Messenger of the Lord

Marian Davis “My Bookmaker”

In a 1900 letter to G. A. Irwin, Ellen White called Marian Davis “my bookmaker.” In that same letter, she described how Marian did her work: “She takes my articles which are published in the papers, and pastes them in blank books. She also has a copy of all the letters I write. In preparing a chapter for a book, Marian remembers that I have written something on that special point, which may make the matter more forcible. She begins to search for this, and if when she finds it, she sees that it will make the chapter more clear, she adds it. MOL 116.6

“The books are not Marian’s productions, but my own, gathered from all my writings. Marian has a large field from which to draw, and her ability to arrange the matter is of great value to me. It saves my poring over a mass of matter, which I have no time to do.” ⁵³ MOL 116.7

Marian wrote to Willie reflecting the weight of her work: “Perhaps you can imagine the difficulty of trying to bring together points relating to any subject, when these must be gleaned from thirty scrapbooks, a half-dozen bound [E. G. White] volumes, and fifty manuscripts, all covering thousands of pages.” ⁵⁴ MOL 116.8

But Marian did none of the writing. When Marian died in 1904, Ellen White looked back over their close association with great appreciation: “We have stood side by side in the work, and in perfect harmony in that work. And when she would be gathering up the precious jots and tittles that had come in papers and books and present it to me, ‘Now,’ she would say, ‘there is something wanted [needed]. I cannot supply it.’ I would look it over, and in one moment I could trace the line right out. We worked together, just worked together in perfect harmony all the time.” ⁵⁵ Others, including Mary White, J. H. Waggoner, W. W. Prescott, and J. H. Kellogg, also helped W. C. White and Marian Davis in book production. MOL 117.1

Dr. Kellogg helped in the publication of Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene. He wrote the introduction in which he noted how the book was developed: “This book is not a new presentation ... but is simply a compilation, and in some sense an abstract, of the various writings of Mrs. White upon this subject, to which have been added several articles by Elder James White, elucidating the same principles, and the personal experience of Elders J. N. Andrews and Joseph Bates, two of the pioneers in the health movement among Seventh-day Adventists. The work of compilation has been done under the supervision of Mrs. White, by a committee appointed by her for the purpose, and the manuscript has been carefully examined by her.” ⁵⁶ MOL 117.2

Testimonies. “Testimonies” early became a term well known among Seventh-day Adventists for three reasons: (1) Adventists who formerly were Methodists were familiar with the “social” meetings, or “testimony” meetings, wherein members would share personal experiences and their faith commitments; (2) communications from Ellen White to others, either oral or written, became known as “testimonies“: (3) the published compilations of letters, manuscripts, and previously published periodical articles were eventually assembled into nine volumes known as Testimonies for the Church. MOL 117.3

These “testimonies” were written whenever Ellen White had the time and occasion to write out the revelations given to her, either through night dreams or day visions. One interesting occasion took place at Adams Center, New York, in early November, 1863. Nearly a whole Seventh Day Baptist church had been converted to the Adventist message. James and Ellen White spoke several times, as did J. N. Andrews. MOL 117.4

On Sunday afternoon, Andrews preached while Mrs. White wrote six pages during the sermon, writing only four feet away from the pulpit, using her Bible as a writing prop. When the sermon ended, she arose and addressed the congregation. One church member reported in the Review that “her words were enough to melt a heart of stone.” Her ability to concentrate is well illustrated by her reaction that same day when someone asked her what she thought of Andrews as a speaker. She replied that “she could not say, as it had been so long since she had heard him.” ⁵⁷ MOL 117.5

Many of the original, personal communications from Ellen White were later recognized to be of value for others as well. In response to requests, the Whites arranged to have them printed in brochure form. The first ten of these Testimonies, between 1855-1864, contained from 16 to 240 pages each in pocket-size pamphlets. In 1874 the first ten were reprinted in book form. (No doubt after ten years the originals, not in permanent form, were not easily available.) MOL 117.6

However, the 1881-1883 revision of the previously published Testimonies 1-28, became a major project. The fact that a messenger’s public writings could or should be “revised” brought new focus on how God worked through His messenger. For many people, it appeared to be a fresh insight. MOL 117.7

The 1878 General Conference voted that all previous Testimonies should be reprinted in permanent form. Reprinting involved a complete resetting of type, creating a new page format and providing consecutive paging. MOL 118.1

Ellen White and her close assistants (W. C. and Mary White, Marian Davis, Eliza Burnham, and J. H. Waggoner) saw this request as an opportunity to improve imperfect grammar and clarity of expression. Her aim continued to be to present truth in the clearest manner possible. MOL 118.2