REMARKABLE FULFILLMENTS OF THE VISIONS by John Norton Loughborough

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 25, 1866

REMARKABLE FULFILLMENTS OF THE VISIONS.

By John Norton Loughborough

BRO. SMITH: In response to your request to write out some of the fulfillments of the visions that have come under my observation I would make the following statements: When I first learned of the visions of sister White, some fifteen years ago, I was a firm unbeliever in anything like direct manifestations of the Spirit of God more than an ordinary blessing that might be felt in the heart in answer to prayer, without any outward manifestation attending it. So it will be readily seen that I would watch with carefulness anything that appeared of a different character. When I first heard of the visions of sister White I supposed them to be either pretensions or mesmerism. But it did not require any great length of time to satisfy myself that a person could not feign a state in which from fifteen minutes to two hours, breath is entirely suspended, the eyes are open, not with a glassy appearance, or a vacant stare, but with a look more like that of one looking intently at a distant object. And that, too, while in this condition, audible words were spoken without breath. Such were the appearance and facts relative to the first vision I saw her have, and the appearances have not changed in about fifty visions I have seen her have since that time.

Having become satisfied that the visions were not under the control of the instrument through whom they were given, the next work was to prove, if possible, from what source they came. Having heard lectures on mesmerism, and seen persons in various states of mesmerism, I could see a marked difference between this and mesmerism. It is also a fact that many experienced mesmerizers have declared on witnessing her visions that it was not mesmerism, but was something with which they were unacquainted. I saw a noted Spiritualist and mesmerizer present once, when she had a vision at Parkville, Michigan. He had given out before she came that if she should have a vision there, as it was nothing but mesmerism, he could bring her out of it. When he saw her in vision he came forward where she was, but instead of trying to bring her out, he went staggering toward the door, saying to the congregation, “She don’t breathe,” and declaring that he did not know what it was, turned deadly pale and left the room.

But to return to my narrative: When I became satisfied that the visions were beyond human agency in their manifestations, I next watched to see if anything hidden or unknown to us and the instrument were brought to light. A circumstance shortly happened in Rochester, where we resided, that carried conviction to the minds of all who were acquainted with the facts.

A man and his wife whom I shall here call Bro. and sister R. embraced the truth while Bro. and sister White were laboring away from home in New England—they then resided in Rochester. They had never seen the above named persons, and after they embraced the truth and before Bro. and sister White returned to Rochester, the Bro. went on business to Michigan. After they returned from N. E. they became acquainted with this sister, as she boarded much of her time in the city. This sister enjoyed herself well for a time, but soon a cloud of gloom seemed to be upon her mind, and it was apparent to all that she was in deep trouble about something. She grew poor under her burden. She was often requested by sister Orton and others to tell the cause of her sadness, but she would not. She could not be prevailed upon to disclose the great secret of her grief. Thus things went on for many days, till, finally, her case was opened to sister White in a vision. She related it to her and the brethren and sisters. Told her that the cause of her sadness was that she was nightly tormented by the Devil, who would appear to her as soon as she retired in the form of an old woman dressed in black. Told her she saw that she wanted to tell the brethren and sisters concerning this strange appearance, and have them pray the Lord to rebuke it, that whenever sister R. would make up her mind that she would tell the brethren and sisters about it this person would take her by the throat and almost strangle her, saying, “If you tell I will choke you to death.” Sister White told her she saw if she would come out and rebuke it in the name of the Lord she would be delivered from it, and be vexed no more. The sister sat in deep thought, but finally said what sister White had seen was the truth in the matter; but as soon as she had said it she seemed to be choking, and had every appearance of one strangling to death. This occurred at Bro. Orton’s house. Bro. Ingraham was present and joined in prayer for the sister. Soon she got strength, after an awful struggle, to rebuke the enemy, was relieved, and I never heard any more of her having any such troubles. This, of course, gave us all, as well as sister R., great confidence that the vision was more than human.

But in the same vision sister White had a view of a man who was making loud professions to keep the law, was talking the Sabbath to others, yet, at the same time, was breaking the seventh commandment. She was not shown his name, and none of us supposed it to be one of our number; but in a few days Bro. R., as we called him, returned. When sister White saw him, which was the first time, only in vision, she readily recognized him as the identical man. None of us had ever supposed him to be a man of that stamp, and, of course, were greatly surprised to learn that he was the man. Sister White related the vision before him, sister R. readily assenting to the first part that it was all so; but when the last part was related as applying to her own husband, she looked at him with an astonished, piercing, inquiring gaze. He burst into tears and confessed that the last part of the vision was true, but tried to justify himself in saying there were many of the first-day Adventists who did as bad as that.

Here were two facts brought to light by something more than human wisdom, and of the source from whence they came we were led to judge by the nature of the work. Works of sin and darkness were reproved, and it seemed to us indeed like the work of the Lord.

More hereafter.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.