Selected Messages Book 2

Appendix 1—Disease and Its Causes

Introduction

The six articles bearing the title “Disease and Its Causes” form one of the earliest links in the rather large collection of writings by Ellen G. White on the subject of health. This is their background: first, there was the historic health-reform vision of June 6, 1863. Next, in 1864, Mrs. White made her first published presentation of the subject in a 30-page article entitled “Health,” in Spiritual Gifts, volume IV (currently available in facsimile reprint). Then, in 1865, she furnished one article for each of a series of six pamphlets compiled from various writers and published under the title Health, or How to Live. The six Ellen G. White articles were an amplification of the 30-page article in Spiritual Gifts of the year before. Mrs. White made no other contribution to the How to Live pamphlets. 2SM 410.1

To complete the historical record of the early Ellen G. White published statements relating to health, her articles appear here in exact reproduction. Being reproduced word for word, sentence for sentence, they contain some grammatical imperfections that crept in under the untoward circumstances of printing a century ago. 2SM 410.2

It should be observed that although Mrs. White never requested the reprinting of these articles, they were republished in short installments in the Review and Herald in 1899 and 1900. The later, fuller Ellen G. White presentations on the subject of health, climaxed by The Ministry of Healing in 1905, took the place of many earlier articles, including the “Disease and Its Causes” series. 2SM 410.3

The reader must bear in mind the conditions that existed in the field of medical practice at the time these articles were prepared. The last article, particularly, must be read in the light of conditions prevailing at the time of writing. For a review of these conditions see D. E. Robinson, The Story of Our Health Message, 112-130, 166-169, 427-431 1965 edition,; Francis D. Nichol, Ellen G. White and Her Critics, pp. 136-160; and Denton E. Rebok, Believe His Prophets, pp. 253-267. 2SM 410.4

White Trustees.