Ellen G. White: The Australian Years: 1891-1900 (vol. 4)

The Character of Fannie Bolton's Work

It was explained to Miss Bolton, as was made clear to other workers who shared a part in the copying and correcting of Mrs. White's writings for publication, that the matters revealed to Mrs. White in vision were not a word-for-word narration of events with their lessons, but that they were generally flashlight or panoramic views of various scenes in the experiences of men, sometimes in the past, and sometimes in the future, together with the lessons connected with these experiences. At times views were revealed to her of the actions of men in groups, of churches, conferences, and of multitudes in action, with a clear perception of their purposes, aims, and motives. Sometimes verbal instruction was given regarding what was thus revealed. Very prominent among these revelations were precious truths and facts relating to the duty, privileges, and the dangers and errors of the church, of committees, or of individuals. 4BIO 238.2

Miss Bolton learned that the things revealed to Mrs. White were sometimes written out immediately after the vision, and that other things were not spoken of or written out till a long time afterward. 4BIO 238.3

She was told that Mrs. White, in her earnest endeavor to present all that had been shown her on the great number of important subjects, was often led to repeat portions of the matter she sought to present; also that the grammatical construction of sentences was sometimes faulty, for in her haste in writing, she often paid little attention to spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. She expected these imperfections to be carefully corrected by the copyist. 4BIO 239.1

In cases where paragraphs and sentences lost some of their power because of imperfect arrangement, Mrs. White's secretaries were instructed to make transpositions, leaving out what was clearly a repetition, when preparing matter for the printer. In the cases of letters to individuals, the repetition of important thoughts would often tend to make them more effective. 4BIO 239.2

It was made emphatic that only Mrs. White's thoughts were to be used, and also her own words as far as grammatically consistent in expressing those thoughts. In no case was the copyist given the privilege of introducing thoughts not found in Mrs. White's manuscripts.— Ibid., WCW and D. E. Robinson, “The Work of Mrs. E. G. White's Editors,” pp. 3, 4. 4BIO 239.3

With enthusiasm Fannie entered into her work on the E. G. White periodical articles, editing and copying. But in time she became restless and entertained the thought that she was not being given proper credit for what she was doing. The records of just what took place are sparse, but it is clear that again and again feelings of discontent and dissatisfaction swept over her that unfitted her for her assigned task. 4BIO 239.4

After engaging in this work for a year or two, she told Ellen White that “she desired to write herself, and could not consent that her talent should be buried up in the work of preparing” E. G. White's “articles for the papers or books. She felt she was full of matter and had talent she must put to use in writing which she could not do” while connected with her present work (Letter 88, 1894). She was released, and attended classes at the university at Ann Arbor. 4BIO 239.5