We analyze. You decide!

An Analysis of the Literary Dependency
of The Desire of Ages, Chapter 5

 
Color Key

Material in Ellen G. White that is an exact, word-for-word match to her alleged source.

Material in Ellen G. White that is similar to her alleged source.

Words that are either an exact, or similar, match of the source, but are also an exact, or similar, match to Biblical material.

Material that is represented in Rea's book by an ellipsis.

Material dropped from the beginning or end of the paragraph of the alleged source in Rea's book.

Material clipped from the beginning or end of a sentence in Rea's book, without giving the reader any indication of such. (Either a capital letter or a period appears where it should not, hiding the fact that material is missing.)

Material found only in Ellen G. White and in the Bible.

Material found only in Ellen G. White's alleged source and in the Bible.

On these last two there may be some similarity between all three columns but the above are used for the matches which are exact.

Material that was mis-capitalized or mis-abbreviated in Rea.

      Some critics accuse Ellen White of plagiarizing in the writing of her book The Desire of Ages. But, did she really? Walter Rea thought so, according to his book, The White Lie. Below is an analysis of his comparisons as found in his book's appendix for chapter 6, pages 321-330.

      It has been noted by students of plagiarism that one can make a work look plagiarized when it is not by carefully using ellipses and discarding all the material that is different. What we want to do is determine whether Rea did a fair analysis, or whether his comparisons distort reality. Accordingly, we have color coded the text so that you, the reader, can easily come to your own conclusion.

      What makes such an analysis particularly challenging is the fact that sometimes an apparent similarity can be the result of both the source and The Desire of Ages quoting the same Bible passage. Two works following the same biblical material can also result in the same topics being discussed in the same order. Thus, great care must be exercised when arriving at a conclusion.

      William Hanna's text contains 18 paragraphs in this section. In his comparisons with The Desire of Ages, Walter Rea totally omitted paragraphs 1, 8, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17. Perhaps including these six paragraphs from Hanna in these comparisons would lower the percentage of "plagiarized" material even more, but the effort seems hardly worth it, since the percentage is already so low.

      Out of the 12 paragraphs from Hanna that Rea did use, paragraph 7 was used twice (see comparisons for paragraphs 10 and 12), paragraph 10 was used twice (see comparisons for paragraphs 14 and 21), paragraph 11 was used four times (see comparisons for paragraphs 14, 18, 20, and 21), and paragraph 18 was used twice (see comparisons for paragraphs 22 and 24).

Paragraph 13 (analysis of page 326 of The White Lie)

Rea bolded and italicized the direct quote from Luke 2 in both Ellen G. White and Hanna, beginning with the words, "Lord, now lettest . . . ." This artificially enhanced the similarity in wording, a similarity which always results whenever two people quote the same text. We have accordingly removed the bold and italics in order to restore these selections back to their original appearance.

The Desire of Ages (1898)
Ellen G. White, page 55
The Life of Christ (1863)
William Hanna, page 36-7

As Simeon enters the temple, he sees a family presenting their first-born son before the priest. Their appearance bespeaks poverty; but Simeon understands the warnings of the Spirit, and he is deeply impressed that the infant being presented to the Lord is the Consolation of Israel, the One he has longed to see. To the astonished priest, Simeon appears like a man enraptured. The child has been returned to Mary, and he takes it in his arms and presents it to God, while a joy that he has never before felt enters his soul. As he lifts the infant Saviour toward heaven, he says, "Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel."

