White Lie Soap, Chapter 5, "Upgrading From Black and White To Color"

CHAPTER 5
Upgrading from Black and White to Color

I was asked to make a thorough study of Ellen Whites use of sources. The intent
was to investigate some of the questions being raised by scholars and students of some
background in literary analysis.
Fred Veltman, Life of Christ Research Project report
FRED VELTMAN TOOK THE STUDY OF LITERARY SOURCES TO THE NEXT LEVEL. Starting with
Walter Reas list of parallels, he and his volunteer staff read through many more sources,
looking for parallel sentence units (some of which are only part of a compound sentence).
Veltman also categorized the dependent sentences they found for similarity to their source.
Categorizing for degrees of dependency was not a simple black or white matter. It required a
system that could represent shades of gray. Therefore, Veltman created a numeric
classification system that rated dependent sentences from a maximum of seven down to zero:
CATEGORY CRITERIA RATING
VERBATIM
Sentences that exactly duplicate at least a part of a sentence in a
source (none was found in the Desire of Ages text)
1

7
MODIFIED VERBATIM
Sentences made up of mostly the same words, though allowing for
slight modifications
2

6
STRICT PARAPHRASE
Sentences containing at least a phrase or two from a source with
modified wording but meaning the same as the source
5
SIMPLE PARAPHRASE
Sentences saying basically the same thing as a source, though
perhaps with an additional thought (the largest category of parallels)
4
LOOSE PARAPHRASE
Sentences expressing a very similar thought, though not always in the
same order or with verbatim words as source
3
SOURCE BIBLE Scriptures that are not directly associated with the story but follow a source 2
PARTIAL INDEPENDENT
Sentences that present an original thought, though containing an
allusion to a source
3

1
TOTALLY INDEPENDENT Sentences with no parallel 0
BIBLE QUOTATIONS Quotations from the Bible that are essential to the story 0
Colorized Text Discloses Independent Wording
Veltman did not actually use grayscale in his marking in the Life of Christ Research
Project. Rather, he underlined parallel phrases and boldfaced verbatim or nearly verbatim
words to call attention to dependent wording. Unfortunately, the boldfacing in the facsimile
edition at adventistarchives.org is not always easy to see, making review of Veltmans 2,222-
page report quite tedious. At Tim Poiriers suggestion, Mrs. Anderson King and I upgraded
the original marking from black and white to the color scheme in this book. See what a
difference it makes in evaluating literary borrowing.
4

61
62 White Lie Soap

Black and White Marking Vs. Color
sample from
the Life of
Christ
Research
Project

colorized
upgrade of
thesame
sample
Jesus refused to go outside the path of obedience. While manifesting
perfect trust in His Father, He would not place Himself, unbidden, in a
position that would necessitate the interposition of His Father to save him
fromdeath. {DA 125.3, highlighted is from2SP 94.2 via BEcho 11-15-1892}
Here, Mrs. White
has adapted scattered
wording for a single
sentence in The
Desire of Ages from
four long, non-
consecutive
sentences in Hannas
Life of Christ.
SOURCE: Jesus would rely to the very uttermost upon the Divine faithfulness, upon Gods promised care and help; but he would not put that
faithfulness to aneedless trial. If put by thedevil in aposition of difficulty and danger, hewill cherish an unbounded trust in God, and if extrication from
that position bedesirable, and no other way of affecting it beleft, hewill even believethat God will miraculously interposein his behalf. But hewill not
of his own accord, without any proper call or invitation, for no other purposethan to makean experiment of theFathers willingness to aid him, to make
ashow of thekind of heavenly protection hecould claim; hewill not voluntarily placehimself in such aposition. Hewas hereon thepinnacleof the
temple, fromthat pinnacletherewas another open, easy, safemethod of descent; why should herefuseto takeit if hedesired to descend; why fling
himself into open space? If hedid so unasked, unordered by God himself, what warrant could hehavethat theDivinepower would beput forth to bear
himup. God had indeed promised to bear himup, but had not bidden himcast himself down, for no other purposethan to seewhether hewould beborne
up or no; to do what Satan wished himto do, would beto show not thestrength of his faith, but theextent of his presumption. (Hanna, p. 94)
Based on careful appraisal of 15 chapters in The Desire of Ages, Veltman projected that the
31 percent of the sentences in the book would be dependent in some way.
5
Missing the import
of Veltmans statement, Rea maintained his own exaggerated projection: After great expense
and almost eight years, Veltman confirmed what other studies showed, that depending upon the
material used from Ellen Whites writing, the copy work could be as much as 90% (How the
Seventh-day Adventist Spirit of Prophecy Was Born, p. 1).
6
Reas projection is certainly way
over the mark, but what did he mean by copy work? The concept apparently varies from
example to example.
7
Consider the first of two examples of copy work from this very paper:
Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 371 Daniel March, Our Fathers House, pp. 90, 91
I was shown the Waldenses, and what they
suffered for their religion. They conscientiously
studied the word of God, and lived up to the light
which shone upon them. They were persecuted,
and driven fromtheir homes; their possessions,
gained by hard labor, were taken fromthem, and
their houses burned. They fled to the mountains
and there suffered incredible hardships. They
endured hunger, fatigue, cold, and nakedness. The
only clothing which many of them could obtain was
the skins of animals. And yet the scattered and
homeless ones would assemble to unite their voices
in singing, and praising God that they were
accounted worthy to suffer for Christs name. They
encouraged and cheered one another, and were
grateful for even their miserable retreat. Many of
their children sickened and died from cold and
hunger, yet the parents did not for a moment think
of yielding their religion. They prized the love and
favor of God far above earthly ease or worldly
riches. They received consolation fromGod and
with pleasing anticipations looked forward to the
recompense of reward.
For a thousand years the unconquered Waldenses defied the armies of
kings and emperors with their songs of thanksgiving to the Maker of the
mountains amid the solitudes of the Alps. They sang upon their rocky
heights in sight of their enemies, and all the legions of Rome had not the
power to silence their hymns of lofty cheer:
For the strength of the hills we bless thee, our God, our fathers God!
Thou hast made thy children mighty by the touch of the mountain sod.
Thou hast fixed our ark of refuge, where the spoilers foot neer trod;
The banner of the chieftain far, far below us waves;
The war-horse of the spearman cannot reach our lofty caves;
Thy dark clouds wrap the threshold of freedoms last abode;
For the dark, resounding heavens, where thy still small voice is heard;
For the strong pines of the forests, that by thy breath are stirred;
For the storms on whose free pinions Thy Spirit walks abroad;
For the shadow of thy presence round our camp of rock outspread;
For the stern defiles of battle, bearing record of our dead;
For the snows and for the torrents, for the free hearts burial-sod;

CHAPTER 5 Upgrading from Black and White to Color 63

March missed every unique point that Ellen White made concerning the Waldenses (see
italicized). The only similarity in the passages is the Waldenses use of the mountains for
protection and their praising God in song. (The strength of the hills is from Psa. 95:4.) Such
minor points of similarity do not invalidate Ellen Whites claim of seeing the Waldenses in vision.
(Reas other comparative reference, Wylies History of the Waldenses, pp. 2933, had no
significant parallels.) Consider Reas second example of copy work:
Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 123 Daniel March, Home Life in the Bible, pp. 209211
The spirit, wisdom, and goodness of God, revealed
in His word, are to be exemplified by the disciples of
Christ, and are thus to condemn the world. God requires
of His people according to the grace and truth given
them. All His righteous demands must be fully met.
Accountable beings must walk in the light that shines
upon them. If they fail to do this, their light becomes
darkness, and their darkness is great in the same degree
as their light was abundant. Accumulated light has shone
upon Gods people; but many have neglected to follow
the light, and for this reason they are in a state of great
spiritual weakness.
It is not for lack of knowledge that Gods people are
now perishing. They will not be condemned because
they do not know the way, the truth, and the life. The
truth that has reached their understanding, the light which
has shone on the soul, but which has been neglected or
refused, will condemn them. Those who never had the
light to reject will not be in condemnation. What more
could have been done for Gods vineyard than has been
done? Light, precious light, shines upon Gods people;
but it will not save themunless they consent to be saved
by it, fully live up to it, and transmit it to others in
darkness. God calls upon His people to act. It is an
individual work of confessing and forsaking sins and
returning unto the Lord that is needed. One cannot do
this work for another. Religious knowledge has
accumulated, and this has increased corresponding
obligations. Great light has been shining upon the
church, and by it they are condemned because they
refuse to walk in it. If they were blind they would be
without sin [John 9:41]. But they have seen light and
have heard much truth, yet are not wise and holy. Many
have for years made no advancement in knowledge and
true holiness. They are spiritual dwarfs. Instead of going
forward to perfection, they are going back to the
darkness and bondage of Egypt. Their minds are not
exercised unto godliness and true holiness.
Let us look boldly and calmly both at the danger and the refuge
which the light of the divine word sets before us. It is dangerous to
trifle with the sacred demands of conscience, and to live on, year
after year, without obeying the clear, gentle voice with which God
speaks in every soul. There is nothing which a brave man has so
much reason to fear as dishonor and rebuke before the bar of his own
conscience. It is dangerous to wait for a better time to begin a better
life. The best time is now, and the present is always Gods day of sal-
[210] vation. Whoever puts off till to-morrow the first duty of to-day
hazards an endless joy for a momentary pleasure. He throws the pearl
of infinite price into the fathomless sea of the future, rashly
presuming that he can find it again when he is tired of gathering
pebbles and shells on the solemn shore. It is dangerous to wait for
clearer evidence to confirmrevealed truth and to unfold the mysteries
of eternal Providence while the claims of present duty are denied.
Light shines with ever-increasing brightness on the path of those who
pass on where it already shows the way. The vision widens as we
ascend. And yet to reach the loftiest heights of faith we must often
climb through clouds. Sometimes the best evidence that we are in the
right way is the fact that it grows darker as we go on. The least
advance costs an effort just because every step lifts us higher.
It is dangerous to leave the great matter of preparation for death
undecided while the years of life are passing rapidly away, and the
summons to go hence may come without a moments warning. The
next step forward may be out of time into eternity. We are afraid to
walk in the broad day unless we are sure of something solid to set our
foot upon. Much more should we be sure of the way before us when
we step fromthe shore of time into the infinite deep. It is dangerous
even for once to say to the Saviour of sinners, Go thy way; when I
have a convenient season, I will call for thee. [Acts 24:25.] It is never
convenient to take up the cross and [211] follow him. It is never
convenient to deny self and live by faith and renounce the world. It is
never convenient to break up bad habits and renounce evil
companionships, and set out upon the heavenward journey with a
steady step and a firmmind. And yet it is right and safe so to do.
[The isolated phrase to trifle with the sacred demands of
conscience was used in 8T 195.2.]
The only real similarity between the two passages are the fundamental themes of Jesus,
Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you (John 12:35), and of Paul, now is
the day of salvation (2 Cor. 6:2). Such trivial similarity betrays a very skewed idea of copying.
Who would use such meager evidence in a court of law to prove the defrauding of literary rights?
In a set of marked volumes in his office at the Ellen G. White Estate, Tim Poirier keeps track
of the literary parallels that critics and supporters have located and reported to him. The listing is
fittingly named Project Surprise since the current number of lines with literary parallels in all of
PARALLELS: verbatim 5(+) words paraphrase Scripture EGW: periodical Spirit of Prophecy

64 White Lie Soap

Ellen Whites writings now stands surprise!at less than four percent.
8
The listing raises the
question of how Ellen White could have written as much as she did with her sources providing
so little of what she wrote. Reas sweeping assertion of 90 percent copy workwhether
verbatim or close paraphrasecertainly does not apply to Ellen Whites writings as a whole.
9

