Ellen G. White and Her Critics

3. The “Suppression” of Two Publications

Simple dates in the calendar disprove the claim that the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald—known briefly as the Review and Herald—was launched because certain theories had been abandoned. The theories are said to have been repudiated in the summer of 1851. The Review began publication in November, 1850! EGWC 268.3

The documentary evidence is clear that the Review was not published to suppress anything that had gone before. Note these facts: EGWC 268.4

a. The last issue of Present Truth was published in November, 1850. The first issue of the Review followed immediately in that same month and was sent out to the same readers. The first issue contained an editorial note, which read in part: “We hope to be able to send you this enlarged size of the paper quite often.”—Review and Herald, vol. 1, no. 1, p. 7. This is not one publication suppressing another, but one simply continuing the other, and in expanded form. The new title probably reflected the name Advent Review, which had been used to designate several issues of a little paper that James White had helped to publish in 1850. EGWC 268.5

b. In that first issue of the Review and Herald, under the title “Publications,” is listed Present Truth! There were some back copies left. The editor wanted these circulated—not suppressed! EGWC 269.1

c. An Extra of the Review, published July 21, 1851, contains an article which the editor states “was written in 1847, and published in a tract, entitled ‘A Word to the Little Flock.’”—Page 4. That was eight months after the launching of the Review, which was allegedly started, not simply to supplant, but to suppress this little tract, so that even the memory of it might be forgotten! EGWC 269.2

d. How could the Review have been launched to conceal the seven-year theory, when the Review, as we discovered, is the only one of the three publications that even mentions it? Or how could it have been launched to conceal the shut-door theory, so freely discussed in Present Truth and A Word to the “Little Flock,” when the Review simply continued the discussion? EGWC 269.3

e. In the first volume of her Testimonies for the Church, Mrs. White relates the story of the founding of Present Truth, and adds: “In 1850 it was issued at Paris, Maine. Here it was enlarged, and its name changed to that which it now bears, The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald.”—Page 89. That was written about 1884, or thirty-four years after the Review is supposed to have been launched so that even the memory of Present Truth might be forgotten! If Present Truth contained embarrassing teachings, why mention it at that late date! People might begin hunting for copies of it! EGWC 269.4