[skipping over one paragraph on page 36]

So ardent as his years ran on had Simeon's faith and hope become, that this one thing had he desired of the Lord, that before his eyes closed in death they might rest upon his Saviour. And he was heard as to that which he had so longed. It was revealed to him that the desire of his heart should be granted, but how and when he knew not. That forenoon, however, a strong desire to go up into the temple seizes him. He was not accustomed to go there at that hour, but he obeyed that inward impulse, which perhaps he recognized as the work of the Divine Spirit, by whom the gracious revelation had been made to him. He enters the temple courts; he notices a little family group approach; he sees an infant dedicated to the Lord.18 That infant, an inward voice proclaims to him is the Messiah he has been waiting for, the Consolation of Israel come at last in the flesh.18 Then comes into his heart a joy beyond all bounds. It kindles in his radiant looks; it beats in his swelling veins; the strength

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of youth is back again into his feeble limbs. He hastens to Mary, takes from the yet wondering yet consenting mother's hands the consecrated babe, and clasping it to his bosom, with eyes uplifted to heaven, he says, "Lord, now lettest thou they servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation,which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel." [The remaining 40% of this paragraph is used by Rea in the comparison for paragraph 19.]

Observations: Yes, "heaven, he says," is found in both Hanna and White. But, while Ellen G. White has Simeon lifting the baby toward "heaven" Hanna does not use the word "heaven" in that sense at all.

Paragraph 14 (analysis of page 326 of The White Lie)

      We have removed Rea's bold and italics highlighting which he added to all direct quotations of Scripture. This highlighting unnecessarily enhanced the apparent similarity of White and Hanna. For this reason, we have restored the formatting back to that of the original sources.

The Desire of Ages (1898)
Ellen G. White, page 55
The Life of Christ (1863)
William Hanna, pages 37-8

      The spirit of prophecy was upon this man of God, and while Joseph and Mary stood by, wondering at his words, he blessed them, and said unto Mary, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

      Simeon sees the wonder that shines out of their astonished looks; and the spirit of prophecy imparted—that spirit which had been mute in Israel since the days of Malachi, but which now once more lifts up its voice within the temple—he goes on, after a gentle blessing bestowed upon both parents, to address himself particularly to Mary, furnishing his words to her fresh material for wonder, while opening a new future to her eye.18 "Behold," he said to her, "this child of thine is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel." He may have meant, in saying so, that the purpose and effect of the Lord's showing unto Israel would be the casting down of many in order to the raising of them up again; the casting down of many in their earlier, worldlier thoughts and expectations, in order to the lifting to higher, worthier, more spiritual conceptions of his character and office. Or, perhaps it was to different and not to the same persons that he referred, the truth revealed being this: that while some were to rise, others were to fall; that the stone which some was to be a foundation-stone elect and precious, was to others to be a stone of stumbling and rock of offence; that Jesus was to come for judgment into the world, that those who saw not might see, that those who saw might be made blind; his name to be the savor of life unto life to the one, the savor of death unto death to the other.

page 38

      From all Mary had yet heard, she might have imagined that her child would be welcomed by all Israel—so soon as the day for his revelation came—as its long-looked for deliverer; and that a career in whose honors and bliss she could scarcely help at times imagining that she should have a share. But now, for the first time, the indication is clearly given that all Israel was not to hail her child and welcome him as its Messiah; that hostility was to spring up even within the ranks of the chosen people; that he was to be a "sign which should be spoken against;" or rather—for such is the more literal rendering of the words—a butt or mark at which many shafts or javelins should be launched. Nor was Mary herself to escape. Among the many swords or darts levelled at his breast, one was to reach hers: "Yea, a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also."

[This paragraph continues for another 12 full lines. See comparison for paragraph 18.]

Observations: How could it be said that Ellen G. White copied this: "the spirit of prophecy"?

Notes

  1. While Rea did insert an ellipsis here, the position of the preceeding period hides the fact that the previous sentence is clipped.

Paragraphs 15 through 17 (analysis of pages 326-7 of The White Lie)

The Desire of Ages (1898)
Ellen G. White, pages 55-6
The Life of Christ, (1863)
William Hanna, page 39

      Anna also, a prophetess, came in and confirmed Simeon's testimony concerning Christ. As Simeon spoke, her face lighted up with the glory of God, and she poured out her heartfelt thanks that she had been permitted to behold Christ the Lord.19

      These humble worshipers had not studied the prophecies in vain. But those who held positions as rulers and priests in Israel, though they too had before them the precious utterances of prophecy, were not walking in the way of the Lord, and their eyes were not open to behold the Light of life.