Neither does his assertion of 90 percent copy work apply to any single book written by Ellen
White. Her book with the highest dependencyThe Desire of Agesis virtually independent for
75 percent of the book, and very little of the dependent text is verbatim or close paraphrase.
Neither does Reas assertion apply to any single chapter or article. The highest dependency for
either is a single chapter that has 50 percent of the sentences with some degree of dependency.
10

The only division of her writings to which the assertion could possibly apply is to single
sentence units like those Veltman designated MODIFIED VERBATIM in the Life of Christ Research
Project Report. Aside from Bible verses, there are 29 of these, and they stretch the limits of
verbatim, since verbatim means in the exact words: word for word (http://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/verbatim). None of the 29 sentences was a complete sentence in the
source; none is word for word the same as the source wording; only five of the sentences contain
phrases long enough to require quotation marks by modern standards (here, using guillemots, ,
to avoid confusion with those in the text). I have listed all 29 of the MODIFIED VERBATIM sentences
in the exhibit below, with added markings and comments not previously included in More Than
Words or A Quick View of the Life of Christ Research Project (19801988) on the Internet.
MODIFIED VERBATIMV2, rated 6 for literary dependency29 sentences
Chapter 3 (One sentence unit out of 130)
The fullness of the time had come.
(DA 34.4)
When, in the fulness of time, the eternal Son came forth fromthe bosomof the Father,
he descended to a region of spiritual darkness. (Harris, The Great Teacher, p. 49)
In this instance, The Desire of Ages follows Galatians more closely than it does Harris. Galatians 4:4 says: But when the
fulness of the time was come . . . . Perhaps there should have been a category for BIBLICAL PARAPHRASE. Ellen White often
borrowed phrasing to make her own biblical paraphrase. Here Harris used phrasing fromJohn 1:18 and Matthew 4:16.
Chapter 14 (Five sentence units out of 250)
Again the face of the prophet was lighted
up with glory fromthe Unseen, as he cried,
Behold the Lamb of God! (DA 138.4)
On the following day, while two of J ohns disciples were standing near
by, J esus came, in sight, and the Baptists face again took the glow of
inspiration, as he cried: Behold the Lamb of God! (J ones, Life-Scenes
from the Four Gospels, p. 96)
This sentence is more of a SIMPLE PARAPHRASE than a VERBATIM, with words taken from J ohn 1:29, The next day
J ohn seeth J esus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Ellen White first quoted J ohns words in 1SG 29.1, 2.
The words thrilled the hearts of the disciples.
(DA 138.4)
The two disciples, how they were thrilled by the words!
(J ones, Life-Scenes from the Four Gospels, p. 96)
Ellen White may have adapted Joness expansion of John 1:37: And the two disciples heard himspeak, and they followed
Jesus, perhaps conflating it with heart fromthe later description of the effect of Jesus conversation with other disciples: Did
not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? (Luke 24:32).
Philip entered into no
controversy. (DA 140.3)
The reply of Philip is every way observable. He entered on no controversy, he attempted no
discussion; he felt that the means which had been effectual with himself were most likely to be
effectual with Nathanael; and, therefore, wishing to bring himinto communication with Christ,
he simply proffered the invitation, Come and see. (Melvill, The Golden Lectures, p. 49)
This five-word VERBATIM sentence correlates with four verbatimwords in two sentences of 53 words. The parallel wording
may be merely coincidental. I found no other significant parallels between Golden Lectures and the rest of the chapter or even the
rest of the book. Ellen White had earlier used this isolated parallel in Letter 86 (Sept. 25), 1895, writing to her son, Edson.

If you believe on Me as such [that is, as
the Son of Godfromthe previous
sentence], your faith shall be quickened. I
have opened them to you. (DA 142.4)
Believe what that sign was meant to confirm; believe in me as the lamb
of God, the Saviour of the world, the baptizer with the Holy Ghost, and
your eye of faith shall be quickened, and you shall see those heavens
standing continually open above my headopened by me for you . . . .
(Hanna, Life of Christ, p. 108; quoted in TWL 106, 108)
Fromone sentence of 99 words came two sentences. The first of these sentences has eight verbatimwords with paraphrase;
the second has two verbatimwords with paraphrase. At most, these are a thoughtful condensation of the original. These
two sentences were carried over fromRH 1-21-1873, par. 15, via 2SP 67.1.
They hurried him to the brow of a
precipice, intending to cast him down
headlong. (DA 240.1)
. . . they hurry him forth to the brow of a precipice, near by the synagogue,
that they may cast himdown headlong. (March, Walks and Homes of Jesus, p.
61)
This VERBATIM sentence is also a BIBLICAL PARAPHRASE, using elements from Marchs paraphrase of Luke 4:29:
And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that
they might cast him down headlong. Hanna (p. 171) also used to the brow of a precipice and hurrying him to the
brow of the hill. Like Marchs Walks and Homes of Jesus and Hannas Life of Christ, which it predates, Spiritual
Gifts, vol. 1, p. 36, also paraphrases Luke 4:29: Again as the plain truth dropped from his holy lips, the multitude laid
hold of him, and led him to the brow of a hill, intending to thrust him down.
Chapter 37 (Five sentence units out of 217)
Where He had passed, the objects of
His compassion were rejoicing in health,
and making trial of their new-found
powers. (DA 350.3)
Where he had passed, the restored might be seen, making trial of their new-
found powers; listeners, formed into groups to hear the tale of healing; and the
delighted objects of his compassion, rehearsing, with earnestness, what had
passed, imitating his tones, and even trying to convey an idea of his
condescending ways. (Harris, The Great Teacher, p. 343; quoted in TWL 312)
Ellen White has simplified Harriss thought, using ten verbatim words out of 52 in the first sentence of this adapted
thought gem. She also used other words from other sentences. Yet, she did not repeat Harriss imagined scenario of
the people imitating J esus tones and mannerisms. At most, it is another thoughtful condensation of the original.
His voice was the first sound that many had ever
heard, His name the first word they had ever spoken,
His face the first they had ever looked upon. (DA 350.3)
His voice was the first sound which many of themheard; his name
the first word they had pronounced, his blessed formthe first sight
they had ever beheld. (Harris, The Great Teacher, p. 343)
While a beautiful thought, it stands to reason that this would be true of those who were born deaf or blind.
As He passed through the towns and cities
He was like a vital current, diffusing life and
joy wherever He went. (DA 350.3)
He went through the land like a current of vital air, an element of life,
diffusing health and joy wherever he appeared. (Harris, The Great Teacher,
p. 343; quoted in TWL 385, using Gospel Workers, p. 43)
And more than angels are
in the ranks. (DA 352.2)
. . . he reminds them that they struggle for an invisible world, that they fight in
fellowship with all the children of the light [1 Thess. 5:5], that more than angels are in
their ranks. (Harris, The Great Teacher, p. xliv)
Ellen Whites sentence uses six verbatimwords out of Harriss 59-word sentence. It was brought into The Desire of Ages by
way of Letter 102a (March 9), 1896, written to O. A. Tait and published in The Upward Look, p. 82. The next two sentences
in The Desire of Ages, as part of the same thought gem, borrow wording fromthe same paragraph in Harris.
Every soul was precious in His eyes. (DA 353.1)
Every scrap of humanity was sacred and precious in his eyes.
(Miller, Week-Day Religion, p. 187)
This well-worded sentence adapts Millers language to expand on Jesus command in Matthew 10:16 that the disciples
be harmless as doves, mirroring His own attitude toward fallible humanityA bruised reed shall he not break, and
smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory (Matt. 12:20; prophesied in Isa. 42:3). Yet,
there are significant differences. Consider the difference between Ellen Whites soul and Millers scrap of humanity
and between Ellen Whites precious and Millers sacred and precious. Mrs. Whites statement sets a proper balance,
while Millers statement first demeans then exalts humanity. The same thought is found in The Youths Instructor, Dec.
12, 1895, He treated every human being as having great value, and in 1SG 37.2, The Life of CHRIST was full of
benevolence, sympathy and love. He was ever attentive to listen to, and relieve the woes of those who came to him.
Multitudes carried the evidences in their own persons of his divine power. The sentence is part of a larger thought gem
adapted from James R. Miller, which we will consider below. The parallel MODIFIED VERBATIM sentence is boxed in gray.

PARALLELS: verbatim 5(+) words paraphrase Scripture EGW: letter/manuscript periodical book SP SG

66 White Lie Soap

Christ Himself did not suppress one word
of truth, but He spoke it always in love. He
exercised the greatest tact, and thoughtful,
kind attention in His intercourse with the
people. He was never rude, never needlessly
spoke a severe word, never gave needless
pain to a sensitive soul. He did not censure
human weakness. He fearlessly denounced
hypocrisy, unbelief, and iniquity, but tears
were in His voice as He uttered His scathing
rebukes. He wept over J erusalem, the city He
loved, that refused to receive Him, the Way,
the Truth, and the Life. They rejected Him,
the Saviour, but He regarded them with
pitying tenderness, and sorrow so deep that it
broke His heart. Every soul was precious in
His eyes. While He always bore Himself
with divine dignity, He bowed with tenderest
regard to every member of the family of
God. In all men He saw fallen souls whom it
was His mission to save. (DA 353.1)
A true appreciation of the story of the teachings of the gospel will reveal
the fact that our Lord himself exercised the most beautiful and thoughtful
tact in all his mingling among the people. He was utterly incapable of
rudeness. He never needlessly spoke a harsh word. He never gave needless
pain to a sensitive heart. He was most considerate of human weakness. He
was most gentle toward all human sorrow. He never suppressed the truth,
but he uttered it always in love. Even the terrible woes he pronounced
against unbelief and hypocrisy I do not believe were spoken in the tones of
thunder trembling with rage which men impart to their anathemas. I think
we must read themin the light of his tears over the city of his love, which
had rejected him, pulsing and tremulous with divine and sorrowing
tenderness. His whole life tells of most considerate thoughtfulness. He had
a wondrous reverence for human life. Every scrap of humanity was sacred
and precious in his eyes. He bore himself always in the attitude of
tenderest regard for every one. How could it be otherwise, since he saw in
every one a lost being whomby love he might win and rescue, or whomby
a harsh word he might drive for ever beyond hope? He never spoke
brusquely or made truth cruel. He saw in every man and woman enough of
sadness to soften the very tones of his speech and to produce feelings of
ineffable tenderness in him. He moved about striving to impart to every one
some comfort or help. (Miller, Week-Day Religion, p. 187)
Notice how Mrs. White condensed the gemas a whole, omitting Millers elements of conjectureI do not believe . . . and I
think . . . . There is a significant theological difference between He was utterly incapable of rudeness and He was never
rudeJesus was kind by choice, not simply by nature. Gladys King-Taylor identified an effective use of contrast in While He
always bore Himself with divine dignity, He bowed with tenderest regard to every member of the family of God and an effective
use of iteration in He was never rude, never needlessly spoke a severe word, never gave needless pain to a sensitive soul
(Literary Beauty, pp. 83, 95, emphasis hers). Mrs. White first adapted the gemin RH 12-16-1884, par. 17, and then in SC 12.1.
We are not to plunge into difficulties,
neglecting the means God has provided, and
misusing the faculties He has given us. (DA 369.1)
When we plunge ourselves into difficulty, by a neglect of the
means or by a misuse of the faculties which God has bestowed upon
us, it is to be expected that he will leave us to our own devices.
(Wayland, Salvation by Christ, p. 246)
Notice that Ellen Whites condensation of Waylands thought gem omits Waylands conclusion that God will leave us
to our own devices. Ellen White first condensed Waylands thought in ST 8-19-1897, par. 2.
Chapter 46 (Two sentence units out of 89)
The Saviour and his disciples have spent the
day in traveling and teaching, and the mountain
climb adds to their weariness. (DA 419.1)
He has spent the day in travel and in teaching, and this mountain climb at
night adds a heavy weight to weariness that demanded rest before the
evening came. (March, WHJ 150, quoted in TWL 313)
The disciples do not venture to ask
Christ whither He is going, or for
what purpose. (DA 419.3)
They do not ask himwhither he is going, or for what purpose, he leads themaway to
the solitude of the mountainjust as night is setting in, and they all need repose and
protection in the homes which they have left behind. (March, WHJ 151)
This descriptive language fromMarch is only used in the opening three paragraphs of the chapter.
Chapter 75 (Six sentence units out of 351)
Christ was to be tried formally
before the Sanhedrin; but before
Annas He was subjected to a
preliminary trial. (DA 698.3)
It was in this hall, and before Annas, that Jesus was subjected to that preliminary
informal examination recorded in the eighteenth chapter of the gospel of St. John, ver.
1924. He was to be formally tried, with show at least of law, before the Sanhedrim, the
highest of the Jewish courts; but this could not be done at once. (Hanna, LC 663)
This VERBATIM is a historical explanation extracting 15 non-consecutive verbatimwords from58 in Hannas Life of Christ.
Their own rules declared that
every man should be treated as
innocent until proved guilty.
(DA 699.2)
But He would not repeat it, in spite of their insistence, because He knew that it was
open to their wilful misinterpretation, and because they were acting in flagrant
violation of their own express rules and traditions, which demanded, that every
arraigned criminal should be regarded and treated as innocent until his guilt was
actually proved. (Farrar, Life of Christ, 1883, p. 415)

