Bible & EGW

The Times of Volume Four:

5.1 A seven-year period of 1875 to 1881 was spanned by the five pamphlets which now make volume 4 of Testimonies for the Church. These were the last seven years of James White’s life. The work of the denomination had entered a period of rapid expansion. Elder and Mrs. White were traveling extensively and laboring tirelessly in public ministry, in personal interviews, and in writing. They were wrestling with the problems of an expanding institutional work.

5.2 The mission in Europe was making good progress, other workers being sent to join Elder Andrews in 1876. The comprehensive vision of January 3, 1875, given at Battle Creek, which formed the basis of much of the first half of volume 4, led to a better understanding of the world-wide nature of our work.

5.3 On the Pacific Coast the work of the denomination was developing rapidly. The newly started Signs of the Times was put on a firm basis, and in 1875 the Pacific Press, our second Seventh-day Adventist publishing house, was opened in Oakland. This soon became the largest and best equipped publishing establishment operated on the Pacific Coast. In 1878, near St. Helena in Northern California, the second denominational sanitarium opened its doors for service.

5.4 With increased publishing facilities, we found ourselves with a rapidly developing literature, which by the close of the period of volume 4 included Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation, by Uriah Smith, History of the Sabbath, By J. N. Andrews, and a number of works of lesser importance dealing with health, religious topics, temperance, and themes of interest to children. Plans for more systematic literature distribution were inaugurated with regularly employed colporteurs calling from door to door in selling our truth-filled books. A great movement in free literature distribution by our laymen was also well under way, with elder S. N. Haskell leading out in the organization of tract and missionary societies.