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THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
by ELLEN G。 WHITE
（iii）
PREFACE
THIS BOOK； READER； IS NOT PUBLISHED TO TELL US THAT THERE IS SIN AND WOE AND
MISERY IN THIS WORLD。 WE KNOW IT ALL TOO WELL。 THIS BOOK IS NOT PUBLISHED TO
TELL US THAT THERE IS AN IRRECONCILABLE CONTROVERSY BETWEEN DARKNESS AND
LIGHT； SIN AND RIGHTEOUSNESS； WRONG AND RIGHT； DEATH AND LIFE。 IN OUR HEART
OF HEARTS WE KNOW IT； AND KNOW THAT WE ARE PARTICIPATORS； ACTORS； IN THE
CONFLICT。
BUT TO EVERY ONE OF US COMES AT TIMES A LONGING TO KNOW MORE OF THE GREAT
CONTROVERSY。 HOW DID THE CONTROVERSY BEGIN？ OR WAS IT ALWAYS HERE？ WHAT
ELEMENTS ENTER INTO ITS AWFULLY COMPLEX ASPECT？ HOW AM I RELATED TO IT？ WHAT
IS MY RESPONSIBILITY？ I FIND MYSELF IN THIS WORLD BY NO CHOICE OF MY OWN？
DOES THAT MEAN TO ME EVIL OR GOOD？
WHAT ARE THE GREAT PRINCIPLES INVOLVED？ HOW LONG WILL THE CONTROVERSY
CONTINUE？ WHAT WILL BE ITS ENDING？ WILL THIS EARTH SINK； AS SOME SCIENTISTS
SAY； INTO THE DEPTHS OF A SUNLESS； FROZEN； ETERNAL NIGHT？ OR IS THERE A
BETTER FUTURE？
THE QUESTION COMES CLOSER STILL： HOW MAY THE CONTROVERSY IN MY OWN HEART；
THE STRIFE BETWEEN INFLOWING SELFISHNESS AND OUTGOING LOVE； BE SETTLED IN
THE VICTORY OF GOOD； AND SETTLED FOREVER？ WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY？ WHAT HAS
GOD TO TEACH US ABOUT THIS ETERNALLY IMPORTANT QUESTION？
IT IS THE AIM OF THIS BOOK； READER； TO HELP THE TROUBLED SOUL TO A RIGHT
SOLUTION OF ALL THESE PROBLEMS。 IT IS WRITTEN BY ONE WHO HAS TASTED AND
FOUND THAT GOD IS GOOD； AND WHO HAS LEARNED IN COMMUNION WITH GOD AND THE
STUDY OF HIS WORD THAT THE SECRET OF THE LORD IS WITH THEM THAT FEAR HIM；
AND THAT HE WILL SHOW THEM HIS COVENANT。
THAT WE MAY BETTER UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES OF THE ALL…IMPORTANT
CONTROVERSY； IN WHICH THE LIFE OF A UNIVERSE IS INVOLVED； THE AUTHOR HAS SET
IT BEFORE US IN GREAT； CONCRETE OBJECT LESSONS OF THE LAST TWENTY CENTURIES。
THE BOOK OPENS WITH THE SAD CLOSING SCENES OF JERUSALEM'S HISTORY； THE CITY
OF GOD'S CHOSEN； AFTER HER REJECTION OF THE
iv
MAN OF CALVARY； WHO CAME TO SAVE。 THENCE ONWARD ALONG THE GREAT HIGHWAY OF
THE NATIONS； IT POINTS US TO THE PERSECUTIONS OF GOD'S CHILDREN IN THE FIRST
CENTURIES； THE GREAT APOSTASY WHICH FOLLOWED IN HIS CHURCH； THE
WORLD…AWAKENING OF THE REFORMATION； IN WHICH SOME OF THE GREAT PRINCIPLES OF
THE CONTROVERSY ARE CLEARLY MANIFEST； THE AWFUL LESSON OF THE REJECTION OF
RIGHT PRINCIPLES BY FRANCE； THE REVIVAL AND EXALTATION OF THE SCRIPTURES；
AND THEIR BENEFICENT； LIFE…SAVING INFLUENCE； THE RELIGIOUS AWAKENING OF THE
LAST DAYS； THE UNSEALING OF THE RADIANT FOUNTAIN OF GOD'S WORD； WITH ITS
WONDERFUL REVELATIONS OF LIGHT AND KNOWLEDGE TO MEET THE BALEFUL UPSPRINGING
OF EVERY DELUSION OF DARKNESS。
THE PRESENT IMPENDING CONFLICT； WITH THE VITAL PRINCIPLES INVOLVED； IN WHICH
NO ONE CAN BE NEUTRAL； IS SIMPLY； LUCIDLY； STRONGLY； SET FORTH。
LAST OF ALL； WE ARE TOLD OF THE ETERNAL AND GLORIOUS VICTORY OF GOOD OVER
EVIL； RIGHT OVER WRONG； LIGHT OVER DARKNESS； JOY OVER SORROW； HOPE OVER
DESPAIR； GLORY OVER SHAME； LIFE OVER DEATH； AND EVERLASTING； LONG…SUFFERING
LOVE OVER VINDICTIVE HATE。
BEGINNING WITH ITS FIRST EDITION （1888）； FOLLOWED BY AN AUTHOR'S REVISION
（1911）； THIS OUTSTANDING WORK HAS ACHIEVED WORLDWIDE CIRCULATION THROUGH
MANY EDITIONS AND TRANSLATIONS。 THE READER WILL FIND THAT THE AUTHOR WRITES
FRANKLY AND VIGOROUSLY； POINTING OUT ERRORS AND SUGGESTING SOLUTIONS BASED
ON THE INFALLIBLE WORD OF GOD。 AND EVEN THOUGH THE LAST FEW DECADES HAVE
WITNESSED SHIFTS AND ADJUSTMENTS IN THE SOCIORELIGIOUS WORLD； THE MAIN
SCHEME AND THE FUTURE PROJECTIONS PRESENTED IN THIS BOOK MAINTAIN TODAY FULL
TIMELINESS AND ABSORBING INTEREST。
FORMER EDITIONS OF THIS BOOK HAVE BROUGHT MANY SOULS TO THE TRUE SHEPHERD；
IT IS THE PRAYER OF THE PUBLISHER THAT THIS EDITION MAY BE EVEN MORE
FRUITFUL OF ETERNAL GOOD。
THE PUBLISHERS。
Introduction
Before the entrance of sin； Adam enjoyed open communion with his Maker； but
since man separated himself from God by transgression； the human race has
been cut off from this high privilege。 By the plan of redemption； however； a
way has been opened whereby the inhabitants of the earth may still have
connection with heaven。 God has communicated with men by His Spirit； and
divine light has been imparted to the world by revelations to His chosen
servants。 〃Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost。〃 2
Peter 1：21。
