a form as to make four volumes of seven or eight hundred pages each.BSRWEGW 13.8

“33. Whereas, many of these testimonies were written under the most unfavorable circumstances, the writer being too heavily pressed with anxiety and labor to devote critical thought to the grammatical perfection of the writings, and they were printed in such haste as to allow these imperfections to pass uncorrected; and,—BSRWEGW 13.9

“Whereas, we believe the light given by God to His servants is by the enlightenment of the mind, thus imparting the thoughts, and not (except in rare cases) the very words in which the ideas should be expressed; therefore,—BSRWEGW 13.10

“Resolved that in the re-publication of these volumes, such verbal changes be made as to remove the above-named imperfections, as far as possible, without in any measure changing the thought.”—See Review and Herald, November 27, 1883.BSRWEGW 14.1

In harmony with this, she authorized the changes of wording which appear in later editions of some of her earliest books, and in a few places, where she deemed it best, she herself presented new wording which better represented what had been revealed to her.BSRWEGW 14.2

When discussing this matter with her helpers, she often said that there was no real virtue in bad grammar, or clumsy wording. She faithfully examined all the corrections proposed, and only those which she fully approved were adopted.BSRWEGW 14.3