180
The Publishing Ministry
covered edition for thirty-five cents. Under such circumstances, there-
fore, it would seem unjust to them were we to endeavor to place on
the market a smaller-sized book to be sold at a low price....
Now, Elder Haskell, I want you to understand that I appreciate
your interest in the scattering of the truth through a wide sale of
Early Writings. [
S.N. Haskell encouraged Ellen White to have Early
Writings published by a non-SDA publishing concern in order to secure
a broad circulation. A contract was drawn up and a delegation brought
it to her to sign. As she picked up the pen to sign, she paused and
looked up, then said she couldn’t sign. After the men left, W.C. White
remonstrated with her because she was fully aware of the terms, but
Sister White told him that when she looked up, as she was about to sign,
she saw an angel standing behind the men shaking his head, “No.”
]
I thank the Lord that I know you will not misunderstand me. I thank
you for your kindly interest in my behalf. But I will closely watch and
pray earnestly that the Lord will remove from me this pressure of debt
without my taking a course that might seem unfair to the publishing
houses. I know that your offer comes from the sincerity of your soul,
and may the Lord bless you for your desire to help me, but I dare not
venture to risk the consequences of the step you propose.—
Letter 106,
1908
.
[209]
Language Simplified by Helpers—The articles that were simpli-
fied [by Fannie Bolton] on the childhood of Jesus were not satisfactory
to me. The matter was diluted altogether too much, and the life and
spirit did not appear.—
Letter 84, 1895
.
Edson, you are at liberty to select from my writings the matter that
is needed for the proposed simple tracts and booklets for the Southern
field. We send you some articles on the child life of Jesus [
a series of
five Ellen G. White articles under the title of “Child Life of Jesus,”
which appeared in
The Youth’s Instructor, November 21, 1895
, to
January 2, 1896
. Edson adapted material on the life of Christ received
from his mother, Ellen White, and prepared the well-known book
Christ Our Saviour (The Story of Jesus), Which first appeared in 1896,
and is still available in English and a few non-English languages. The
statements quoted above should not be understood to be authorization
by Ellen White to simplify all of her writings.] that may be a help to
you. As you will see, they are in two styles. Sister Bolton, my copyist,
has had little time for the preparation of the simple form, and you