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Ellen G. White: The Lonely Years: 1876-1891 (vol. 3)

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The Call for an Ellen G. White Lesson Help

Soon Adventists familiar with Ellen White's lucid style of writing in the several chapters on Paul at the close of Spirit of Prophecy, volume 3, were clamoring for a book from her pen on the subject. In response she took the published chapters and then prepared more material for a volume entitled Sketches From the Life of Paul. This 334-page volume, containing thirty-two chapters, was published in early June, 1883, to be used as a help for the Sabbath school lessons, which would run for another year. 3BIO 215.5

As Ellen White prepared these materials, she had at hand both the Conybeare and Howson book and Farrar's Life and Work of St. Paul. She made some use of words and phrases from each. In this she was doing much as did the British authors. Howson, in a footnote to chapter 2, admitted gaining “useful suggestions” and in some cases adopting the “very words” from unnamed “modern Jews” (Conybeare and Howson, Life and Epistles of St. Paul, vol. 1, p. 34, note). (See F. D. Nichol, Ellen G. White and Her Critics, pp. 424, 425.) 3BIO 216.1

Sizable editions of the E. G. White book Sketches From the Life of Paul were published by both the Pacific Press and the Review and Herald (MKW to WCW, June 5, 1883), and it was received with great favor. Wrote Butler after reading the book: 3BIO 216.2

We obtained a volume as soon as it was accessible to us, and have read it through with the deepest interest. To those familiar with her writings, it is unnecessary to say that the language is beautiful, clear, and most forcible. It is indeed written in her very best style, which is a very high commendation. It seems to me that no one can read this book without being made better by it. 3BIO 216.3

Though covering the same ground, and mentioning the same things contained in the Acts of the Apostles, yet there is a great flood of light thrown upon that narrative, bringing out most clearly many interesting circumstances, holding up to view many causes and effects which would not be discerned by the ordinary reader. Here is the great force of Sister White's writings, covering Bible subjects.—The Review and Herald, July 24, 1883. 3BIO 216.4

For nearly two decades the book was available from the publishers. When stocks ran out, Ellen White was asked about its continuation. She recognized that it was not a full treatment of the experience brought to view in the New Testament Acts of the Apostles, nor did it contain comments on the Epistles written by others than Paul. As she hoped before too long to fill in the gap between The Desire of Ages and The Great Controversy, she did not give approval for continued printings. 3BIO 216.5

It took her much longer than was anticipated to get to the task of filling in this gap. Not till the year 1911 was her 630-page book The Acts of the Apostles published. This lapse of time gave opportunity for rumors to be circulated, particularly that the book had been withdrawn from the market because of threatened legal action by the publishers of the Conybeare and Howson book. That such a rumor was pure fiction is demonstrated by the following letter of January 18, 1924, from the publishers of the edition the Review and Herald and the Pacific Press used as premiums in early 1883: 3BIO 217.1

Dear Sir:

Your letter of January 15 received. 3BIO 217.2

We publish Conybeare's Life and Epistles of the Apostle Paul, but this is not a copyrighted book and we would have no legal grounds for action against your book and we do not think we have ever raised any objection or made any claim such as you speak of....

Very truly yours,

Thomas Y. Crowell Company

Nichol, op. cit., p. 456 (see also DF, p. 389). 3BIO 217.3