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      So it is still. Events upon which the attention of all heaven is centered are undiscerned, their very occurrence is unnoticed, by religious leaders, and worshipers in the house of God. Men acknowledge Christ in history, while they turn away from the living Christ. Christ in His word calling to self-sacrifice, in the poor and suffering who plead for relief, in the righteous cause that involves poverty and toil and reproach, is no more readily received today than He was eighteen hundred years ago.

      Simeon's prophetic portraiture of the intention and effect of the advent of the Redeemer had scarcely been completed when another testimony was added, that of the aged Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, who, like her venerable compeer, appears but once in the sacred page, and then is hidden for ever from our eyes. It is not said that any special impulse drew her to the temple. It was her daily haunt. Instantly serving God day and night, her life was one of fastings and prayers. When it was also made known to her that the infant whom she met in the temple was no other than the Christ of God, her song of praise was added to that of Simeon, but the words of it are lost. It would, we may be assured, be a suitable accompaniment. a fit response to his. He, as may be believed, retired from the temple to close his eyes in peace; but she was moved to go about and speak of the Lord19 whom she had found to all that looked for redemption in Jerusalem—the first preacher of the gospel, the first female evangelist in the holy city.

Observations:    Oops. It looks like there were some big blunders here. There is way too much clipping and distorting of the evidence.

Notes

  1. Ellen White's sentence ends with the word "Lord." Rea makes Hanna's sentence appear to as well, when in reality it is only about two-thirds over at that point. It appears that Ellen White borrowed her phrasing from Luke 2:11, while Hanna did not.

Paragraph 18 (analysis of page 327 of The White Lie)

      We have removed the bold and italics highlighting that Rea added to Ellen White's Scripture quotations, and thus have restored the formatting back to that of the original.

Desire of Ages (1898)
Ellen G. White, page 56
The Life of Christ, (1863)
William Hanna, page 38

      Mary pondered the broad and far-reaching prophecy of Simeon. As she looked upon the child in her arms, and recalled the words spoken by the shepherds of Bethlehem, she was full of grateful joy and bright hope. Simeon's words called to her mind the prophetic utterances of Isaiah: "There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. . . . And righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reins." "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. . . . For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isa. 11:1-5; 9:2-6.

      From all Mary had yet heard, she might have imagined that her child would be welcomed by all Israel—so soon as the day for his revelation came—as its long-looked for deliverer; and that a career of unsuffering triumph would lie before him—a career in whose honors and bliss she could scarcely help at times imagining that she should have a share. But now, for the first time, the indication is clearly given that all Israel was not to hail her child and welcome him as its Messiah; that hostility was to spring up even within the ranks of the chosen people; that he was to be a "sign which should be spoken against;" or rather—for such is the more literal rendering of the words—a butt or mark at which many shafts or javelins should be launched. Nor was Mary herself to escape. Among the many swords or darts levelled at his breast, one was to reach hers: "Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also." Strange that in the very centre of so broad and comprehensive a prophecy concerning Christ, such a minute and personal allusion to Mary should come in; a high honor put upon the mother of our Lord that her individual sorrows of her Son; and a singular token of the tender sympathy of Him by whom it was prompted, that now when her heart was filling with strange, bright hopes, now while her child was yet an infant, now ere the evil days drew on, when she should have to see him become the object of reproach and persecution, and stand herself to look at him upon that cross of shame and agony on which they hung him up to die—that now to temper her first-born joy, to prepare and fortify her for the bitter trials in store for her, this prophecy should have been thus early spoken.

Observation:    Some of these comparisons seem pretty absurd. Out of Hanna's 320 words above, 3 to 5 words were allegedly borrowed.

