“THE DESIRE OF AGES” AND THE TESTIMONIES.
By R. M. Kilgore
A CANVASSER writes as follows: “The Testimonies did not speak very favorably about “The Desire of Ages,” so some of us have given up canvassing for it.” Why any canvasser should cease to canvass for “The Desire of Ages” because of what the author utters in the Testimonies is a mystery indeed. Surely the Spirit of Prophecy could not condemn that book which itself is written by the Spirit of Prophecy. No word that Sister White has written since that book was published can be construed as casting the least reflection upon its merits, or that should cause any canvasser to cease his efforts to put it in the homes of the people. All that the Testimony corrects in the book is the superabundance of its illustrations, and the great expenditure of time and money used in securing them. But in the making of the book, this was all done within Sister White’s knowledge. A letter just received from the Pacific Press says: “She wrote to this house and exonerated us from blame in the matter of ‘The Desire of Ages,’ as the illustrations were planned by W. C. [White] himself, and they were submitted to Sister White herself, and she approved of them. But since then she has been instructed that such profusion of illustrations is not necessary.” The publishers were led, by a desire to meet a popular demand, both on the part of the public and the canvassers themselves, to make a first-class selling book of “The Desire of Ages.” In this they have certainly succeeded, and those who have canvassed for it can bear testimony to this fact. The theme of the book is worthy of all the effort they have made; and its workmanship and make-up, with the high order of its numerous appropriate illustrations, render it a book of art, and the finest of any that our presses have ever issued. The publishers set their mark high when the excellent matter was placed in their hands, and they have certainly produced a book of which neither they nor we are ashamed. Now that the Lord has corrected the use of so great a number of illustrations in any one book, we are not to lay the book aside, as condemned and rejected by the Lord. No, no! The reform called for will be seen in future books. Our canvassers can go forth with confidence that God will bless them in selling this good book. In the same Testimony already referred to, are these words: “Canvassers should be secured to handle the books, ‘Great Controversy,’ ‘Patriarchs and Prophets,’ ‘The Desire of Ages,’ ‘Daniel and the Revelation,’ and other books of like character, who have a real sense of the value of the matter those books contain, and a realization of the work to be done to interest people in the truth.” “Those selected as canvassers should be men and women who feel the burden of service, who do not work merely for wages, who seek to do the very work that needs to be done to enlighten the world.” Here we see a high estimate placed upon “The Desire of Ages;” and while a profuse use of illustrations is made in it, the matter it contains is not injured thereby, and the illustrations will not, in the least, interfere with the sale of it. With many persons the excellent and appropriate gallery of pictures found in it increases its value in their sight, and renders it more acceptable to them. When the good Christian canvasser presents the grand truths the book contains, and holds up to view Christ’s precious life, in words and actions, as presented in the book, he will have done his duty, and God will bless him, and he will not be held responsible for the illustrations. R. M. KILGORE.