This VERBATIM sentence extracts 12 non-consecutive verbatimwords from56 and was introduced through Ms. 51, 1897.
And He suffered in
proportion to the perfection of
His holiness and His hatred
for sin. (DA 700.3)
It was by no means an indifferent act to him: he suffered, being tempted, [Heb.
2:18]suffered in proportion to the perfection of his holiness, and the depth of his
aversion to sin; but though his residence in an atmosphere of sin was revolting to his
purity, though the presence of depravity made his continuance here a perpetual sacrifice,
his love induced himto submitinduced himso intimately to associate with the ungodly,
that one of his characteristic names became the friend of publicans and sinners. [Matt.
11:19; Luke 7:34] (J ohn Harris, The Great Teacher, p. 340; quoted in TWL 317)
This VERBATIM, which was used in 5T 421.2, takes 12 verbatimwords froma 100-word sentence in The Great Teacher.
Of all the throng He alone was
calmand serene. (DA 704.0)
He alone, of all that countless host, he alone was calmserenefearless! (Ingraham,
The Prince of the House of David, p. 349)
It may be that Ellen White adapted this isolated sentence fromIngraham. These recognizable words fit right in.
Caiaphas was desperate.
(DA 706.1)
On this Caiaphas became desperate, and adopted a resource which our own rules of
evidence would declare most infamous, and which was also wholly adverse to the first
principles of Mosaic jurisprudence and the like of which occurs in no circumstance of
Hebrew history. (John Kitto, Daily Bible Illustrations, p. 408)
This three-word VERBATIM sentence may have extracted two words fromKittos forty-four. It was first used in Ms. 51, 1897.
There was a time to be
silent, and a time to speak.
(DA 706.4)
There is a time to speak, and a time to keep silence. (J oseph Hall, Scripture
History; or Contemplations on the Historical Passages of the Old and New
Testaments, 1830, p. 575)
White and Hall have both paraphrased the last half of Ecclesiastes 3:7, which was applicable in this part of the narrative.
Would Mrs. White need to give Hall credit for this? The parallel was carried over from3SP 127.1.
Chapter 83 (Four sentence units out of 116)
During the journey the sun had gone down, and
before the travelers reached their place of rest, the
laborers in the fields had left their work. (DA 800.2)
The sun has gone down behind the gray hill-tops, and the shadows of
evening have begun to deepen in the narrow valleys, and the laborers
have left the terraced orchards and vineyards on the hill-sides before the
two travelers reach their home . . . . (March, NS 417)
Christ never forces His company upon anyone.
(DA 800.3)
He never forces himself upon any) (March, NS 418)
It is self-evident that laborers would have left their place of labor by sunset. Agricultural workers did not normally work past
dark. Ellen White first used this passage in ST 1-20-1888, par. 8, and brought it into The Desire of Ages through Ms. 113, 1897.
Now He puts forth His hands to bless the food.
(DA 800.4)
When bread, the simple fare of the poor, was set before them, he put
forth his hands to bless it. (March, NS 418, 419)
This thought, which alludes to Luke 24:30, comes from ST 1-20-1888, par. 11 through Ms. 113, 1897.
The disciples start back in astonishment. (DA
800.4)
But what now so suddenly startles the wondering disciples?
(March, NS 419)
This VERBATIM is more of a SIMPLE PARAPHRASE. It was brought into The Desire of Ages through Ms. 113, 1897.
Chapter 84 (Four sentence units out of 138)
Every eye is fastened upon the Stranger. (DA 802.2) Every eye is fixed upon the stranger. (March, NS 422)
No footstep has been heard. (DA 802.2) No sound of entering footsteps has been heard. (March, NS 422)
The Holy Spirit was not yet fully manifested;
for Christ had not yet been glorified. (DA 805.2)
The Holy Ghost was not yet in his fulness given, because that
J esus was not yet glorified. (Hanna, LC 806)
The last of these sentences is, at most, a STRICT PARAPHRASE of Hannas loose quoting of J ohn 7:39: But this spake
he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that
J esus was not yet glorified. Highlighted wording is from Ms. 113, 1897, which adapted from NS 422, and Ms. 149,
1897, which adapted from LC 806.
The doubting disciple knew that none of his
companions had seen Jesus for a week. (DA 807.3)
Thomas knew that for seven days none of the disciples had
seen the Lord. (Hanna, LC 817)
More of a STRICT PARAPHRASE than a MODIFIED VERBATIM, this sentence is based on details presented in J ohn 20:24,
26. The description of Thomass state of mind before seeing J esus was carried over from 3SP 221.1.
68 White Lie Soap

These 29 MODIFIED VERBATIM sentences are the most similar of the dependent sentences in
the fifteen chapters. They make up about one percent of the whole. Dividing the number of
verbatim words in each sentence by the total number of words in that sentence, we reach the
surprising conclusion that no sentence reaches the level of 90 percent pure verbatim. Thus, had
copy work meant word-for-word verbatim duplication, Reas assertion regarding 90 percent
copy work would not apply to a single sentence in The Desire of Ages included in the Life of
Christ Research Project. Moreover, only seven phrases in the sentences are long enough to require
quotation marks and a footnote by current standards. By the standards at the time of first
publication, these sentences would not have been marked, for marking of partial sentences was
not then required. Even when the standard changed during the latter half of the nineteenth century,
as long as the material was less than a full sentence, an author could use the wording of another
author and not give credit of any sort. It was not until an author used a full sentence or more that
the general expectation required that the author be credited by at least his or her last name.
11

Moreover, until 1909, when Congress changed the copyright laws and required derivative
works to credit their sources, there was no legal reason for footnoting paraphrased material.
12

Like the 29 MODIFIED VERBATIM sentences, sentences in every other category of
dependency also possessed unique elements, and legitimate questions remain regarding the
dependency rating assigned them in the Life of Christ Research Project. Due to space
constraints, we will only examine the first sentence from each category.
STRICT PARAPHRASEP1, rated 5 for literary dependency183 total sentences
In his
manner and
dress he
resembled the
prophet Elijah.
(DA 104.3)
. . . a large gathering of excited people around a man of singular appearance, who was making a
most wonderful announcement, and was engaging in a baptismal rite of startling significance. He
was a gaunt ascetic; in his dress and manner, and in his authoritative language, reminding all who
saw and heard himof the old prophet; and indeed, in his appearance so much resembling Elijah,
that the query was immediately started in every mans mind, whether he was not actually that
prophet risen fromthe dead. (Jones, Life-Scenes from the Four Gospels, p. 3)
Fromexamples in the Life of Christ Research Project Report, we can deduce that, like MODIFIED VERBATIM,
STRICT PARAPHRASE can be the extraction of a phrase or two froma much longer sentence. This first example in the
research project is fromThe Desire of Ages, chapter 10. There were no sentences designated STRICT PARAPHRASE in
chapter 3. It is the recognizable verbatimwords that it has in common with Joness account that signaled to the
reader in the Life of Christ Research Project that Ellen White borrowed wording. We should note that Joness
speculation makes no sense, and Ellen White did not repeat it. How could the people be reminded of Elijah, when
they had never seen him? They were not alive to see Elijah walk the earth. The phrase singular appearance is
underlined in Life-Scenes from the Four Gospels because it was used in the previous sentence in The Desire of Ages.
SIMPLE PARAPHRASEP2, rated 4 for literary dependency256 total sentences
One language was widely
spoken, and was everywhere
recognized as the language of
literature. (DA 32.2)
When we further consider that there was, as it were, one universal language,
superseding by its copiousness and fulness all others,the language of literature, of
cultivation, of the arts, and of trade and commerce,we easily see that the whole world
had almost become one family . . . . (E. W. Thayer, Sketches from the Life of Jesus,
Historical and Doctrinal, p. 21, par. 3)
In this first example of SIMPLE PARAPHRASE, taken from The Desire of Ages, chapter 3, it is the uniqueness of the
phrase the language of literature that suggests literary dependency. Even so, the sentence has been greatly
simplified. This example illustrates that the difference between SIMPLE PARAPHRASE and STRICT PARAPHRASE is that
sentences designated SIMPLE PARAPHRASE do not follow the same order as the source and often add an original thought.
There were more sentences classified as SIMPLE PARAPHRASE than any other category.
PARALLELS: verbatim 5(+) words paraphrase Scripture EGW: letter/manuscript periodical book SP SG

LOOSE PARAPHRASEP3, rated 3 for literary dependency93 total sentences
The nations were united under one
government. (DA 32.2)
While the dominion of Rome so oppressed the nations; it yet unified the world, and
harmonized it into the semblance of one family. (Thayer 21.2)
Ellen White may have expressed the same general thought as Thayer, yet, without the verbatimphrase, language of
literature, in the previous sentence, it would be difficult to certify that she actually derived her wording for this particular
sentence fromhis account. Looking at other sentences in the thought that were borrowed, we can deduce that Thayers
Sketches from the Life of Jesus supplied a few general historical background facts for the chapter.
SOURCE BIBLEB1, rated 2 for literary dependency84 total sentences
In the region and shadow of
death, men sat unsolaced
[Matthew 4:16]. (DA 32.4)
. . . what must have been the wishes and aspirations of those who, with a keen
perception of their exigence [i.e., urgency], were sitting in darkness and the shadow of
death? (John Harris, The Great Teacher, p. 51)
One could certainly question how remarkable it is to paraphrase Matthew 4:16 in a chapter on the condition of the
people at the coming of Christ. To be fair, some B1s are more striking, though most are logically linked to the story being
told. This sentence may have come through Signs of the Times, June 16, 1898, Men were sitting in the shadow of death.
PARTIAL INDEPENDENTI2, rated 1 for literary dependency178 total sentences
From the days of Enoch the promise was
repeated through patriarchs and prophets,
keeping alive the hope of His appearing, and
yet He came not. (DA 31.2)
We remember the Patriarchs remark, that Judahs sceptre should not
depart till Shiloh come; we remember the promise of an eternal dominion
to the family of David: and still more vividly shines the vision of Daniel.
(WilliamKennedy, Messianic Prophecy, and the Life of Christ, p. 174)
There is only one significant verbatimword in this PARTIAL INDEPENDENT sentencepromise. However, the promise in
The Desire of Ages is that which was given in the days of Enoch and repeated through patriarchs and prophets, while the
promise in Messianic Prophecy is that of Jacobs prophecy in Genesis 49:10. That Mrs. White also mentioned Daniels
prophecy in the next sentence (The prophecy of Daniel revealed the time of His advent, but not all rightly interpreted the
message.) may be the reason that these sentences were correlated by the reader in the Life of Christ Research Project.
Veltman calculated the rate for all the dependent sentences to average out at 3.33, which is
the level of LOOSE PARAPHRASE (Veltman, LCRP 941). Why would Ellen Whites use of this
amount of LOOSE PARAPHRASE in relating the same biblical accounts as other authors cause
such a fuss? For Walter Rea, the fuss was in assuming that any similarity meant that she
could not have received the point she was making by divine inspiration.
13
This seems to be the
issue that also bothered D. M. Canright, as we see reflected in his question in the Michigan
Christian Advocate in 1887, when he discovered Ellen Whites reliance on Protestant
authorities in The Great Controversy: Was DAubigne also inspired? Both men stumbled
over inspiration that would allow an inspired writer to communicate Gods messages using
adapted wording from non-inspired sources. However, any concept of inspiration that requires
all inspired messages to have been spoken by a heavenly voice would
exclude much of the God-breathed writings of Scripture. The writers of
the historical books of the Old Testament gathered information from the
annals of the kings of Israel and Judah. Solomon gathered proverbs and
sought out just the right words to express truths clearly. Luke did
research in writing his Gospel. Paul quoted pagan authors and received
information regarding the churches from people connected with those
churches. In putting into words what he was shown in vision, John used
imagery from the non-canonical Ethiopic Apocalypse of Enoch.
14