Paragraphs 19 and 20 (analysis of pages 327-8 of The White Lie)

      There wasn't a lot of bold italics to remove here, but we did remove it from "made known abroad" in Hanna, and from the Scripture quotation in both White and Hanna about a sword piercing Mary. In the latter instance, the similarity in wording between the two was artificially accentuated by Rea when he changed the original sources by bolding and italicizing these words.

The Desire of Ages (1898)
Ellen G. White, page 56
The Life of Christ (1863)
William Hanna, pages 37-8

      Yet Mary did not understand Christ's mission. Simeon had prophesied of Him as a light to lighten the Gentiles, as well as a glory to Israel. Thus the angels had announced the Saviour's birth as tidings of joy to all peoples. God was seeking to correct the narrow, Jewish conception of the Messiah's work. He desired men to behold Him, not merely as the deliverer of Israel, but as the Redeemer of the world. But many years must pass before even the mother of Jesus would understand His mission.

      Mary looked forward to the Messiah's reign on David's throne, but she saw not the baptism of suffering by which it must be won. Through Simeon it is revealed that the Messiah is to have no unobstructed passage through the world. In the words to Mary, "A sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,"20 God in His tender mercy gives to the mother of Jesus an intimation of the anguish that already for His sake she had begun to bear.

[The preceding 60% of this paragraph was used by Rea in the comparison for paragraph 13. Note also that in Rea the order of the two paragraphs are transposed.]

      Joseph and Mary stood lost in wonder. How has this stranger come to see aught uncommon in this child; how come to see in him the salvation of Israel? Have some stray tidings of his birth come into the holy city from the hill country of Judea, or has the wondrous tale the shepherds of Bethlehem "made known abroad," been repeated in this old man's hearing? What he says is in curious harmony with all the angel had announced to Mary and to the shepherds about the child, and yet there is a difference; for now, for the first time, is it distinctly declared that this child shall be a light to lighten the Gentiles; nay, his being such a light is placed even before his being the glory of Israel. Has Simeon had a separate revelation made to him from heaven, and is this an independent and fuller testimony borne to the Messiahship of Jesus?

[Rea skips over to the next paragraph, which covers half a page, to page 38.]

      From all Mary had yet heard, she might have imagined that her child would be welcomed by all Israel—so soon as the day for his revelation came—as its long-looked for deliverer; and that a career of unsuffering triumph would lie before him—a career in whose honors and bliss she could scarcely help at times imagining that she should have a share. But now, for the first time, the indication is clearly given that all Israel was not to hail her child and welcome him as its Messiah; that hostility was to spring up even within the ranks of the chosen people; that he was to be a "sign which should be spoken against;" or rather—for such is the more literal rendering of the words—a butt or mark at which many shafts or javelins should be launched. Nor was Mary herself to escape. Among the many swords or darts levelled at his breast, one was to reach hers: "Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also."20 Strange that in the very centre of so broad and comprehensive a prophecy concerning Christ, such a minute and personal allusion to Mary should come in; a high honor put upon the mother of our Lord that her individual sorrows of her Son; and a singular token of the tender sympathy of Him by whom it was prompted, that now when her heart was filling with strange, bright hopes, now while her child was yet an infant, now ere the evil days drew on, when she should have to see him become the object of reproach and persecution, and stand herself to look at him upon that cross of shame and agony on which they hung him up to die—that now to temper her first-born joy, to prepare and fortify her for the bitter trials in store for her, this prophecy should have been thus early spoken.

Observations: In this comparison we find for the first time Rea clipping material from the middle of a sentence without using an ellipsis.

Paragraph 21 (analysis of page 328 of The White Lie)

      For some odd reason, Rea only bolded and italicized the Scripture quotation at the beginning of the selection, not the one at the end. We have restored the format of the original text by removing this highlighting in order to prevent giving the appearance that quoting the same Bible text constitutes plagiarism.

