Explanation of Early Statements
51
Views of Mrs. E. G. White, printed in 1851, and containing much
additional matter.
In our frequent change of location in the earlier history of the
publishing work, and then in almost incessant travel as I have labored
from Maine to Texas, from Michigan to California—and I have crossed
the plains no less than seventeen times—I lost all trace of the first
published works. When it was decided to publish Early Writings at
Oakland last fall, we were obliged to send to Michigan to borrow a
copy of Experience and Views. And in doing this we supposed that we
had obtained an exact copy of the earliest visions as first published.
This we reprinted, as stated in the preface to Early Writings, with only
verbal changes from the original work.
And here I will pause to state that any of our people having in their
possession a copy of any or all of my first views, as published prior
to 1851, will do me a great favor if they will send them to me without
delay. I promise to return the same as soon as a copy can be produced.
So far from desiring to withhold anything that I have ever pub-
lished, I would feel great satisfaction in giving to the public every line
of my writings that has ever been printed.
Testimonies Garbled by Eli Curtis
There is another fact that should be stated here. I am not responsi-
ble for all that has been printed as coming from me. About the time
that my earliest visions were first published, several articles did appear
purporting to have been written by me, and to relate what the Lord had
shown me, but sanctioning doctrines which I did not believe. These
were published in a paper edited by a Mr. Curtis. Of the name of
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the paper I am not certain. In the years of care and labor that have
passed since then, some of these less important particulars have been
forgotten, but the main points are still distinct in my mind.
This man took articles that came from my pen, and wholly trans-
formed and distorted them, picking out a sentence here and there,
without giving the connection, and then, after inserting his own ideas,
he attached my name to them as if they came direct from me.
On seeing these articles, we wrote to him, expressing our surprise
and disapprobation, and forbidding him thus to misconstrue my testi-
monies. He answered that he should publish what he pleased, that he