The Times of Volume Four
A seven-year period of 1875 to 1881 was spanned by the five
pamphlets which now make volume 4 of Testimonies for the Church.
These were the last seven years of James White’s life. The work of
the denomination had entered a period of rapid expansion. Elder and
Mrs. White were traveling extensively and laboring tirelessly in public
ministry, in personal interviews, and in writing. They were wrestling
with the problems of an expanding institutional work
.
The mission in Europe was making good progress, other workers
being sent to join Elder Andrews in 1876. The comprehensive vision
of January 3, 1875, given at Battle Creek, which formed the basis of
much of the first half of volume 4, led to a better understanding of the
world-wide nature of our work
.
On the Pacific Coast the work of the denomination was developing
rapidly. The newly started Signs of the Times was put on a firm
basis, and in 1875 the Pacific Press, our second Seventh-day Adventist
publishing house, was opened in Oakland. This soon became the
largest and best equipped publishing establishment operated on the
Pacific Coast. In 1878, near St. Helena in Northern California, the
second denominational sanitarium opened its doors for service
.
With increased publishing facilities, we found ourselves with a
rapidly developing literature, which by the close of the period of vol-
ume 4 included Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation, by Uriah
Smith, History of the Sabbath, By J. N. Andrews, and a number
of works of lesser importance dealing with health, religious topics,
temperance, and themes of interest to children. Plans for more system-
atic literature distribution were inaugurated with regularly employed
colporteurs calling from door to door in selling our truth-filled books.
A great movement in free literature distribution by our laymen was
also well under way, with elder S. N. Haskell leading out in the
organization of tract and missionary societies
.
[6]
Volume 4 spans an era of great Seventh-day Adventist camp meet-
ings. With the first of such gatherings held in 1868, the plan had
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