The Desire of Ages (1898)
Ellen G. White, pages 56-7
The Life of Christ (1863)
William Hanna, pages 37-8

      "Behold," Simeon had said, "this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel;21 and for a sign which shall be spoken against."

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      They must fall who would rise again. We must fall upon the Rock and be broken before we can be uplifted in Christ. Self must be dethroned, pride must be humbled, if we would know the glory of the spiritual kingdom. The Jews would not accept the honor that is reached through humiliation. Therefore they would not receive their Redeemer. He was a sign that was spoken against.

      Simeon sees the wonder that shines out in their astonished looks; and, the spirit of prophecy imparted—that spirit which had been mute in Israel since the days of Malachi, but which now once more lifts up its voice within the temple—he goes on, after a gentle blessing bestowed upon both parents, to address himself particularly to Mary, furnishing in his words to her fresh material for wonder, while opening a new future to her eye. "Behold," he said to her, "this child of thine is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel"21 He may have meant, in saying so, that the purpose and effect of the Lord's showing unto Israel would be the casting down of many in order to the raising of them up again; the cast down of many in order to the raising of them up again; the casting down of them down from their earlier, worldlier thoughts and expectations, in order to the lifting them to higher, worthier, more spiritual conceptions of his character and office. Or, perhaps it was to different and not to the same persons that he referred, the truth revealed being this: that while22 some were to rise, others were to fall; that stone which to some was to be a foundation-stone elect and precious, was to others to be a stone of stumbling and rock of offence; that Jesus was to come for judgment into the world, that those who saw not might see, that those who saw might be made blind; his name to be the savor of life unto life to the one, the savor of death unto death to the other.

Page 38
      From all Mary had yet heard, she might have imagined that her child would be welcomed by all Israel—so soon as the day for his revelation came—as its long-looked for deliverer; and that a career in whose honors and bliss she could scarcely help at times imagining that she should have a share. But now, for the first time, the indication is clearly given that all Israel was not to hail her child and welcome him as its Messiah; that hostility was to spring up even within the ranks of the chosen people; that he was to be a "sign which should be spoken against;"23 or rather—for such is the more literal rendering of the words—a butt or mark at which many shafts or javelins should be launched. Nor was Mary herself to escape. Among the many swords or darts levelled at his breast, one was to reach hers: "Yea, a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also." Strange that in the very centre of so broad and comprehensive a prophecy concerning Christ, such a minute and personal allusion to Mary should come in; a high honor put upon the mother of our Lord that her individual sorrows of her Son; and a singular token of the tender sympathy of Him by whom it was prompted, that now when her heart was filling with strange, bright hopes, now while her child was yet an infant, now ere the evil days drew on, when she should have to see him become the object of reproach and persecution, and stand herself to look at him upon that cross of shame and agony on which they hung him up to die—that now to temper her first-born joy, to prepare and fortify her for the bitter trials in store for her, this prophecy should have been thus early spoken.

Observations:    The clipping really concerns me and all we really see here that is similar here is the usage of the same Biblical text. Some of the coloring of the text in Hanna depends on which translation of the Scripture he was using; we have assumed the KJV throughout.

Notes

  1. Note the differences in the wording. Ellen White follows the biblical text, while Hanna paraphrases. Note also the rest of this verse and the KJV text vs. having to jump down in Hanna to pick up similar wording.
  2. While Rea did insert an ellipsis at this point, both the position of the preceeding period and the faulty capitalization hide the fact that both this sentence and the previous one were clipped.
  3. Note that in Rea's book the punctuation at this point is changed to a period.

Paragraph 22 (analysis of pp. 328, 329 of The White Lie)

      Since Ellen White did not place Jeremiah 29:11 in bold and italics, we have removed the bold and italics from that quotation, and thus restored the selection back to its original format.

      Rea uses the following paragraph from Hanna in the comparison for paragraph 24 as well.