During the first twenty…five hundred years of human history； there was no
written revelation。 Those who had been taught of God； communicated their
knowledge to others； and it was handed down from father to son； through
successive generations。 The preparation of the written word began in the
time of Moses。 Inspired revelations were then embodied in an inspired book。
This work continued during the long period of sixteen hundred yearsfrom
Moses； the historian of creation and the law； to John； the recorder of the
most sublime truths of the gospel。
The Bible points to God as its author； yet it was written by human hands；
and in the varied style of its different books it presents the
characteristics of the several writers。 The truths revealed are all 〃given
by inspiration of God〃 （2 Timothy 3：16）； yet they are expressed in the words
of men。 The Infinite One by His Holy Spirit has shed light into the minds
and hearts of His servants。 He has given dreams and visions； symbols and
figures； and those to whom the truth was thus revealed have themselves
embodied the thought in human language。
The Ten Commandments were spoken by God Himself； and were written by His own
hand。 They are of divine；
vi
and not of human composition。 But the Bible； with its God…given truths
expressed in the language of men； presents a union of the divine and the
human。 Such a union existed in the nature of Christ； who was the Son of God
and the Son of man。 Thus it is true of the Bible； as it was of Christ； that
〃the Word was made flesh； and dwelt among us。〃 John 1：14。
Written in different ages； by men who differed widely in rank and
occupation； and in mental and spiritual endowments； the books of the Bible
present a wide contrast in style； as well as a diversity in the nature of
the subjects unfolded。 Different forms of expression are employed by
different writers； often the same truth is more strikingly presented by one
than by another。 And as several writers present a subject under varied
aspects and relations； there may appear； to the superficial； careless； or
prejudiced reader； to be discrepancy or contradiction； where the thoughtful；
reverent student； with clearer insight； discerns the underlying harmony。
As presented through different individuals； the truth is brought out in its
varied aspects。 One writer is more strongly impressed with one phase of the
subject； he grasps those points that harmonize with his experience or with
his power of perception and appreciation； another seizes upon a different
phase； and each； under the guidance of the Holy Spirit； presents what is
most forcibly impressed upon his own minda different aspect of the truth
in each； but a perfect harmony through all。 And the truths thus revealed
unite to form a perfect whole； adapted to meet the wants of men in all the
circumstances and experiences of life。
God has been pleased to communicate His truth to the world by human
agencies； and He Himself； by His Holy Spirit； qualified men and enabled them
to do this work。 He guided the mind in the selection of what to speak and
what to write。 The treasure was entrusted to earthen vessels； yet it is；
nonetheless； from Heaven。 The testimony is
vii
conveyed through the imperfect expression of human language； yet it is the
testimony of God； and the obedient； believing child of God beholds in it the
glory of a divine power； full of grace and truth。
In His word； God has committed to men the knowledge necessary for salvation。
The Holy Scriptures are to be accepted as an authoritative； infallible
revelation of His will。 They are the standard of character； the revealer of
doctrines； and the test of experience。 〃Every scripture inspired of God is
also profitable for teaching； for reproof； for correction； for instruction
which is in righteousness； that the man of God may be complete； furnished
completely unto every good work。〃 2 Timothy 3：16； 17； R。V。
Yet the fact that God has revealed His will to men through His word； has not
rendered needless the continued presence and guiding of the Holy Spirit。 On
the contrary； the Spirit was promised by our Saviour； to open the word to
His servants； to illuminate and apply its teachings。 And since it was the
Spirit of God that inspired the Bible； it is impossible that the teaching of
the Spirit should ever be contrary to that of the word。
The Spirit was not givennor can it ever be bestowed to supersede the
Bible； for the Scriptures explicitly state that the word of God is the
standard by which all teachi