The exhibit below represents the 31 percent literary dependency of the 2,624 sentences in
blocks shaded gray for their level of dependency. Only one blockonly one percentis nearly
PARALLELS: verbatim 5(+) words paraphrase Scripture EGW: letter/manuscript periodical Spirit of Prophecy
Dudley M. Canright
70 White Lie Soap

black.
15
Sixty-nine percent of the blocks are white. These are the 1612 STRICTLY INDEPENDENT
sentences and 189 BIBLE QUOTATIONS. Additionally, the light gray of the 178 PARTIAL
INDEPENDENT sentences hardly shows up, illustrating how independent they truly are. In the first
three categories of dependency are 1979 sentences75 percent of the totalthat are independent
or virtually independent from sources. A weakness of the exhibit is that it cannot represent the
independent elements in the MODIFIED VERBATIM sentences we have already seen in this chapter.
To gain a better sense of how Ellen White incorporated wording from sources, the next
several pages contain the first portion of a colorized version of The Desire of Ages, chapter 3,
which was the first chapter evaluated by Veltman. It does not use his notation, and, due to space
constraints, neither does it include the entire chapter. Several of its parallel sentences were
included in the previous exhibits. It may be helpful to refer back to the specific comments
already made about them (MODIFIED VERBATIM is on pages 6467; STRICT AND SIMPLE
PARAPHRASE are on page 68; and LOOSE PARAPHRASE, SOURCE BIBLE, and PARTIAL
INDEPENDENT are on page 69). Seeing these sentences in their context and noting which of their
words are verbatim, paraphrased, or taken from Scripture and which were used in Ellen Whites
earlier compositions can aid readers in evaluating how Ellen White used elements from other
works in producing the text of The Desire of Ages. Readers should be aware that we cannot be
absolutely certain about every marking and classification. The reverse engineering of a literary
work is not an exact science; it often involves judgment calls.
16

As you look over this selection, ask yourself: Which color is most vivid and which colors
predominate? What clues do the colors provide regarding Mrs. Whites use of literary sources?
How convincing is the evidence that each of the identified source works was actually used? Does
the evidence indicate that Ellen White mindlessly copied or paraphrased from the sources, or does
it point to a different use of the sources? Would any of the five-word strings of verbatim, marked
with guillemots ( ), be remarkable enough to require a reference to the literary source?
17
Would
credit need to be given for using the same biblical language as another author?
Percentages of Dependency for 2,624 Total Sentences, Represented in Grayscale
MODIFIED
VERBATIM
SIMPLE
PARAPHRASE
LOOSE
PARAPHRASE
PARTIAL
INDEPENDENT
INDEPENDENT INDEPENDENT INDEPENDENT INDEPENDENT INDEPENDENT INDEPENDENT
STRICT
PARAPHRASE
SIMPLE
PARAPHRASE
LOOSE
PARAPHRASE
PARTIAL
INDEPENDENT
STRICT
PARAPHRASE
SIMPLE
PARAPHRASE
SOURCE BIBLE
BIBLE
QUOTATIONS
STRICT
PARAPHRASE
SIMPLE
PARAPHRASE
SOURCE BIBLE
BIBLE
QUOTATIONS
STRICT
PARAPHRASE
SIMPLE
PARAPHRASE
SOURCE BIBLE
BIBLE
QUOTATIONS
STRICT
PARAPHRASE
SIMPLE
PARAPHRASE
PARTIAL
INDEPENDENT
BIBLE
QUOTATIONS
STRICT
PARAPHRASE
SIMPLE
PARAPHRASE
PARTIAL
INDEPENDENT
BIBLE
QUOTATIONS
STRICT
PARAPHRASE
SIMPLE
PARAPHRASE
PARTIAL
INDEPENDENT
BIBLE
QUOTATIONS
SIMPLE
PARAPHRASE
LOOSE
PARAPHRASE
PARTIAL
INDEPENDENT
BIBLE
QUOTATIONS
SIMPLE
PARAPHRASE
LOOSE
PARAPHRASE
PARTIAL
INDEPENDENT
INDEPENDENT INDEPENDENT INDEPENDENT INDEPENDENT INDEPENDENT INDEPENDENT INDEPENDENT

MODIFIED
VERBATIM
STRICT
PARAPHRASE
SIMPLE
PARAPHRASE
LOOSE
PARAPHRASE
SOURCE
BIBLE
PARTIAL
INDEPENDENT
BIBLE
QUOTATIONS
INDEPENDENT


The Fullness of the Time
HEN the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son . . . to redeem them that were
under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
a
Gal. 4:4, 5. {DA 31.1}
The Saviours coming was foretold in Eden.
b
When Adam and Eve first heard the promise, they
looked for its speedy fulfillment. They joyfully welcomed their first-born son, hoping that he might be the
Deliverer. But the fulfillment of the promise tarried. Those who first received it died without the sight. From
the days of Enoch the promise was repeated through patriarchs and prophets, keeping alive the hope of His
appearing, and yet He came not.
c
The prophecy of Daniel revealed the time of His advent, but not all rightly
interpreted the message.
d
Century after century passed away; the voices of the prophets
e
ceased. The hand
of the oppressor was heavy upon Israel, and many were ready to exclaim, The days are prolonged, and
every vision faileth. Eze. 12:22. {DA 31.2}
But like the stars in the vast circuit of their appointed path, Gods purposes know no haste and no
delay.
f
Through the symbols of the great darkness and the smoking furnace, God had revealed to Abraham
the bondage of Israel in Egypt, and had declared that the time of their sojourning should be four hundred
years.
g
Afterward, He said, shall they come out with great substance. Gen. 15:14. Against that word, all
the power of Pharaohs proud empire battled in vain. On the self-same day appointed in the divine
promise, it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. Exo. 12:41. So in
heavens council the hour for the coming of Christ had been determined. When the great clock of time
pointed to that hour Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
h
{DA 32.1}
When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son. Providence had directed the
movements of nations, and the tide of human impulse and influence, until the world was ripe for the
coming of the Deliverer. The nations were united under one government.
i
One language was widely
spoken, and was everywhere recognized as the language of literature.
j
From all lands the Jews of the

a
Thayer, Sketches from the Life of Jesus, Historical and Doctrinal, p. 13.1: But when thefulness of timewas come, God sent forth his son, madeof
awoman, madeunder thelaw, to redeemthemthat wereunder thelaw. Hannas explanation of Galatians 4:4, 5 is given in TheNativity, which is the
second chapter of his book: . . . if Christ had comein theearliest ages; had theIncarnation followed quickly upon theFall, so far as that coming was
concerned therehad been no roomor scopefor prophecyonegreat branch of theChristian evidences had been cut off.
b
Thayer, p. 2: Fromthelength of timehis coming had been expected. Theannouncement to Adamof theappearanceof adivinepersonage, who
should also betheseed of thewoman, who should crush thehead of theold serpent, regain mans lost inheritance, and atonefor human sin, was all that
preserved himfromthedespair and enmity of adevil. Themanner in which this atonement should beaccomplished was probably set forth at thesame
timein theinstitution of theriteof sacrifice,thefirst blood shed on theearth being theblood of thelamb, picturing thegreat substituteand his work.
c
Kennedy, Messianic Prophecy, and the Life of Christ, p. 174: We have seen how earnestly the ancient seers peered into the dimvista of
futurity to catch glimpses of his dawning. We remember the Patriarchs remark, that Judahs sceptre should not depart till Shiloh come; we
remember the promise of an eternal dominion to the family of David: and still more vividly shines the vision of Daniel. No one who hopes for
the Messiah can forget the seventy weeks fromthe time of the decree to restore and to build Jerusalem.

[Dan. 9:24, 25.]
d
Kennedy, p. 175: Theseventy weeks, too, werewell nigh fulfilled. If Daniel wereaprophet of theLord, theAnointed would then appear.
e
Allusion, Acts 13:27: For they that dwell at J erusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the
prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
f
Thayer, p. 22: It was the fulness of time; the world was fully ripe for the event. The clock of destiny had struck the hour: God is in
no haste about his special operations.
g
ST 11-4-1880, par. 7: Abrahamwas shown in vision that his seed, thechildren of Israel, after his death should bestrangers in astrangeland, and
should beafflicted four hundred years. Ellen Whites statement includes several Scriptural allusions: . . . an horror of great darkness fell upon him
(Gen. 15:12); and they shall afflict themfour hundred years (Gen. 15:13); and . . . behold asmoking furnace . . . (Gen. 15:17).
h
Thayer, p. 22.
i
Thayer, p. 21: Whilethedominion of Romeso oppressed thenations; it yet unified theworld, and harmonized it into thesemblanceof onefamily.
j
Thayer, p. 21: When we further consider that there was, as it were, one universal language, superseding by its copiousness and
fulness all others,the language of literature, of cultivation, of the arts, and of trade and commerce,we easily see that the whole world
had almost become one family; and that the vibrations of each stirring event made themselves felt to the ends of the earth.
Colorization of The Desire of Ages, Chapter 3
W
PARALLELS: verbatim 5(+) words paraphrase Scripture EGW: periodical

72 White Lie Soap

dispersion gathered to Jerusalem to the annual feasts. As these returned to the places of their sojourn,
they could spread throughout the world the tidings of the Messiahs coming. {DA 32.2}
At this time the systems of heathenism were losing their hold upon the people. Men were weary
of pageant and fable.
a
They longed for a religion that could satisfy the heart.
b
While the light of truth
seemed to have departed from among men, there were souls who were looking for light, and who
were filled with perplexity and sorrow.
c
They were thirsting for a knowledge of the living God,
for some assurance of a life beyond the grave.
d
{DA 32.3}
As the Jews had departed from God, faith had grown dim, and hope had well nigh ceased to illuminate
the future. The words of the prophets were uncomprehended.
e
To the masses of the people, death was a
dread mystery; beyond was uncertainty and gloom.
f
It was not alone the wailing of the mothers of
Bethlehem, but the cry from the great heart of humanity, that was borne to the prophet across the
centuries,the voice heard in Ramah, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for
her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. Matt. 2:18. In the region and shadow of
death, men sat unsolaced. With longing eyes they looked for the [33] coming of the Deliverer, when the
darkness should be dispelled, and the mystery of the future should be made plain.
g
{DA 32.4}
Outside of the Jewish nation there were men who foretold the appearance of a divine instructor.
h