Desire of Ages (1898)
Ellen G. White, p. 57
The Life of Christ, (1863)
William Hanna, p. 40
The Great Teacher (1836; 1870 ed.)
John Harris, p. 96

      "That the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."25 In the light of the Saviour's life, the hearts of all, even from the Creator to the prince of darkness, are revealed. Satan has represented God as selfish and oppressive, as claiming all, and giving nothing, as requiring the service of His creatures for His own glory, and making no sacrifice for their good. But the gift of Christ reveals the Father's heart. It testifies that the thoughts of God toward us are "thoughts of peace, and not of evil." Jer. 29:11. It declares that while God's hatred of sin is as strong as death, His love for the sinner is stronger than death. Having undertaken our redemption, He will spare nothing, however dear, which is necessary to the completion of His work. No truth essential to our salvation is withheld, no miracle of mercy is neglected, no divine agency is left unemployed. Favor is heaped upon favor, gift upon gift. The whole treasury of heaven is open to those He seeks to save. Having collected the riches of the universe, and laid open the resources of infinite power, He gives them all into the hands of Christ, and says, All these are for man. Use these gifts to convince him that there is no love greater than Mine in earth or heaven. His greatest happiness will be found in loving Me.

      Finally, Christ is the great Revealer of the thoughts and intents of the heart.25 Are we proud, are we worldly, are we self-willed? Nothing will more bring out the sway and empire of these or any kindred passions over us than the bringing closer home to us the holy character and unmitigable claims of Jesus Christ. Keep them at a distance, and the strong man armed keeps the palace of the soul, and all comparatively is at peace. Bring them near, force them home upon the conscience and the heart; then it is that the inwards struggle begins; and in that struggle the spirit unconsciously revealeth its true condition before God.26

      Having thus taught us to refer his death to the divine benignity, having placed his cross in a line with the light of the divine countenance, so that on beholding the one we may be drawn to gaze on the other, he poured out his soul unto death. He showed us that, while the hatred of God against sin is strong as death, his love to sinners is yet stronger than death. He brought to an issue the momentous question, which had been kept open since the fall—whether or not God is light and love. The satanic agitation of this parent truth was the origin of human alienation from God; and having once brought it into question in the human mind, and thereby sown the seeds of enmity against God, it only remained for the father of lies to water those deadly seeds, in order to reap the fruit of a continual triumph against the Supreme. Besides, by widening the breach which existed between earth and Heaven, Satan might calculate on the possibility of at length realizing his own lie, of wearing out the goodness which only encountered abuse, of extinguishing the last spark of love in the breast of God, and of exasperating justice to doom and destroy the whole species. Every moment of four thousand years, therefore, he had turned to account, in fomenting the aversion of man to God. By a vast, evil had been kept in motion, and made to bear upon man, addressing itself to every passion, and intrenching itself in every heart; so that, in a sense more than figurative, the world, the entire mass of humanity, was subjected to a demoniacal possession.

Observations:    Out of Harris' 280 words, it looks like Ellen White borrowed 15. That would be 5.36%. Was that a problem in 1898?

      Harris' book was published in 1836 in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was therefore protected by U.S. copyright law for 28 years plus a possible extension of 14 years. Harris died in 1856. If his heirs renewed the copyright in 1864, then it would not have gone into the public domain until 1878. In other words, by the time the book The Desire of Ages was published, Harris' book had already been in the public domain for at least 20 years, and thus there was no problem whatsoever in Ellen White's use of 15 words in 1898.

Notes

  1. Is Rea accusing Ellen White of plagiarizing these words from Hanna when she quotes from Scripture?
  2. Rea inserted an ellipsis here where there should not be one.

Paragraph 23 (analysis of p. 329 of The White Lie)

The Desire of Ages (1898)
Ellen G. White, p. 57
The Great Teacher (1836; 1870 ed.),
John Harris, p. 97

      At the cross of Calvary, love and selfishness stood face to face. Here was their crowning manifestation. Christ had lived only to comfort and bless, and in putting Him to death, Satan manifested the malignity of his hatred against God. He made it evident that the real purpose of his rebellion was to dethrone God, and to destroy Him through whom the love of God was shown.

