Ellen G. White and Her Critics

4. The Publication of “Experience and Views”

a. There is supposed to be proof of suppression in the fact that Present Truth and A Word to the “Little Flock”—both of which discuss the shut door—are not mentioned in Experience and Views, though most of the material is reprinted from them. We think our readers will conclude that the discussion under Number 3 makes this “proof” quite pointless. In preparing a book a publisher does nothing unusual, nothing dark or questionable, in drawing material from a tract and from articles in different issues of a journal, without referring to the fact that the author’s material had earlier appeared in other publications. EGWC 269.5

b. When Experience and Views was published, critics also noted that there were deletions from certain of the visions there reprinted, and that some of these deletions at least apparently dealt with the shut-door doctrine. Here, said they, is double proof that a methodical endeavor has been made to suppress every trace of the no-more-mercy-for-sinners doctrine that Adventists abandoned in 1851. That this “proof” was being vigorously presented in the 1860’s is revealed by Uriah Smith’s rejoinder in the The Review and Herald, July 31, 1866, pages 65-67. EGWC 270.1

The worthlessness of this “proof” will become evident as the examination of the charges is continued. EGWC 270.2