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Preface
Rare indeed it is in these changing times that a book lives on
through a century in ever-increasing demand and takes its place in
current reading by the side of books dealing with present issues.
Yet such is the enviable record of
Early Writings of Ellen G. White
.
Through the years there have been many printings of the several
editions. It now appears in a fifth American edition
.
This popular little volume is rightly named, being a republication
of the first three Ellen G. White books—
Christian Experience and
Views of Mrs. E. G. White
, First printed in 1851;
A Supplement to
Experience and Views
, Issued in 1854; and
Spiritual Gifts
, Volume
I, which appeared in 1858
.
The wide and lasting popularity of
Early Writings
may be at-
tributed to the unwaning desire to possess and study the messages
of information and encouragement which came early to the Church
through the prophetic gift
.
The second printing of this matter was made in 1882 in two small
volumes—
Experience and Views
and the
Supplement
comprising
the first, and
Spiritual Gifts
the second. As to certain additions to
the first of these original works and some slight editorial changes
made at that time, the publisher’s preface states:
“Footnotes giving dates and explanations, and an appendix giv-
ing two very interesting dreams, which were mentioned but not
related in the original work, will add to the value of this edition.
Aside from these, no changes from the original work have been
made in the present edition, except the occasional employment of a
new word, or a change in the construction of a sentence, to better
[iv]
express the idea, and no portion of the work has been omitted. No
shadow of change has been made in any idea or sentiment of the
original work, and the verbal changes have been made under the
author’s own eye, and with her full approval.”
The two companion books were also reissued as a single volume
in 1882 under the title
Early Writings
. In 1906 the type was reset to
v