A few hours spent reading what is prologue to the future will be valuable for those involved with church problems of today and tomorrow. In many aspects our present social, political, and economic problems differ from those in Ellen White's lifetime. At the same time the conditions are equally challenging—affecting the success or failure of the gospel message.
Those with responsibilities in the pulpit and the lectern should make a special effort to delve into The World of Ellen White. Today evangelists and preachers bemoan the secularism that hinders their efforts. But the obstacles to promulgation of the message were no easier to hurdle 100 years ago. The pioneers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church did not find themselves in a "bed of roses." They experienced thorns on all sides.
Land has brought together a new generation of historians and writers whose combined efforts give us the historical context of Ellen White's writings. He has competently synthesized 14 articles to provide better continuity and smoother transitions while allowing the individuality of the author to remain intact. This is evident as the reader moves from one chapter to another and notices the differences in detail and in-depth exposition.
The international phase of the work is underlined in a chapter on Australia. The author writes descriptively of the existing frontier spirit and prevailing conditions "down under." Mrs. White's contribution left a strong imprint on the development of the work in that area. Unfortunately, no mention is made of her stay in Europe and the beginnings of Adventism on that continent.
The World of Ellen White, with its attractive format and black-and-white illustrations, fills a void in our libraries. It draws back the curtain and offers us a glimpse of the world of a century ago, giving insight into the environment as well as the social and political milieu of the age and what may have helped influence Ellen White's writings.
This reviewer hopes that this volume will whet the appetite of professional writers. We need to pursue further what has been started in these pages by presenting Ellen White as an integral part of her historical surroundings rather than isolated from them.
