The Ellen G. White Letters and Manuscripts: Volume 1

Lt 3, 1847

July 13, 1847, Gorham, Maine 1EGWLM 124.4

Identity: The letter is addressed “Mr. Joseph Bates, Fairhaven, Mass.”

1EGWLM 124.5

This letter is published in entirety in Ellen G. White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 5, pp. 95-98.

Narrative of circumstances surrounding the “Midnight Cry” and “Bridegroom” visions of December 1844 and February 1845. 1EGWLM 124.6

Dear Brother Bates:

As James [James Springer White] is at work² and sisters are from home³ thought I would employ myself in writing a line to you. My health is quite good for me. My faith is still strong that that very same Jesus that ascended up into heaven will so come in like manner as He went up, and that very, very soon. I have had many trials of late; discouragement at times has laid so fast hold upon me it seemed impossible to shake it off. But thank God, Satan has not got the victory over me yet, and by the grace of God he never shall. I know and feel my weakness, but I have laid hold upon the strong arm of Jehovah, and I can say today I know that my Redeemer liveth, and if He lives I shall live also. Oh, how good it would be to meet with a few of like precious faith to exhort and comfort one another with words of holy cheer from the Word of God.⁴ The sheep are now scattered, but thank God they are about to be gathered to a good pasture. 1EGWLM 124.7

Oh, how sweet it will be to meet all the blood-washed throng in the city of our God. ’Tis then we’ll sing the song of Moses and the Lamb as we march through the gates into the city, bearing the palms of victory and wearing the crowns of glory. Brother Bates, you write in a letter to James⁵ something about the Bridegroom’s coming,⁶ as stated in the first published visions. By the letter you would like to know whether I had light on the Bridegroom’s coming before I saw it in vision. I can readily answer, No.⁷ The Lord showed me the travel of the Advent band and midnight cry in December,⁸ but He did not show me the Bridegroom’s coming until February following. Perhaps you would like to have me give a statement in relation to both visions. At the time I had the vision of the midnight cry I had given it up in the past and thought it future, as also most of the band had.⁹ I know not what time J. Turner [Joseph Turner] got out his paper. I knew he had one out and one was in the house, but I knew not what was in it, for I did not read a word in it.¹⁰ I had been, and still was, very sick. I took no interest in reading, for it injured my head and made me nervous. After I had the vision and God gave me light, He bade me deliver it to the band, but I shrank from it. I was young, and I thought they would not receive it from me. I disobeyed the Lord, and instead of remaining at home, where the meeting was to be that night, I got in a sleigh in the morning and rode three or four miles [six kilometers] and there I found J. T. He merely inquired how I was and if I was in the way of my duty. I said nothing, for I knew I was not. I passed up chamber and did not see him again for two hours, when he came up, asked if I was to be at meeting that night. I told him, no. He said he wanted to hear my vision and thought it duty for me to go home. I told him I should not. He said no more, but went away. I thought, and told those around me, if I went I should have to come out against his views, thinking he believed with the rest.¹¹ I had not told any of them what God had shown me, and I did not tell them in what I should cut across his track. 1EGWLM 125.1

All that day I suffered much in body and mind. It seemed that God had forsaken me entirely. I prayed the Lord if He would give me strength to ride home that night, the first opportunity I would deliver the message He had given me. He did give me strength and I rode home that night. Meeting had been done some time, and not a word was said by any of the family about the meeting. 1EGWLM 126.1

Very early next morning J. T. [Joseph Turner] called, said he was in haste going out of the city in a short time, and wanted I should tell him all that God had shown me in vision. It was with fear and trembling I told him all. After I had got through he said he had told out the same last evening. I was rejoiced, for I expected he was coming out against me, for all the while I had not heard anyone say what he believed. He said the Lord had sent him to hear me talk the evening before, but as I would not, He meant His children should have the light in some way, so He took him. There were but few out when he talked, so the next meeting I told my vision, and the band, believing my visions from God, received what God bade me to deliver to them. 1EGWLM 126.2

The view about the Bridegroom’s coming I had about the middle of February 1845. 1EGWLM 127.1