These men were seeking for truth, and to them the Spirit of Inspiration was imparted.
i
One after another,
like stars in the darkened heavens, such teachers had arisen.
j
Their words of prophecy had kindled hope
in the hearts of thousands of the Gentile world.
k
{DA 33.1}
For hundreds of years the Scriptures had been translated into the Greek language, then widely
spoken throughout the Roman Empire.
l
The J ews were scattered everywhere, and their expectations

a
Kennedy, p. 174: Certain it is, that thebest forms of heathenismthen began to wane. They had cometo their flowering and fruitage; they had done
what they could, and wereabout to die. Thayer, p. 14: Christ cameas soon as idolatry had lost its hold upon any considerableportion, of mankind.
b
Kennedy, p. 174: The better part of the heathen were yearning for a new religious development. Greeks and Egyptians began to
frequent the Hebrew festivals, and to look thitherward for a new faith. Hebrew bigotry and exclusiveness alone prevented them from
making still greater advances. They were sick enough of their dead heathenism to embrace anything that had real life in it. Paganism had
finished its demonstration. Natural religion would not do. Thayer, p. 16: Idolatry had begun to destroy itself; and the great heart of
humanity was yearning after the true and living God; and this was the proper time for his interposition.
c
Harris, The Great Teacher (1836), p. 49: Reason, confident in her resources, had sent forth her sons under all auspices, and in every
direction: but they returned, defeated and disheartened; the footsteps of truth could nowhere be found.
d
Harris, pp. 50, 51: In this remarkable passage, we behold the divine philosopher, rising froma mournful survey of human ignorance,
turning with an air of despondency fromevery earthly resource, yet eagerly thirsting for a knowledge of God, and virtue, and futurity, till his
thirst grows into a desire for celestial aid, and his desire matures to an anticipation, and even a prediction, which God was actually intending
to fulfil; perhaps indeed, we err in not cordially recognizing in his language the presence of heavenly inspiration. ST 1-20-1890, par. 1: At
the first advent of Christ, darkness covered the earth, and gross darkness the people. Light and truth seemed to have departed fromamong
men, and Satan appeared to reign in undisputed power. Rival sects existed, and among those who professed to be the servants of God were
displayed love of preeminence and strife for power and position. Souls who were desirous of light were filled with perplexity and sorrow.
Many were sighing, What is truth? They were thirsting for a knowledge of the living God, for some assurance of a life beyond the tomb.
There were men not of the Jewish nation who prophesied that an inspired instructor would come to teach themof the truth.
e
Allusion, Acts 15:15.
f
Harris, p. 49: Nor can thestateof Judeaberegarded as an exception to theprevailing gloom. Questionableparallel, Thayer, p. 16: Idolatry had
begun to destroy itself; and thegreat heart of humanity was yearning after thetrueand living God; and this was theproper timefor his interposition.
g
Harris, p. 51: . . . what must have been the wishes and aspirations of those who, with a keen perception of their exigence [i.e., urgency], were
sitting in darkness and the shadow of death? perhaps via ST 6-16-1898: Men were sitting in the shadow of death.
h
Harris, p. 50: Not only did this awful exigenceexist, it was extensively felt and acknowledged; and, by many of themoreenlightened heathens, a
DivineInstructor is ardently desired. Harris, p. 51: Now theappearanceof aDivineinstructor, thus absolutely necessary, and ardently desired, might
havebeen warrantably expected. Thayer, p. 2: 1. Fromthelength of timehis coming had been expected.
i
Harris, p. 50: In another place, speaking of such an inspired teacher, he represents, with prophetic sagacity and precision, that he must be
poor, and void of all qualifications but those of virtue alone . . ..
j
Gladys King-Taylor marked this sentence as containing an effective simile (Literary Beauty of Ellen G. Whites Writings, p. 93).
k
Harris, p. 51: And in uttering the desire which his words disclose, we may take it for granted, he was clothing the thoughts of a
thousand bosoms, venting the secret and cherished longings of unnumbered hearts.
l
Cumming, The Life and Lessons of Our Lord, p. 11: It is found in the most ancient copies of the Hebrew Scriptures; it was translated
into Greek 300 years before the birth of Christ.

of the Messiahs coming was to some extent shared by the Gentiles.
a
Among those whom the J ews
styled heathen were men who had a better understanding of the Scripture prophecies concerning the
Messiah than had the teachers in Israel. There were some who hoped for His coming as a deliverer
from sin. Philosophers endeavored to study into the mystery of the Hebrew economy.
b
But the
bigotry of the J ews hindered the spread of the light. Intent on maintaining the separation between
themselves and other nations, they were unwilling to impart the knowledge they still possessed
concerning the symbolic service.
c
The true [34] Interpreter must come. The One whom all these types
prefigured must explain their significance.
d
{DA 33.2}
Through nature, through types and symbols, through patriarchs and prophets, God had spoken to the
world.
e
Lessons must be given to humanity in the language of humanity. The Messenger of the covenant
must speak.
f
His voice must be heard in His own temple. Christ must come to utter words which should be
clearly and definitely understood. He, the author of truth, must separate truth from the chaff of mans
utterance, which had made it of no effect. The principles of Gods government and the plan of redemption
must be clearly defined. The lessons of the Old Testament must be fully set before men.
g
{DA 34.1}
Among the Jews there were yet steadfast souls, descendants of that holy line through whom a
knowledge of God had been preserved. These still looked for the hope of the promise made unto the
fathers.
h
They strengthened their faith by dwelling upon the assurance given through Moses, A Prophet
shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; Him shall ye hear in all things
whatsoever He shall say unto you. Acts 3:22.
i
Again, they read how the Lord would anoint One to
preach good tidings unto the meek, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and to declare the acceptable year of the Lord. Isa. 61:1, 2.
j
They read how He would set judgment in
the earth, how the isles should wait for His law, how the Gentiles should come to His light, and kings
to the brightness of His rising. Isa. 42:4; 60:3.
k
{DA 34.2}
The dying words of Jacob filled them with hope: The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a
lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come. Gen. 49:10. The waning power of Israel testified that

a
Thayer, p. 17: The J ews scattered abroad everywhere bore their continual testimony to the one only living and true God; and the
yearning heart of the world was listening with an abandonment of former absurdities, and an earnest longing for a divine reality.
b
Kennedy, p. 174: Greeks and Egyptians began to frequent the Hebrew festivals, and to look thitherward for a new faith. Harris, p. 51:
Besides, the very presence and nature of the J ewish economy was a standing evidence that such was his gracious intention.
c
Kennedy, p. 174: Hebrew bigotry and exclusiveness alone prevented them from making still greater advance.
d
Harris, p. 51: Bearing the marks of a celestial origin, and fraught with important truth, it yet veiled its meaning in types and
enigmas, the solution of which remained to be given. Here were mysterieswhere was the interpreter? Here were shadowsthe
substance, the very things themselves, must be at hand.
e
Harris, p. 51: Indubitableevidenceexisted that God already had spoken to man at sundry times, and in divers manners; and as theignoranceof the
world was still unreclaimed, and therewas no intimation that his voicehad been final, therewas ground to anticipatethat, in his own time, hewould
break thesilenceagain. Harris and Whitepresent asimilar thought, but Harris relies moreon Hebrews 1:1.
f
Allusion, Malachi 3:1. Harris, p. 52: For, reading on to its closing lines, we find it predict him as the Messenger of the covenant who
was yet to come; and the Sun of Righteousness yet to arise. ST 4-15-1897, par. 3, and BEcho 3-8-1897, par. 3: The messenger of the
covenant, the Sun of Righteousness, must rise upon the world.
g
BEcho 3-8-1897, par. 3: God had spoken through nature, through types and symbols, patriarchs and prophets. Lessons must begiven to humanity
in thelanguageof humanity. Themessenger of thecovenant, theSun of Righteousness, must riseupon theworld. His voicemust beheard in His own
temple. Christ must cometo utter words which would beclearly and definitely understood. He, theAuthor of truth, must separatetruth fromthechaff of
mans utterance, which had madeit of noneeffect. Theprinciples of Gods moral government, and theplan of redemption, must beclearly defined. The
lessons of theOld Testament must befully set beforemen. Seealso ST 4-15-1897, par. 3.
h
Allusion, Acts 26:6.
i
Same Scripture, Harris, p. 52.
j
Harris, p. 52 (quoted in TWL 309): Unfolding it farther, we read that he should preach the gospel to the poor, and proclaim the
acceptable year of the Lord; . . . . Highlighted text was quoted in BEcho 3-8-1897, par. 6.
k
Harris, p. 52: . . . that he should set judgment in the earth, and the isles should wait for his law; that the Gentiles should come to his light, and
kings to the brightness of his rising. ST 1-20-1890, par. 2: Again they read how the Lord should anoint Himto preach good tidings unto the
meek, to bind up the broken-hearted, proclaimliberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to themthat are bound, to proclaimthe
acceptable year of the Lord. They read how he would set judgment in the earth, how the isles should wait for his law, how the Gentiles would come
to his light, and kings to the brightness of his rising.
PARALLELS: verbatim 5(+) words paraphrase Scripture EGW: periodical

74 White Lie Soap

the Messiahs coming was at hand. The prophecy of Daniel pictured the glory of His reign over an empire
which should succeed all earthly kingdoms; and, said the prophet, It shall stand forever. Dan. 2:44.
a

While few understood the nature of Christs mission, there was a widespread expectation of a mighty prince
who should establish his kingdom in Israel, and who should come as a deliverer to the nations.
b
{DA 34.3}
The fullness of the time had come. Humanity, becoming more degraded through ages of
transgression, called for the coming of the Redeemer.
c
Satan had been working to make the
gulf deep and impassable between earth and heaven.
d
By his falsehoods he had emboldened
[35] men in sin. It was his purpose to wear out the forbearance of God, and to extinguish his
love for man, so that He would abandon the world to satanic jurisdiction.
e
{DA 34.4}
Color-Coded Discoveries
So, what do the colors indicate? RED stands out quite vividly, occasionally signaling Ellen
Whites borrowing of a nearly exact sentence or a well-worded phrase. More often it merely
marks isolated words of another writer that she used in telling the same Bible story. BLUE is more
predominant as a color and often indicates that Ellen White used the narrative of another author as
a springboard in composing a chapter of her own. The largest category of paraphrase in her
writings is SIMPLE PARAPHRASE, which says basically the same thing as the source, though
perhaps with an additional thought. This would indicate that Mrs. White has duplicated some of
the same points as her sources, though in her own style, enriched by inspiration and her own
thought processes. Pink highlighting indicates material from periodical articles.
GREEN, which is also more predominant than RED, quietly acknowledges that Ellen White
used large amounts of Scripture and Scriptural language.
18
This may or may not have been
suggested by the works of another author. When underlined words are part of the BIBLICAL
PARAPHRASE of another author, it indicates that Mrs. White quarried a few words from that other
author in paraphrasing Scripture herself.
19
Though Walter Rea asserted that Ellen White used
Scriptures as fillers (TWL 24), the truth is just the opposite: delivering the message of Scripture
was Ellen Whites special object. In a frequently-repeated statement of hers, she referred to her
writings as a lesser light to lead to the greater light of Scripture (RH 1-20-1903, par. 9; cf. 2
Peter 1:19). What this means is that she called attention to truths of Scripture that have often been
overlooked. She never claimed to be the lesser light, as some seem to think, but, like John the
Baptist, whom she also described as a lesser light (DA 220.2), she accepted it as her mission to

