101 Questions on the Sanctuary and on Ellen White

80. Examples of Word for Word Copying

Is Ellen White’s use of Uriah Smith typical of the way she used other authors or are there examples of closer word-for-word copying, possibly of whole sentences? QSEW 76.3

Ellen White’s use of Smith was quite typical of her method of borrowing. There are, however, some cases of very close copying or dependency. Several examples are given below: QSEW 76.4

Other Authors

Ellen White

“The eagle of the Alps is sometimes beaten down by the tempest into the narrow defiles of the mountains. The clouds in black and angry masses sweep between the mighty bird and the sunny heights where she builds her nests and basks in the full day. For a while she dashes to and fro, buffeting the storm with her strong wings and waking the echoes of the mountains with her wild cry, vainly endeavoring to

“The eagle of the Alps is sometimes beaten down by the tempest into the narrow defiles of the mountains. Storm clouds shut in this mighty bird of the forest, their dark masses separating her from the sunny heights where she has made her home. Her efforts to escape seem fruitless. She dashes to and

find some way out of her dark and high-walled prison.”—Daniel March, Our Father’s House, p. 254.	fro, beating the air with her strong wings, and waking the mountain echoes with her cries.”—Education, 118.
“The great want of this age is men. Men who are not for sale. Men who are honest, sound from center to circumference, true to the heart’s core—men who will condemn wrong in a friend or foe, in themselves as well as others. Men whose consciences are as steady as the needle to the pole. Men who will stand for the right if the heavens totter and the earth reel.”—Anon. in The Review and Herald, January 24, 1871, p. 47.	“The greatest want of the world is the want of men—men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.”—Education, 57.
“His name was to be their watchword, their badge of distinction, the principle of their piety, the bond of their union, the end of their actions, the authority for their conduct, and the source of their success. Nothing was to be recognized or received in his kingdom which did not bear the superscription of his name.”—John Harris, The Great Teacher (1842 ed.), p. 32.	“Christ’s name was to be their watchword, their badge of distinction, their bond of union, the authority for their course of action, and the source of their success. Nothing was to be recognized in His kingdom that did not bear His name and superscription.”—The Acts of the Apostles, 28.
“He could have uttered a single sentence, which, by furnishing a key to many a mystery, and affording a glimpse of arcane before unknown, would have collected and concentrated around it the busy thoughts of each successive generation to the close of time...He disdained not the repetition of old and familiar truths, provided his introduction to them would subserve his grand design; for, though he proposed to erect a second temple of truth, the glory of which should eclipse the splendor of the first, he deigned to appropriate whatever of the	“He could have opened mysteries which patriarchs and prophets desired to look into, which human curiosity has been impatiently desirous of understanding....Jesus did not disdain to repeat old, familiar truths; for He was the author of these truths. He was the glory of the temple. Truths which had been lost sight of, which had been misplaced, misinterpreted, and disconnected from their pure position, He separated from the companionship of

ancient materials remained available. Truths, which the lapse of time had seen displaced and disconnected from their true positions, as stars are said to have wandered from their primal signs, he recalled and established anew; and principles which had faded, disappeared, and been lost, as stars are said to have become extinct, he rekindled and resphered, and commanded them to stand fast forever.”—Ibid., p. 51.	error; and showing them as precious jewels in their own bright luster, He reset them in their proper framework, and commanded them to stand fast forever.”—Fundamentals of Christian Education, 237.
“Drawing aside the veil which concealed his glory from our eyes, it shows him in his high and holy place, not in a state of silence and solitude, but surrounded by ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands of holy, happy beings, and every one of them waiting to do his bidding; not in a state of inactivity and moral indifference, but in a state of active communication with every part of his vast dominions.”—Ibid., p. 61.	“The Bible shows us God in His high and holy place, not in a state of inactivity, not in silence and solitude, but surrounded by ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of holy beings, all waiting to do His will. Through these messengers He is in active communication with every part of His dominion.”—The Ministry of Healing, 417.
“He came to demolish every wall of partition, to throw open every compartment in the temple of creation, that every worshipper might have free and equal access to the God of the temple.”—Ibid., p. 71.	“Christ came to demolish every wall of partition, to throw open every compartment of the temple, that every soul may have free access to God.”—Christ’s Object Lessons, 386.
“He raised the veil of the past eternity, carried back their thoughts through dateless ages before the world began, towards the unimaginable and awful place where God dwells,—assuring them that there never was a period when he was not there.”—Ibid., p. 80.	“Christ carries the mind back through dateless ages. He assures us that there never was a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God.”—Evangelism, 615.
“The Father demonstrates his infinite love to Christ, by receiving and welcoming the friends of Christ as his own friends. He has pledged himself to do so, and he is so complacently delighted with Christ,—so fully satisfied with the atonement he has made,—feels himself so unspeakably glorified by the incarnation and life, the death and mediation, of Christ, by all that he has done for the honor of	“And the Father demonstrates His infinite love for Christ, who paid our ransom with His blood, by receiving and welcoming Christ’s friends as His friends. He is satisfied with the atonement made. He is glorified by the incarnation, the life, death, and mediation of His Son.”—Testimonies for the Church 6:354.

the divine government and the salvation of man,—that, if I may say so, he has thrown open his heart and his heaven to all the friends of Christ.”—Ibid., p. 107.
“Other blessings are desired; but this, which would bring all blessings in its train, which is offered in an abundance corresponding to his infinite plenitude—an abundance, of which the capacity of the recipient is to be the only limit,—...descends more copiously than the offered influences of the Holy Spirit, and reproaches us with the spiritual drought of the church.”—Ibid., p. 147.	“Other blessings they desire; but that which God is more willing to give than a father is to give good gifts to his children; that which is offered abundantly, according to the infinite fullness of God, and which, if received, would bring all other blessings in its train.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 358.
“But the church of Christ, enfeebled and defective as it may be, is that only object on earth on which he bestows his supreme regard.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 225, (1836 ed.).	“I testify to my brethren and sisters that the church of Christ, enfeebled and defective as it may be, is the only object on earth on which He bestows His supreme regard.”—Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 15.