      Under such tuteluge, (how could it be otherwise?) every dispensation and event was interpreted against God. Signals of reconciliation were hung out from heaven; treaties were set on foot; but men scowled back defiance, and exclaimed,"depart from us; we desire not the knowledge of

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thy ways." Messenger after messenger was despatched to entreat their attention, "but they beat up one, stoned another, and killed another." During the whole tract of time, the principle of human hatred had gone on growing in intensity, collecting its materials for war, and daily augmenting in strength, till it had reached so gigantic and threatening a form, that, if it was to be vanguished by love, and not by power, it was evident that love must put forth its might in an act unparalleled, unimaginable, and infinite. Such an act was resolved on. Voices from heaven announced it. Calvary was selected for the eventful scene. On the part of God appeared his only-begotten Son, wearing the form of a human being. Against him came hell and earth: all the nursed and ancient hatred of the human heart, and all the immemorial enmity which had formed the atmosphere of hell, were there collected and concentrated against him. Love and hatred confronted each other. At that moment, of all the passions and principles in the universe, these two antagonist powers alone remained. All the diversified sentiments and emotions of created natures were ranged under, or resolved into, one of these two principles. And while the object of the one was to unite its whole force in a blow which should need no repetiton, to throw all its accumulated vengeance into one annihilating stroke, it was the aim of the other, by receiving that stroke, to let the strength of its foe be exhausted, to vanguish it by submission, to reduce it to a state of silence and shame at finding its powers and weapons all spent, while yet the object of its rage stood unimpaired, and even seemed by wounding to acquire strength.
Observations: Just 3 words? Surely there has to be some better evidence of plagiarism than this! One could easily conclude that the use of the above 3 words was coincidental. We assume that Walter Rea picked the best comparisons to include in his book.

Paragraphs 24 & 25 (analysis of p. 330 of The White Lie)

The Desire of Ages (1898)
Ellen G. White, p. 57
The Life of Christ, (1863)
William Hanna, p. 40

      By the life and the death of Christ, the thoughts of men also are brought to view. From the manger to the cross, the life of Jesus was a call to self-surrender, and to fellowship in suffering. It unveiled the purposes of men. Jesus came with the truth of heaven, and all who were listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit were drawn to Him. The worshipers of self belonged to Satan's kingdom. In their attitude toward Christ, all would show on which side they stood. And thus everyone passes judgment on himself.

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      In the day of final judgment, every lost soul will understand the nature of his own rejection of truth. The cross will be presented, and its real bearing will be seen by every mind that has been blinded by transgression. Before the vision of Calvary with its mysterious Victim, sinners will stand condemned. Every lying excuse will be swept away. Human apostasy will appear in its heinous character. Men will see what their choice has been. Every question of truth and error in the long-standing controversy will then have been made plain. In the judgment of the universe, God will stand clear of blame for the existence or continuance of evil. It will be demonstrated that the divine decrees are not accessory to sin. There was no defect in God's government, no cause for disaffection. When the thoughts of all hearts shall be revealed, both the loyal and the rebellious will unite in declaring, "Just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints. Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? . . . for Thy judgments are made manifest." Rev. 15:3, 4.

Finally, Christ is the great Revealer of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Are we proud, are we worldly, are we self-willed? Nothing will more bring out the sway and empire of these or any kindred passions over us than the bringing closer home to us the holy character and unmitigable claims of Jesus Christ. Keep them at a distance, and the strong man armed keeps the palace of the soul, and all comparatively is at peace. Bring them near, force them home upon the conscience and the heart; then it is that the inwards struggle begins; and in that struggle the spirit unconsciously revealeth its true condition before God.

© David J. Conklin (Dec. 19, 2004 - Jan. 8, 2006)

Page One of Analysis of Chapter Five

Observations on Chapter Five

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