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

The Last Touches

In July Ellen White was still writing on the closing scenes of the life of Jesus. Her diary for July 28 shows how deeply she felt about her Subject: 4BIO 390.6

In writing upon the life of Christ I am deeply wrought upon. I forget to breathe as I should. I cannot endure the intensity of feeling that comes over me as I think of what Christ has suffered in our world. He was a “man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief”: “he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed,” if we receive Him by faith as our personal Saviour!—Manuscript 174, 1897. 4BIO 391.1

A letter written to W. C. White on December 12, 1897, reflects the joy of finishing a long, protracted task: 4BIO 391.2

Marian seems cheerful. The last chapters are done. “Oh,” she says, “I could never, never have completed the book had you not been right here where you could supply the live links necessary. Now the life of the book is fully kept up to the close.” 4BIO 391.3

And I feel very much relieved and do not feel as if I am stealing if I take up other subjects before the book is closed. But nearly everything I could write has been on the matter which concerned the book, that she could select some things for the book and Maggie [Maggie Hare, who took Fannie Bolton's place] could make articles of the subjects for the papers. I shall now breathe more freely.—Letter 209, 1897. 4BIO 391.4

The manuscript for the second volume went to the publishers in mid-January, 1898. 4BIO 391.5