While in Exeter, Maine, in meeting with Israel Damman,¹² James, and many others, many of them did not believe in a shut door.¹³ I suffered much at the commencement of the meeting. Unbelief seemed to be on every hand. There was one sister there that was called very spiritual. She had traveled and been a powerful preacher the most of the time for twenty years. She had been truly a mother in Israel. But a division had risen in the band on the shut door. She had great sympathy, and could not believe the door was shut. (I had known nothing of their differences.) Sister Durben¹⁴ got up to talk. I felt very, very sad. At length my soul seemed to be in an agony, and while she was talking I fell from my chair to the floor.¹⁵ It was then I had a view of Jesus rising from His mediatorial throne and going to the holiest as Bridegroom to receive His kingdom.¹⁶

For the earliest published accounts of this vision, see: Ellen G. Harmon, “Letter From Sister Harmon,” Day-Star, Mar. 14, 1846 (Lt 1, 1845 [Dec. 20]); idem, “To the Little Remnant Scattered Abroad,” Ms 1, 1846 (Apr. 6).

Ellen White makes the comment a few lines further on that “most of them received the vision,” that is, the vision of the Bridegroom’s coming, “and were settled upon the shut door.” The conflating of the two events shows that they were not disparate happenings but closely related. According to the parable of the 10 virgins from which this imagery is taken (Matt. 25), “the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut”; that is, to accept that the Bridegroom had come on October 22, 1844 (see note 6 above) also entailed accepting that the “door” had been “shut” in some sense.

Those who accepted that a door had been shut in 1844 had disparate views as to what this meant. A survey of the contemporary literature reveals some who held a moderate position on the “shut door,” whereby those consciously rejecting the divinely led “seventh month” preaching in 1844 had sinned against the Holy Spirit. Others held the far more radical position that the door was shut on all non-Millerites on October 22, 1844.

The following discussions of early Sabbatarian shut door beliefs—including those of Ellen White—represent a wide range of views: Herbert E. Douglass, Messenger of the Lord, pp. 500-511, 554-569; Ingemar Lindén, 1844 and the Shut Door Problem; Rolf J. Poehler, “‘… and the Door was Shut’”; Gerard P. Damsteegt, Foundations of the Seventh-day Adventist Message and Mission, pp. 149-163; Arthur L. White, “Ellen G. White and the Shut Door Question”; Robert W. Olson, “The ‘Shut Door’ Documents.” For further comment on the rejection motif, see Ms 1, 1849 (Mar. 24), note 13.

See also: Introductory article “The ‘Shut Door’ and Ellen White’s Visions”; EGWEnc, s.v. “Shut Door.”

They were all deeply interested in the view. They all said it was entirely new to them.¹⁷ The Lord worked in mighty power setting the truth home to their hearts. Sister Durben knew what the power of the Lord was, for she had felt it many times; and a short time after I fell she was struck down and fell to the floor, crying to God to have mercy on her. When I came out of vision, my ears were saluted with Sister Durben’s singing and shouting with a loud voice.¹⁸ Most of them received the vision, and were settled upon the shut door. Previous to this I had no light on the coming of the Bridegroom, but had expected Him to this earth to deliver His people on the tenth day of the seventh month. I did not hear a lecture or a word in any way relating to the Bridegroom’s going to the holiest. I had but very few privileges in 1842, 1843, & 1844. My sisters both went to the camp meetings in New Hampshire and Maine, while my health prevented me from going to but one, in Maine. I know the light I received came from God, it was not taught me by man. I knew not how to write so that others could read it till God gave me my visions. I went to school but very little on account of my health. I do not think I went to school a day after I was twelve years old, and did not go then but a few days at a time, when sickness would cause me to take [to] my bed for weeks and sometimes for months. The first I wrote anything that could be called writing was after I had been sick [and] the prayer of faith was put up for me, and healing … [Here the sheet ends, and the remainder of the letter is gone.] 1EGWLM 127.2

Picture: Ellen White’s earliest known handwritten letter, written July 13, 1847 (Lt 3, 1847), and addressed to Joseph Bates

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