a
Kennedy, p. 174: We remember the Patriarchs remark, that J udahs sceptre should not depart till Shiloh come; we remember the
promise of an eternal dominion to the family of David: and still more vividly shines, the vision of Daniel.
b
RH 12-17-1872, par. 14b, via 2SP 15.1: Their study was as to the most successful manner to obtain riches and worldly honor, and
they were wholly unprepared for the revelation of the Messiah. They looked for a mighty prince, who should reign upon Davids throne,
and whose kingdom should endure forever. Their proud and lofty ideas of the coming of the Messiah were not in accordance with the
prophecies which they professed to be able to expound to the people. They were spiritually blind, and were leaders of the blind.
c
Galatians 4:4: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, madeof awoman, madeunder thelaw. Harris, p. 49: When,
in the fulness of time, theeternal Son cameforth fromthebosomof theFather, hedescended to aregion of spiritual darkness.
d
Harris, p. 145: Besides, by widening thebreach which existed, between earth and heaven, Satan might calculateon thepossibility of at length
realizing his own lie, of wearing out thegoodness which only encountered abuse, of extinguishing thelast spark of lovein thebreast of God, and of
exasperating justiceto doomand destroy thewholespecies. Ellen Whitedoes not speak of exasperating His justice to lead to destruction, but to Gods
relinquishing man to thejurisdiction of Satan. This is adifferent concept of thecharacter of God.
e
ST 12-4-1893, par. 2: Satan had charged God with exercising arbitrary power, and of alienating the human race from himself. Satan
sowed seeds of enmity, and kept them well watered, in order that he might be successful in deluding souls, and thus triumph over Christ,
making the gulf more deep and impassable between earth and heaven. He presented his falsehoods as truth, and became bold in
transgression, seeking to wear out the goodness, mercy, and forbearance of God, to extinguish from his heart all love for man, and thus
so exasperate divine justice that God would leave the world under Satanic jurisdiction.

point people to the greater light of Jesus in Scripture (cf. John 1:8). In a similar way, Jesus has
appointed all His followers to be lesser lights to lead their fellow human beings to Himthe Light
of the world (Matt. 5:1416). There is no arrogance in such a roleonly humble responsibility.
The Search for Additional Sources
The Life of Christ Research Project identified 31 source works (10 major and 21 minor) for
the fifteen chapters covered (LCRP 883, 885). Veltman suggested, Future studies will no doubt
bring to our attention not only more sources but also a greater understanding of Ellen Whites
creative role (Ministry, Dec. 1990, pp. 14, 15). Marcella Anderson King extrapolated from the
known literary parallels in The Desire of Ages with a fairly high degree of certainty that Ellen
White used about 50 source works with varying degrees of dependency (More Than Words, p.
182), though some may have provided elements for as few as one or two sentences. With easier
access to many Victorian works on the Internet, I have attempted to identify other parallels and
sources. Unfortunately, most possible leads have turned into dead ends. Such was the case with
Melvills Golden Lectures (1850), Porters The Giant Cities of Bashan (1866), and M. G.
Clarkes Sunshine and Shadows Along the Pathway of Life (1865), the last of which was
suggested by a note in Mrs. Whites own handwriting on the flyleaf of her copy of Sunshine and
Shadows: This is a book I esteem highly. Never let it be lost at this time. I appreciate it. I shall be
pleased to keep this book for it has treasures of truth which I appreciate in presenting to many
others. Let us all seek most earnestly to fashion after the Divine Similitude.
20
Computerized
comparison of Mrs. Whites writings with these books has located no significant parallels.
Three other leadsMarchs Home Life in the Bible (1873), Geikies Hours with the Bible
(1881), and Joness Life-Scenes from the Old Testament (1868)have proved more satisfying.
Walter Rea (TWL 375) cited Marchs Home Life as the source of a thought gem in Sons and
Daughters of God, p. 154 (which was excerpted from ST 7-28-1881).
21
Computerized
comparisons with Ellen Whites books have located other parallel thought gems.
22
Arthur White
referred to her use of Hours with the Bible. Computerized comparisons have correlated parallels
for Patriarchs and Prophets, chapters 1113, 16, 17, 24, 25, 2731, 35, 36, 40, 4446, 48, 53, and
54. Nineteen of these chapters contain only one or two recognizable parallel sentences.
23
Joness
Life Scenes apparently served as a storyline guide for Patriarchs and Prophets, chapters 2123,
and served a much more limited role for chapters 19, 24, 2628, 30, 33, 35, 37, 38, 4042, and 44.
Quantifying Usage of Primary Sources in The Desire of Ages
The following exhibit characterizes Ellen Whites usage of the major source works in the Life
of Christ Research Project and quantifies the number of located parallels, including those found in
chapters of The Desire of Ages outside the project. Only a few of Ellen Whites sources provided
ten parallels or more per chapter (listed after a capital S in the chart). The vast majority had nine
parallels or less per chapter and were designated minor sources of wording (listed after a lower
case s). Because this distinction is somewhat arbitrary, chapters with seven or more parallels (still
a significant amount) are highlighted gray. Some chapters contained one or more recognizable
parallels (indicated by underlining). In an effort to exhaust as many literary parallels as possible,
many sentences have been included for little more than a hint of literary allusion. Parallels having
the same words but different subjects are marked as questionable (listed after a capital Q).

76 White Lie Soap

Summary of the Use of Major Source Works in The Desire of Ages
William Hanna, The Life of Christ (1863)
S
5 10 14 19 24 37 53 54 72 75 77 78 80 83 84

85 86
s
12 6 7 11 12 13 15 16 17 20 23 27
28 29 35 36 39 40 41 45 46 47 48 58 59 63 65 66 67 71 76 81 82 80 87
Q
31

Hannas Life of Christ provided some background details and structure for the flow of many of the chapters in the book. Ellen White
carried over scattered wording in the process of using his narratives to remind her of what she had seen in vision and to help include
the essential points of the story. The recognizable parallels tend to be scattered words from the narrative rather than specific gems of
thought. In some instances, Deems Who Was Jesus? (1868) contains parallels that are closer to The Desire of Ages than the
parallels in Hannas Life of Christ, though Deems book is not listed in Ellen Whites libraries.
Frederic W. Farrar, The Life of Christ (1874, 1883) S
75 77 78
s
14 15 16 39 72 76
Q
31 36 38 44 51

Farrars Life of Christ served much the same function as did Hannas Life of Christ, though in fewer chapters. The only significant recognizable
phrases from Farrar in The Desire of Ages (via Ms. 51, 1897) are through the hushed streets of the sleeping city and midnight seizure.
George J ones, Life-Scenes from the Four Gospels (1868) S
14 77 78
s
1 10 22 72 75
Q
19

For certain chapters of The Desire of Ages, J oness Life-Scenes served in much the same way as did Hannas Life of Christ. Verbatimparallels
between it and supporting manuscripts for The Desire of Ages suggest that Ellen White also used it in the same way in some manuscripts.
J ohn Harris, The Great Teacher: Characteristics of Our Lords
Ministry, with an introductory essay by Heman Humphrey (1836)
S
133775

77
s
25 7 9 1217 2122 2429 313341445051525570727377 787981
86
Q
10 53 61 66 71

Throughout The Desire of Ages, Harriss book provided mostly scattered, well-worded sentences, which Mrs. White adapted to varying degrees.
Henry Melvill, Sermons, 3
rd
ed., enlarged (1844) s
1 9 12 14 21 37 52 65
Q
24 68 77

Melvills Sermons provided only limited wording in The Desire of Ages, though Ellen White used some of his excellent imagery in
other compositions and requested his book of sermons be sent to her when she was away from home.
Daniel March, Walks and Homes of Jesus (1866)
S
4 21 24 26 46
s
7 8 9 12 25 26 28 39 40 41 45 47 49 58 59 63 65 67 71 72
75 78

79 82 84
Q
22 32 33 35 39 43 44 70

Daniel March, Night Scenes in the Bible (1872) S
83 84
s
10 16 17 25 26 40 49 74 85

Marchs Walks and Homes of Jesus and Night Scenes in the Bible were the sources of several gems of thought in The Desire of
Ages. Mrs. White adapted the wording of these gems in several key passages, tightening the wording and correcting the authors
concepts. Melvill and March are much less wordy and much more readable than Winslow, Harris, and Hanna. As authors, they say
things welleven if they do not always say them correctly. Mrs. White often had to correct their theology and expositions of Scripture.
Cunningham Geikie, The Life and Words of Christ (1877
1883, EGW library), 2nd vol.
s
9 10 15 18 35 38 41 50 53 56 57 71 72 75 80 86
Q
5 17 19 40 48 77 78 82 83

Geikies well-written Life and Words of Christ was the source of some background information on New Testament times, but it figures
little in the wording of The Desire of Ages.
Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah,
2 vols. (1886)
S
76 77 78
s
1 5 10 12 66 72 75

Edersheims Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah provided only an occasional partial sentence in the book. Had Ellen White used his
scholarly attribution of sources in The Desire of Ages, such academic display would have interfered with Ellen Whites purpose.
J ohn Cumming, Sabbath Evening Readings on the New
Testament. St. John (1856)
S
3958
s
8 14 15 17 21 39 50 51 52 53 62 73 85 86
Q
7 11 21 56 66 73 77 78

Cummings Sabbath Evening Readings on the New Testament. St. John provided recognizable thought gems and allusions for several
chapters, but it disagrees theologically with Mrs. White on many points. Its style is not like that of The Desire of Ages but is that of a verse-by-
verse commentary.
J . H. Ingraham, The Prince of the House of David; or, Three
Years in the Holy City (1855, 1857, 1875)
S
75
s
14 76 77 78
Q
65 80

Ingrahams The Prince of the House of David was a popular work that used fictional characters and details to tell the story of Christs
crucifixion. Veltman connected his narrative with Ellen Whites early description of the wilderness temptations (see LCRP on The
Desire of Ages, chaps. 14 and 15). It also contains descriptions of Christs trial and crucifixion that correspond to Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1
(see LCRP on The Desire of Ages, chap. 75, and More Than Words on The Desire of Ages, chaps. 77 and 78).
Samuel J . Andrews, The Life of Our Lord upon the Earth (1862,
1891)
S
75
Q
1 77 78

According to Marian Davis (Letter to C. H. J ones, Nov. 23, 1896, in 3SM 122.1), Andrews integrated life of Christ and harmony of the
Gospels was an aid in developing the chronological timeline for the book. Yet, his work is a doubtful source of any wording.
Octavius Winslow, The Glory of the Redeemer in His Person
and Work (1855)
S
1
s
3 4 21 73 77 78
Q
34

Winslows book may have stimulated some thoughts in The Desire of Ages, chap. 1, and provided thought gems for other isolated chapters.
Yet, his ornate language makes his exalted themes a bit tiresome (e.g., there are 275 instances of ohor Oin the books 500 pages).
S =major source: 10(+) parallel sentences S =minor source: <10 parallel sentences Q =questionable source
Superscript
=chapter in The Desire of Ages underscored =contains recognizable parallel sentence(s)
highlighted
=7(+) parallel sentences

Elements of Ellen Whites Style
24

In telling the wonderful story of Gods love, Mrs. White followed the pattern of the
more sermonic writers, though writing in her own unique style without academic
superfluity. Literary Beauty of Ellen G. Whites Writings (1954) surveys elements of Mrs.
Whites style of writing that Gladys King-Taylor identified in several of Mrs. Whites books.
These elements include clearness of thought; careful word selection; forceful, effective sentences;
use of contrast and antithesis; figures of speechtropes, metaphors, similes, personification,
metonymy, and synecdocheand iteration (repetition), climax, and tense changes.
25

