A Word to the “Little Flock”

Mrs. White’s Explanation

“My attention has recently been called to a sixteen-page pamphlet published by----of Marlon, Iowa, entitled Comparison of the Early Writings of Mrs. White With Later Publications. The writer states that portions of my earlier visions, as first printed, have been suppressed in the work recently published under the title Early Writings of Mrs. E. G. White, and he conjectures as a reason for such suppression that these passages teach doctrines now repudiated by us as a people. AWLF 26.7

“He also charges us with willful deception in representing Early Writings as a complete republication of my earliest views, with only verbal changes from the original work. AWLF 27.1

“Before I notice separately the passages which are said to have been omitted, it is proper that several facts be stated. When my earliest views were first published in pamphlet form [A Word to the “Little Flock”], the edition was small, and was soon sold. This was in a few years followed by a larger book, The Christian Experience and Views of Mrs. E. G. White, printed in 1851, and containing much additional matter. AWLF 27.2

“In our frequent change of location in the earlier history of the publishing work, and then in almost incessant travel as I have labored from Maine to Texas, from Michigan to California - and I have crossed the plains no less than seventeen times - I lost all trace of the first published works. ¹ When it was decided to publish Early Writings at Oakland, last fall, we were obliged to send to Michigan to borrow a copy of Experience and Views. And in doing this we supposed that we had obtained an exact copy of the earliest visions as first published. This we reprinted, as stated in preface to Early Writings, with only verbal changes from the original work. AWLF 27.3

“And here I will pause to state that any of our people having in their possession a copy of any or all of my first views, as published prior to 1851, will do me a great favor if they will send them to me without delay. I promise to return the same as soon as a copy can be produced. AWLF 27.4

“So far from desiring to withhold anything that I have ever published, I would feel great satisfaction in giving to the public every line of my writings that has ever been printed.... AWLF 27.5