The Ellen G. White Writings

History Recounted in the Four-Volume Great Controversy Series

In Ellen White’s experience the Lord often gave her an initial vision devoted largely to one important topic, comprehensive in scope, but without fullness of detail. Then in succeeding years as the more detailed information would prove of service and could be absorbed, more detailed views were received in repeated visions. This was especially so in views given to her relating to the great controversy between Christ and Satan. In the 1870’s and the 1880’s Ellen White undertook to rewrite the presentation of the conflict story in four volumes of about 400 pages each. She had expected to bring them out in quick succession, but her travels and other labors prevented this accomplishment and extended the work of preparing the manuscripts over a period of 15 years. Each of the four books bore the general title for the series—“Spirit of Prophecy” and the subtitle The Great Controversy. An additional subtitle indicated which portion of the great controversy the particular volume dealt with. Thus: EGWW 111.2

1. Spirit of Prophecy. The Great Controversy Between Christ and His Angels, and Satan and His Angels. Vol. I. 414 pages. Published in 1870. EGWW 111.3

This volume, largely a reprint of the 1864 Spiritual Gifts, volumes 3 and 4, opens with the fall of Lucifer and deals with Biblical history to Solomon, with a chapter bridging to the Messiah. This volume was later amplified to become Patriarchs and Prophets, 1890, which replaced this volume. EGWW 111.4

2. Spirit of Prophecy. The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan. Life, Teachings and Miracles of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Vol. II. 396 pages. Published in 1877. EGWW 111.5

This book treats the life of Christ from His birth to the triumphal entry into Jerusalem; later amplified by Ellen G. White to become the first 62 chapters of The Desire of Ages (1898). EGWW 112.1

3. Spirit of Prophecy. The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan. The Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Vol. III. 392 pages. Published in 1878. EGWW 112.2

This book contained 20 chapters dealing with the last days of the ministry of Christ and 11 chapters touching on the life and work of the apostles; eventually amplified to become the last part of The Desire of Ages (1898) and The Acts of the Apostles (1911), volumes that replaced this work. EGWW 112.3

4. Spirit of Prophecy. The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan From the Destruction of Jerusalem to the End of the Controversy. Vol. IV. 506 pages. Published in 1884. EGWW 112.4

The coverage is described in the title. Actually we would consider this the first edition of the book well known today as The Great Controversy, amplified in 1888 to become The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan. EGWW 112.5

These four books were written essentially for Seventh-day Adventists, who understood Ellen White’s call and work; but it was expected that they would be among volumes lent by Seventh-day Adventists to their non-Adventist neighbors and friends, and that our evangelists would use them in connection with their ministry. Some printings were bound in covers bearing the title Spirit of Prophecy, volumes 1, 2, 3, and 4, and some covers were stamped The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan, volumes 1, 2, 3, and 4. But the running titles on all the chapters in all four of the books read: “The Great Controversy,” and to Ellen White the four volumes told the great controversy story. EGWW 112.6

The three volumes paralleling the Bible story provide many insights, draw lessons from the events, and in general greatly enrich our concept of the narrative. The fourth volume—The Great Controversy—although a part of the continuing story, in a way enters a new field. Ellen White was instructed in vision to begin the account with the destruction of Jerusalem, which she did, and then she continues the historical narrative to the Advent awakening, the point at which she comes into the picture, and carries it to our day, then in prophetic forecast through the events leading to establishment of the new earth. EGWW 112.7

In chronicling events in historical narrative she makes no attempt to be complete or exhaustive, but rather is selective, drawing in those events that form the background of the great controversy theme. She did not write essentially as a historian. Moreover, in all her writings the details of history were always subordinated to the great theme of the conflict. Even where the facts of the Bible or of secular history are introduced, there is usually a characteristic background of the invisible contending forces of good and evil such as no other writer has attempted. Her view of the place of history as exemplified in her own writings is well expressed in the following words: EGWW 113.1

In the annals of human history, the growth of nations, the rise and fall of empires, appear as if dependent on the will and prowess of man; the shaping of events seems, to a great degree, to be determined by his power, ambition, or caprice. But in the word of God the curtain is drawn aside, and we behold, above, behind, and through all the play and counterplay of human interest and power and passions, the agencies of the All-merciful One, silently, patiently working out the counsels of His own will.—Prophets and Kings, 499, 500. EGWW 113.2

We are to see in history the fulfillment of prophecy, to study the workings of Providence in the great reformatory movements, and to understand the progress of events in the marshaling of the nations for the final conflict of the great controversy.—The Ministry of Healing, 441, 442. EGWW 113.3

In connection with writing these views of the events of ancient and modern history, especially the history of the great reformation of the sixteenth century, her reading of D’Aubigné, Wiley, and others proved to be helpful. She sometimes drew on them for clear historical statements to help make plain to the reader the things she was endeavoring to present. Also by thus corroborating with well-accepted historical evidence what had been revealed to her, she would win the confidence of the general reader in the truths she was presenting. EGWW 113.4

Just as her study of the Bible helped her to locate and describe the many figurative representations given her regarding the development of the controversy, so the reading of the history of the Reformation helped her to locate and describe events presented to her in the visions. (See Appendix C, “The 1911 Edition of Great Controversy.”) EGWW 114.1

When Spirit of Prophecy, volume 4, came from the press and our ministers and members began to read it, they discovered that Mrs. White had employed a number of historical quotations, and this use led to some questions. Why had she done so? Did she gain her information on the phases of history these quotations touched on from historians, or did she receive the information from God? Did her use of the quotations place them in the category of inspiration? She replied that what she had presented had been opened to her by God in vision, but she found the historical accounts of service in locating and describing certain of these events. The question having been raised, she in the 1888 edition of the book dealt with the question in her author’s “Introduction.” Of this I shall soon speak. EGWW 114.2