A beautiful passage that epitomizes Mrs. Whites unique writing style and adaptation of
language from other writers is in The Desire of Ages, p. 755. The imagery comes from John
Fleetwoods Life of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (1860), Daniel Marchs Walks and Homes
of Jesus (1866), and possibly John Ross Macduffs Memories of Olivet (1868) and Hannas Life
of Christ (1863). Of this passage, Gladys King-Taylor wrote: Parallel rhythms and touches of
antithesis added to the emotion in the thought make this next paragraph beautiful (Literary
Beauty of Ellen G. Whites Writings, p. 119).
The spotless son of God hung upon the cross,
His flesh lacerated with stripes;
those hands so often reached out in blessing, nailed to the wooden bars;
those feet so tireless on ministries of love, spiked to the tree;
that royal head pierced by the crown of thorns;
those quivering lips shaped to the cry of woe.
And all that He endured
the blood drops that flowed from His head, His hands, His feet,
the agony that racked His frame,
and the unutterable anguish that filled His soul at the hiding of His
Fathers facespeaks to each child of humanity, declaring,
It is for thee that the Son of God consents to bear this burden of guilt;
for thee He spoils the domain of death, and opens the gates of Paradise.
He who stilled the angry waves and walked the foam-capped billows, who made
devils tremble and disease flee, who opened blind eyes and called forth the
dead to life,offers Himself upon the cross as a sacrifice,
and this from love to thee.
He, the Sin Bearer, endures the wrath of divine justice, and for thy sake becomes
sin itself. (The Desire of Ages, p. 755)
26

One can see from the color of the highlighting that this thought gem first appeared in
Spirit of Prophecy, p. 162 and that Mrs. White had earlier used the phrase, hiding of His
Fathers face, in The Sufferings of Christ (1869).
27

From many sources Ellen White gathered apt wording and helpful explanations of the
principles she wanted to present. Recognizing good writing when she saw it, she also
produced vigorous and memorable prose of her own. The final exhibit of this chapter calls
attention to thought gems from The Desire of Ages that are original to Ellen White. Most of
these came from an article or previously published book of hers. The Desire of Ages
contains many other thought gems that originated with Ellen White.
PARALLELS: verbatim 5(+) words paraphrase Scripture EGW: Spirit of Prophecy The Sufferings of Christ periodical book
78 White Lie Soap

In our next chapter we will explore the reason describing Ellen Whites use of sources
as copying is misleading: it overlooks the independent thought in all of her writing.
End Notes

1
Veltman asked us to make sure that we called attention to the rarity of Ellen Whites use of unmarked direct quotations (letter to
Marcie Anderson, Nov. 2, 2005). In all the manuscripts used in the fifteen chapters of The Desire of Ages in the Life of Christ Research
Project, there were only six sentences designated strict VERBATIM. None of these was included in The Desire of Ages. The first is in
Diary 32, 1889, and the last five are in Ms. 13, 1884. All six were adapted from Melvills Sermons and matched only part of a sentence
in the source. Only three are word for word the same. These are: He could not touch the head (Diary 32, written in 1889, from Melvill,
Sermons, p. 15), The broken links have been repaired and A highway has been thrown up along which the weary and heavy laden
may pass (Ms. 13, 1884, from a sentence in Melvill, Sermons, p. 286; imagery is from Isa. 62:10).
2
Denis Fortin described thecategory of MODIFIED VERBATIM as including sentences with oneor two words changed (Fortin, Inspired Author or
Plagiarist? Can WeTrust Ellen Whites Books? slide#24). Examination of the29 sentences in this category shows that thestandard is looser than that.
3
. . . many of thealleged dependencies do not haveasingleverbatimword (excluding articles, conjunctions, prepositions and proper names) that is
identical to thealleged source (Conklin, Was Desire of Ages Plagiarized? p. 12)seeLCRP 9, 25 30, 72, 74, 83, 208, 271, 274, 279, and 280.
4
Weusethetermliterary borrowing for adapted phrasing becausewords arenot likehand tools that can only beused in asingleplaceat asingle
time. When peopleborrow anothers words or phrases, theauthor or speaker fromwhomthey got thewords is not deprived of their use.
5
Veltman, Ministry, Oct. 1990, p. 6. Numbers quoted Veltman that 31.4 percent of theDA text is dependent to someextent on literary
sources, that any adaptation of wording fromsources was by Ellen Whiteand not by her assistants, and that Ellen Whiteadapted wording fromworks
of fiction. Numbers then exaggerated theconsequences of Veltmans study: Whites reputation for literary excellenceand originality lay in shambles,
and her honesty was under challenge (PH xv). Themisconceptions fromVeltmans Ministry summary played apart in this.
6
Ironically, the sentence before this acknowledges the percentage revealed by Veltmans careful study, though Rea included an elastic clause
by adding or more: It was not until the church hired Dr. Fred Veltman to study the book Desire of Ages that the figure was raised to 30% or
Original Thought Gems in The Desire of Ages
Heavenly beings woo the hearts of men; they bring to this dark world light from the courts above;
by gentle and patient ministry they move upon the human spirit, to bring the lost into a fellowship with
Christ which is even closer than they themselves can know. (DA 21.1)
The plan for our redemption was not an afterthought, a plan formulated after the fall of Adam. It was a
revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal. (DA 22.2; ST 4-25-1892)
His quiet and simple life, and even the silence of the Scriptures concerning His early years, teach an
important lesson. The more quiet and simple the life of the child,the more free from artificial
excitement, and the more in harmony with nature,the more favorable is it to physical and mental
vigor and to spiritual strength. (DA 74.3; from YI 2-1-1873)
Jesus did not contend for His rights. (DA 89.4; from YI 12-12-1895)
Faith claims Gods promises, and brings forth fruit in obedience. Presumption also claims the
promises, but uses them as Satan did, to excuse transgression. (DA 126.1)
Satan trembles and flees before the weakest soul who finds refuge in that mighty name. (DA 130.4)
Jesus saw in every soul one to whom must be given the call to His kingdom. (DA 151.2)
The Christians life is not a modification or improvement of the old, but a transformation of nature.
There is a death to self and sin, and a new life altogether. (DA 172.1; from ST 9-26-1892)
As the mother watches for the smile of recognition from her little child, which tells of the dawning of
intelligence, so does Christ watch for the expression of grateful love, which shows that spiritual life is
begun in the soul. (DA 191.1; from ST 1-19-1882 and MB 84.4)
When we have asked for His blessing, we should believe that we receive it, and thank Him that we
have received it. Then we are to go about our duties, assured that the blessing will be realized when we
need it most. (DA 200.4; from SC 51.3)
The people of Nazareth knew that He went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed by
Satan. [Acts 10:38] About themwere whole villages where there was not a moan of sickness in any house; for
He had passed through them, and healed all their sick. The mercy revealed in every act of His life testified to
His divine anointing. (DA 241.1; fromSC 11.2 and ST 6-17-1889)
28


more depending upon the chapters chosen in the book one was using. In a letter, he indicated which chapter he thought would raise the
dependency level above 30 percent: Study will show that even Fred Veltmans study did not show the large amounts of others material that was
used, such as chapter five found in DA, which was not included in his study. This chapter alone showed that perhaps as much as 80 to 90 percent
was copy work (Rea to Dear Friends, Sept. 1, 2004). Veltman told me that he randomized the selection of chapters to satisfy concerns that the
study had been slanted. Certain people wanted himto include chapters that were known to have less verbatim; Rea wanted himto include The
Dedication because he thought it had more. Marking that chapter for its sources, I have no doubt that Mrs. White used Hanna as a storyline guide.
Forty-nine of its 133 sentences have dependency. That is 37 percent, which is indeed above 30 percent, though nowhere close to 80 or 90 percent.
Many of the verbatimparallels in the chapter are Scriptures, which help tell the story; others are background facts. Among the dependent sentences
in the chapter are three adapted gems fromThe Great Teacher (DA 57.1; quoted in TWL 328, 329): He showed us that, while the hatred of God
against sin is strong as death, his love to sinners is yet stronger than death (Harris, p. 145). Having committed himself to the amazing work of our
redemption, he resolved that he would spare nothing however costly, withhold nothing however dear, which was essential to the consummation of
the design (Harris, p. 109). O what a God, what a Father, what an ocean of love is the God of our salvation! Having collected all the riches of the
universe, and laid open all the resources of his infinite nature, he gave themall into the hand of Christ, and said, These, all these, are for man; use
themfor man; distribute themto men; if necessary, confer themall upon man, in order to convince himthat there is no love in the universe but
mine, and that his happiness consists in loving me, and giving himself to me in return

