TIMES OF VOLUME FIVE
A little less than a decade is spanned by Testimonies Nos. 31 to 33,
which comprise volume 5. The first was published in 1882, but includes
messages given in 1881 and onward. No. 32 was published in 1885, and
No. 33 came from the press in 1889. That same year the three were united
in one book—volume 5.
This was an intensely interesting period in the rapidly developing
work of Seventh-day Adventists. In North America two new advanced
schools were started in the year 1882, one at South Lancaster,
Massachusetts, and the other at Healdsburg, California. Thus, from
our denominational center at Battle Creek, the educational work was
beginning to reach out toward the ends of the earth. Ten years earlier
our first school had been opened at Battle Creek, and two years later its
new buildings had been dedicated. During these ten years many problems
incident to the pioneering of this new and important line of endeavor
were met. Sometimes the issues were large, and in not a few instances
special counsel was given through the spirit of prophecy to guide and
guard this work. These messages dealing with problems, from discipline
to curriculum, form a part of this book.
The nine-year period of this volume was also a time of extensive
writing and publishing on the part of Ellen White. In 1882 arrangements
were made to reprint A Sketch of the Christian Experience and Views of
Ellen G. White and Spiritual Gifts Volume One. The same year these two
books were united in one volume and entitled Early Writings. To meet
the constant demand for the Testimonies, The first thirty numbers were
reprinted in 1885 in four books—Volumes 1 to 4, as they appear today.
Sketches from the Life of Paul, The forerunner of The Acts of the Apostles,
was published in 1883. In 1884, Mrs. White completed her work on Spirit
of Prophecy Volume Four—The Great Controversy, and it was published
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immediately. It soon found its way through colporteur channels to many
thousands of homes, and ten editions were rolled from the presses in three
short years of time. In 1888 the enlarged Great Controversy, the book we
know so well today, was published, taking the place of the earlier, briefer
volume.
At the denominational headquarters in Battle Creek there was a steady
growth. New equipment was added in the publishing house. The
sanitarium and the college were greatly prospered and continued to grow.
These developments brought large numbers of Seventh-day Adventists to
that city. The hazards of so many Adventists gathering in one center,
with the inevitable tendency to a feeling of less responsibility and toward
lower standards, is pointed out in the early part of this volume. These
institutional developments were also fraught with the danger that the work
would become mechanical and lose its initial simplicity. Such dangers
appeared especially in the publishing house. The testimonies of this
volume stress economy, industry, alertness, and furnish managers and
foremen with guiding instruction for their tasks.
At this same time, while problems of long-established work were
being met at our headquarters, out in the Pacific Northwest new fields
were being developed, and many were accepting the message. With the
opening of these frontier regions, there were many new problems. Ellen
White herself made two visits to the Northwest and in connection with the
last trip wrote much counsel to those who were laboring there—counsel
on practical subjects vital to the welfare of the work and the ministers who
were working among the sturdy, independent-minded men and women
who had pushed westward and established their homes in these vast,
newly opened regions. These were men and women of energy, daring,
rugged individuality; and many were persons of deep conviction who
accepted the call of the Advent message. These vigorous pioneers needed
the strong, molding influence of the Spirit of God in the development of
Christian character. They needed
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warnings against the love of money and worldly ambitions.
To the ministry were sent earnest counsels pointing out the danger
that their messages might be shaped by the opinions of strong-minded
church members. Counsel was given to guard against carelessness in the
erection of church edifices, as seen in some instances. Warnings were also
given against lightly regarding pledges of gifts to God’s cause. All these
and other counsels dealing with many other problems connected with the
work in these new territories occupy a prominent place in this volume.
The eyes of Seventh-day Adventists were being turned more and more
to the world field. For a decade we had been carrying on work in Europe.
Now, in 1885, Elders S.N. Haskell and J.O. Corliss, with a company
of workers, were sent to Australia to open up work in that southern
continent. Africa was entered two years later by Elders D.A. Robinson
and C.L. Boyd, and the message was carried to Hong Kong that same
year by a layman, Brother Abraham La Rue. Then, in 1889, colporteurs
commenced their work in South America. Even Mrs. White was called
overseas, leaving for Europe in 1885. There she spent two and a half
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years traveling, counseling, speaking, and writing. In June, 1887, at Moss,
Norway, she attended the first Seventh-day Adventist camp meeting held
outside the United States. Her ministry overseas was much appreciated.
There was also, during the time represented by volume 5, considerable
opposition on the part of a small group of disaffected souls who years