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Life Sketches of Ellen G. White
“In the writings of Mrs. White prominence is given to the responsi-
bilities of the church in both home and foreign mission service. Every
member of the body is admonished to be a light in the world, a blessing
to those with whom he may associate. All must live the unselfish life
of the Master for others. And the church in Christian lands must put
forth their highest endeavors to evangelize those who are groping in
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the darkness and superstition of heathen lands. Go to all the world,
give to all the world, work for all the world, is the exhortation running
through all the writings of Mrs. White, as the following quotation will
illustrate:
“‘Let the members of the church have increased faith, gaining
zeal from their unseen, heavenly allies, from a knowledge of their
exhaustless resources, from the greatness of the enterprise in which
they are engaged, and from the power of their Leader. Those who
place themselves under God’s control, to be led and guided by Him,
will catch the steady tread of the events ordained by Him to take place.
Inspired by the Spirit of Him who gave His life for the life of the
world, they will no longer stand still in impotency, pointing to what
they cannot do. Putting on the armor of heaven, they will go forth to the
warfare, willing to do and dare for God, knowing that His omnipotence
will supply their need.’
“Thus for fully seventy years she gave her life in active service to
the cause of God in behalf of sinful, suffering, sorrowing humanity.
After traveling extensively through the United States from 1846 to
1885, she visited Europe, where she devoted two years to the work
there, which was then in a formative period. In 1891 she went to
Australia, where she remained nine years, traveling about the colonies,
and devoting all her energies to the upbuilding of the work.
“On returning to the United States in 1900, at the age of seventy-
three, she seemed to feel that her duty to travel was about done, and
that she should devote the rest of her life to writing. Thus she toiled
on until within a short time of her death, at the ripe age of almost
eighty-eight years.
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“Perhaps we are not wise enough to say definitely just what part
of Mrs. White’s life work has been of the greatest value to the world,
but it would seem that the large volume of Biblical literature she
has left would prove to be of the greatest service to mankind. Her
books number upwards of twenty volumes. Some of these have been