(Harris, p. 113).
7
In the same document (p. 6), Rea also asserted that Mrs. White got her early visions fromWilliamFoy. While Foy agreed that what young
Ellen related in meeting was just what he had seen in vision (1BIO 488.1), there are also significant literary differences in their accounts, and the
most similar section, regarding chariots with wings and wheels (ExV [1851] 18.1, 22.1), sounds much like Isaiah 6:3 and Ezekiel 3:13. In the same
paper (p. 8), Rea also criticized Mrs. White for using Coles Philosophy of Health in Testimonies, vol. 2. Numbers (PH 222) considered Ellen
Whites use of Coles book in Testimonies, vol. 2 puzzling. So did John Harvey Kellogg (see http://www.ellenwhiteexposed.com/health2.htm).
However, Mrs. White described the order of her vision and her writing on health (RH 10-8-1867; Ms. 7, 1867). The chapter in Testimonies, vol. 2
(1868), that corresponds to Coles, was written after the sketches on health in Ms. 1, 1863 and in Spiritual Gifts, volume 4, and after she turned to
the hygienic writers to fill out How to Live (1865), as she said. After this clear-cut declaration of 1867, her later use of words and phrases from
sources to which she had called attention gave evidence she had nothing to cover up (A Critique of the Book Prophetess of Health, p. 31).
8
Poirier, Project Surprise, summarized at: www.whiteestate.org/issues/parallel.html. In aletter that Reawroteto supporters (Aug. 1992/revised
Oct. 2004), hesaid: Therewas massiveborrowing on all levels of Mrs. Whites writings. Thechurch had never beforeeither known or admitted such
borrowings to themembership or thepublic, no matter what wecontinueto read fromtheReview or other writers. (GlendaleTapes, 1990). This is an
extremeoverstatement. Her borrowing is indeed pervasive. It is found in all classes of her writingin letters, manuscripts, articles and books, and in her
reconstruction of thewords of angelsbut less than four percent total is certainly not massive.
9
Yet, several critics havecontinued spreading thefalsefigure. For example, Dirk Anderson (using Reas statement without noting his sourcewith
quotation marks) in Common Arguments Used by Seventh-day Adventists to Defend Mrs. Whites Plagiarism at:
http://www.ellenwhiteexposed.com/egw6.htm, Pat Goltz in A Question of Ethics, http://www.seghea.com/pat/bible/ethics.html, Steve Rudd, and
Robert K. Sanders. Rudd wrote: [It is] an absolute proven fact that White plagiarized 8090% of her inspired writings . . .in Seventh-day
Adventists: They AloneView Ellen G. Whiteas an Inspired Prophet! availableat http://bible.ca/7-WhiteInspire.htm. Sanders quoted Derson Charles:
A moreexhaustiveresearch project by Reathat was initially supported by thehierarchy of theSDA organization revealed that theextent of EGW
copying fromother authors amounted to awhooping [sic] 80 to 90 percent of all her books (Mirror, Nov. 14, 2003, in SDA Corruption in Trinidad:
Missing over 1 Million Dollars in Student Fees and Exposeon Ellen G. White, http://www.truthorfables.com/SDA_corruption_in_trinidad.htm).
10
The 50 percent is for Caesars Household, in Sketches from the Life of Paul; the 37 percent for The Desire of Ages, chapter 5, is next.
Warren H. Johns noted, in Ministry (June 1982), p. 7, the next two highest, though he overestimated their dependency: Approximately 40
percent of two articles each in the Review and Herald (July 18, 1882; July 5, 1887) can be identified as coming fromtwo chapters in Melvills
Sermons. For the first article, The First Prophecy it is actually 35 percent43 out of 124 sentences show evidence of dependence on
Melvill (and five of these are the same Scriptures). Though the dependent sentences contain striking words and phrases (eleven phrases would
require quotation marks by modern standards), most are paraphrase. Judging fromthe fact that she previously wrote on the same subject in
Review and Herald, Feb. 24, 1874, it would seemthat she adapted Melvills sermon because it agreed with her understanding of the subject.
The second article, Christ Mans Example has 34 percent dependency41 out of 123 sentences.
11
David J. Conklin, in E-mail to Kevin L. Morgan, March 4, 2012. This de facto standard is based on David Conklins observations in his
exhaustivecomparativestudy of The Desire of Ages, chap. 77, with 222 works on thelifeof Christ from1664 to 1929. Thepurposeof thestudy was to
identify what was considered to beappropriateliterary borrowing in thenineteenth century, not by prescriptivemethods based on twentieth and twenty-
first century norms, but by descriptiveanalysis of actual nineteenth-century literary practice (Conklin, Was Desire of Ages Plagiarized?, p. 9).
12
Rea pointed out that the year Ellen White gave instruction to footnote quoted material was 1909 (TWL 49).
13
Thefallacy in Reas thinking comes through in his statement: Listed below arehundreds of references in her writings whereshehas taken and
used thethoughts, words, and even thesuppositions of other uninspired writers and madetheminspired by insisting that what shewas seeing and saying
was coming directly from God (How the Seventh-day Adventist Spirit of Prophecy Was Born, p. 7, emphasis supplied). He expanded this to
includethethoughts, words and structureof other writers fromTestimonies, volumes 1 through 9 (ibid., p. 9). Most of his examples arequitevague.
14
For examples of the use of the Ethiopic Apocalypse of Enoch in Revelation, see King and Morgan, More Than Words, p. 150.
15
Another way of representing dependency would beto apportion blocks according to thenumber of parallel verbatimwords in thechapter rather
than according to classification of sentences. Results would vary fromchapter to chapter. For example, in chapter 3 of The Desire of Ages, thenumber of
words that wereverbatimor nearly verbatimamounted to 203 of the2,192 words in thechapter, or 9.3% of thewhole. In chapter 10, thenumber of
verbatimor nearly verbatimwords was 79 of the4,537 words in thechapteror 1.7% of thewhole(Morgan, Was Desire of Ages Plagiarized?, p. 13).
16
Mrs. King told methat Dr. Veltman periodically had to invokethesubjectivestandard of thats ajudgment call in deciding on aclassification.
17
Theonly other five-word verbatimstring in therest of thechapter is: What a spectacle for Infinite Purity to behold! (DA 36.3).
Gladys King-Taylor identified this interjection as astriking useof exclamation (Literary Beauty, p. 68). It was adapted fromHarris, The Great Teacher,
p. 231: . . . what asight for theLover of souls! what aspectaclefor infinitegoodness to contemplate! and was first used in RH 7-12-1892 and adapted
80 White Lie Soap

in Letter 43 (June14), 1895. Would this isolated useof Harriss wording realistically requirefootnoting? Ellen Whitehad used asimilar exclamation,
what a spectacle! what ascene! in describing theresurrection of thewicked dead in 1SG 214.1.
18
Considering Mrs. Whites acquaintance with the Scriptures, her frequent quotations fromand allusions to them, and the fact that the theme
of the five books of The Conflict of the Ages series is largely Biblical, even more directly so than Bunyans Pilgrims Progress, one would expect
to find in her style a Biblical simplicity, and he is not disappointed (Gladys King-Taylor, Literary Beauty, p. 41).
19
Reaasserted that The Acts of the Apostles covered up theborrowing in Sketches from the Life of Paul by substituting Bibletexts for someof the
matter previously copied (TWL 122). Hefailed to recognizethat this implies that what Mrs. Whitehad been borrowed was aparaphraseof Scripture.
20
Ellen G. White, quoted by Jack W. Provonsha: Did Ellen WhiteAttempt to Conceal theFact that SheBorrowed fromtheWritings of Others?
p. 5, availableat: drc.whiteestate.org/files/6124.pdf. Theshakiness of her handwriting may indicatethat shewrotethenotewhen shewas elderly.
21
It reads: Thosewho areplaced in thehighest positions may lead astray, especially if they feel that thereis no danger. Thewisest err; the
strongest grow weary. Excess of caution is often attended with as great danger as excess of confidence. To go forward without stumbling, wemust have
theassurancethat ahand all-powerful will hold us up, and an infinitepity beexercised toward us if wefall. God alonecan at all times hear our cry for
help. It is asolemn thought that theremoval of onesafeguard fromtheconscience, thefailureto fulfill onegood resolution, the formation of one
wrong habit, may result not only in our own ruin, but in theruin of thosewho haveput confidencein us. Our only safety is to follow wherethesteps
of theMaster lead theway, to trust for protection implicitly to Him who says, Follow me. Our constant prayer should be, Hold up my goings in thy
path, O Lord, that my footsteps slip not. [Psalm17:5] (ST 7-28-1881, pars. 15, 16; adapted fromMarch, Home Life, pp. 351, 352 [seep. 185]).
22
Mrs. White adapted a gemfromHome Life, pp. 360, 361: The feet that God is guiding will press on in a way which leads straight
forward, ever ascending, and ever brightening, until it reaches the brightness of eternal day. All wrong-doing is forsaking the path where
Jesus leads, turning aside to the crooked ways of darkness. . . . They will not fall, nor stumble. A divine Guide goes before the faithful,
encouraging themwith his voice, aiding themwith his hand, and they need never mistake the way (ST 7-28-1881, pars. 18, 19). She
adapted another fromHome Life, pp. 352, 353, for Letter 1 (Oct. 15), 1880, in 2SM 163.3, Home Life, p. 352, was also adapted in PP 452.2.
Mrs. White adapted twenty gems fromHome Life in 4T, eleven in 5T (5T 44.2, 45.1 was used in PK 236.1, 2), six in 6T, and four in 8T. She
also adapted two sentences fromHome Life, pp. 432, 433 in DA 74.2 (He drew the sympathy of all hearts by showing Himself capable of
sympathizing with all.) and DA 48.4 (Heaven and earth are no wider apart today than when shepherds listened to the angels song.).
23
The exceptions are Patriarchs and Prophets, chapters 30 and 36. Chapter 30 has eighteen recognizable adapted sentences fromHours
with the Bible, vol. 2; chapter 36 has nine. An example fromchapter 30 is PP 347.3, The sacred tent was enclosed in an open space called the
court, which was surrounded by hangings, or screens, of fine linen, suspended frompillars of brass. This parallels Geikies Hours with the
Bible, vol. 2, p. 293, The sacred tent was enclosed in an open space 75 feet broad and 150 feet long.
24
This section is adapted fromMorgan, Literary Elements in PrincipleBooks of Ellen G. White, review of Literary Beauty of Ellen G. Whites
Writings, July 17, 2011, availableat: http://www.amazon.com/review/RUSII2X8LFF13.
25
Example of her careful word selection are in PP 148.4, DA 241.1, DA 685.1, and DA 802.2 (see chap. 5); examples of her use of
contrast are in PP 290.3 and PK 161.1 (see chap. 3) and DA 158.2 (see chap. 2) and DA 353.1 (see chap. 5); an example of antithesis is in DA
25.2 (see chap. 6); an example of a trope (a rhetorical device that produces a shift in the meanings of words) is found in DA 43.1 (see chap. 6).
Examples of metaphors are the tent in DA 23.3 (see chap. 6); high walls in DA 86.3; and stars in DA 33.1 (see chap. 5). Personification is in
DA 722.5 (see chap. 6). Examples of iteration are found in DA 353.1 (see chap. 5), DA 686.3 (see chap. 3) and DA 801.3 (see chap. 3).
26
Following arethepossiblesourcepassages: But now, my soul, takeoneview of thy dying Saviour, breathing out his spirit upon thecross!
Behold his unspotted flesh lacerated with stripes, by which thou art healed! Seehis hands extended and nailed to thecross, thosebeneficent hands which
wereincessantly stretched out to unloosethy heavy burdens, and to impart blessings of every kind! Behold his feet riveted to theaccursed treewith nails!
thosefeet which always went about doing good, and traveled far and near to spread theglad tidings of everlasting salvation! View his tender temples
encircled with awreath of thorns, which shoot their keen afflicting points into his blessed headthat head which was ever mediating peaceto poor, lost,
and undonesinners, and spent many awakeful night in ardent prayer for their happiness! Seehimlaboring in theagonies of death! breathing out his soul
into thehands of his Almighty Father, and praying for his cruel enemies! Was ever lovelikethis? was ever benevolenceso gloriously displayed?
(Fleetwood, p. 362). (It almost seems that Fleetwood used theignominies and agonies of thecrucifixion as literary devices.) . . . thefaith which brings
forgiveness and opens thegates of paradiseto thedying sinner carries with it arenovating power; that thefaith which conveys thetitle, works at thesame
timethemeekness for theheavenly inheritance (Hanna, p. 719). Takeaway theelement of vicarious sacrifice, and weask in vain, how could Hewho
stilled thewaves and walked on their crested tops, who madedevils crouch submissiveat His word, who madediseasetakewings and fleeaway, and
plucked thevery ignominysaving others, and yet with an apparent inability to saveHimself? (Macduff, Memories of Olivet, p. 323). But theloveof
Jesus is infinitely moregenerous, patient and self-denying than amothers love. Hehas been moredeeply afflicted by our ingratitudeand disobedience
than any mother ever was by themisconduct of her child. Hehas longed and labored for our eternal salvation moreearnestly than any human parent ever
did for thewelfareof an only son. As westand and gazeby faith upon thecross of Jesus, every expression of his agonized countenance, every drop of
blood flowing fromhis many wounds, every convulsion with which thetortureof crucifixion shakes his frame, every groan which thehiding of his
Fathers faceextorts fromhis troubled soul, seems to say to us, It is for theethat thesepangs areborne. It is that thou mayest beforgiven that I consent to
haveall shames and crimes imputed to me. It is to blot out therecord of thy dark and dreadful iniquity that my blood is shed. Thegraveshall closeover
mewith its horror of great darkness that I may spoil thedominions of death and unbar thegates of lifefor thee. I submit to all this shameand agony
becauseI haveloved theewith an everlasting love[Jer. 31:3], and I could not rest till I had brought back thy wayward and wandering soul to God

(March, Walks and Homes of Jesus, p. 316). Fleetwood used theScriptural terms spirit (Luke23:46), upon thecross (John 19:31), stripes (Isa.
53:5), hands and nail (John 20:25), feet (Luke24:39), thetree (1 Peter 2:24), went about doing good (Acts 10:38), and crown of thorns and
head (Matt. 27:29). Agony and drops of blood comefromLuke22:44; soul is fromMatthew 26:38 and Mark 14:34. Ellen Whitefrequently
used thephrasethespotless son of God. That Jesus becomes sin itself is from2 Corinthians 5:21.
27
PH169 14.3 was reused in 2T 214.2: It was the hiding of his Fathers face, a sense that his own dear Father had forsaken him,
which brought despair. (Ninety percent of 2T 200215 is from The Sufferings of Christ.) The key expression is a metaphoric
interpretation of J esus cry, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me (Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34).
28
Gladys King-Taylor identified this gemas an example of Ellen Whites careful word selection (Literary Beauty, p. 54).

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