Genuine Visions from the Lord in the Remnant Church
By G. I. BUTLER
The vision of Ellen G. Harmon noticed in last week’s paper was the first of a long series given during a space of more than threescore years, and was granted at the very beginning of the history of the remnant church. This church the Revelator declared was to have “the Spirit of prophecy,” and the gift began to be manifest in its earliest days. We will now take up the history of the full development of this blessed gift. Returning to Elder J. N. Loughborough’s10book, “Rise and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists,” page 93, we read as follows:— “The first time I saw Mrs. E. G. White (formerly Miss Harmon) was on the first Sabbath in October, 1852. On that day I saw her in a vision that lasted over one hour. Since that time I have had the privilege of seeing her in vision about fifty times. I have been present when physicians have examined her while in this state, and I esteem it a pleasure to bear testimony to what I have seen and know. I trust a narration of the facts in the case may not be carelessly cast aside for the random suppositions of those who have never seen her in this condition. “In passing into vision she gives three enrapturing shouts of ‘Glory!’ The second, and especially the third, fainter, but more thrilling than the first, the voice resembling that of one quite a distance from you, and just going out of hearing. For about four or five seconds she seems to drop down like a person in a swoon or one having lost his strength; she then seems to be instantly filled with superhuman strength, sometimes rising at once to her feet and walking about the room. There are frequent movements of the hands and arms, pointing to the right or left as her head turns. All these movements are made in a most graceful manner. In whatever position the hand or arm may be placed, it is impossible for any one to move it. Her eyes are always open, but she does not wink; her head is raised, and she is looking upward, but with a vacant stare, but with a pleasant expression, only differing from the normal in that she appears to be looking intently at some distant object. She does not breathe, yet her pulse beats regularly. Her countenance is pleasant, and the color of her face as florid as in her natural state. “Her condition as to breathing, loss of strength, and being made strong as the angel of God touches her, all agree perfectly with the description given by the prophet Daniel of his own experience in vision when he says: ‘Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.’ ‘For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, and said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.’” Dan. 10: 8, 17-19. Another testimony recorded on page 95 of Elder Loughborough’s book, is that of M. G. Kellogg, M. D., concerning Mrs. White’s first vision in Michigan, which was given during a meeting held at Tyrone, Livingston County, May 29, 1853:— “Sister White was in vision about twenty minutes or half an hour. As she went into vision, every one present seemed to feel the power and presence of God, and some of us did indeed feel the Spirit of God resting upon us mightily. We were engaged in a prayer and social meeting, Sabbath morning, at about nine o’clock. Brother White, my father, and Sister White had prayed, and I was praying at the time. There had been no excitement, no demonstrations. We did plead earnestly with God, however, that he would bless the meeting with his presence, and that he would bless the work in Michigan. As Sister White gave that triumphant shout of ‘Glory! g-l-o-r-y!, g-l-o-r-y!’ which you have heard her give so often as she goes into vision, Brother White arose and informed the audience that his wife was in vision. . . . “I am quite certain that she did not breathe at that time while in vision, nor in any of the several others which she had when I was present. The coming out of vision was as marked as her going into it. The first indication we had that the vision was ended, was in her again beginning to breathe. She drew her first breath deep, long, and full, in a manner showing that her lungs had been entirely empty of air. After drawing the first breath, several minutes passed before she drew the second, which filled the lungs precisely as did the first; then a pause of two minutes, and a third inhalation, after which the breathing became natural.” A large number of other testimonials are given by eyewitnesses in various parts of the country, and many most remarkable circumstances are narrated, — surely enough to establish the facts as chronicled in Elder Loughborough’s book. These open visions continued more or less frequently for many years of her life, and many were privileged to witness them. Elder Loughborough saw Mrs. White in vision as many as fifty times. On one occasion she was given a vision before an audience of hundreds of people in the Battle Creek Tabernacle. Surely these things have not been done in a corner. These were “open visions,” given when many people were present; and the facts related are therefore indisputable. They were no doubt given thus openly to demonstrate their reality. However, many other visions were given less publicly. For nearly seventy years Mrs. White was widely known as one having visions from the Lord, and she was associated in public labor with ministers and other workers in all parts of this country, in Europe, and in Australia. Her labors have been most remarkable.