The Ellen G. White Letters and Manuscripts: Volume 1

Ms 1, 1849

[March 24, 1849,¹ Topsham, Maine] 1EGWLM 160.1

The Open and Shut Door.² 1EGWLM 160.2

See The Present Truth, August 1849, and Letter 5, 1849 (Apr. 21). 1EGWLM 160.3

The Sabbath as a test. Satan's attempts through mesmerism, spiritualism, and false revivals to deceive God's people. 1EGWLM 160.4

We had a sweet, interesting meeting with the brethren and sisters at Topsham, Me. [Maine]. The Spirit of God rested upon us, and I was taken off in the Spirit. 1EGWLM 160.5

I saw that the commandments of God and the shut door³ could not be separated. I saw that the time for the commandments of God to shine out to His people was when the door was opened in the inner apartment of the heavenly sanctuary where the ark is containing the commandments. This door was not opened until Jesus’ mediation was finished in the outer apartment of the sanctuary in 1844. 1EGWLM 160.6

Then Jesus rose up and shut the door in the outer apartment and opened the holy; and the faith of Israel now reaches within the second veil where Jesus now stands by the ark. I saw that Jesus had shut the door in the Holy Place, and no man can open it. And that He had opened the door in the Most Holy place, and no man can shut it. And that since Jesus has opened the door in the Most Holy place, the commandments have been shining out and God has been testing His people on the holy Sabbath.⁴ 1EGWLM 160.7

I saw that the test on the Sabbath could not come until the mediation of Jesus in the Holy was finished, and He had passed within the second veil. Therefore Christians who died before the seventh month 1844, and had not kept the Sabbath, rest in hope; for there was no condemnation until the true light on the Sabbath came. I saw that Satan was tempting God's people on this point because so many good Christians had died in the hope, and had not kept the true Sabbath. 1EGWLM 161.1

I saw that our adversaries had been trying to open the door in the outer apartment and to close the door in the inner apartment where the ark is containing the two tablets of stone on which were written the ten commandments by God's own finger.⁵ I saw that Satan was using every device in this time to keep the minds of God's people from present truth and cause them to waver. I saw a covering that God was drawing over His people to protect them in the time of trouble, and every soul that was decided on the truth was to be covered with this covering of Almighty God. Satan knew this and was also at work in mighty power. 1EGWLM 161.2

I saw that the mysterious knocking in N.Y. [New York] was the power of Satan clothed in a religious garb to lull the deceived to more security and to draw the minds of God's people, if possible, to look at that and cause them to doubt the teachings of God among His people.⁶ I saw that Satan was working through agents in a number of ways. He was at work through ministers who had rejected God's truth, and had been given over to strong delusions to believe a lie that they might be damned.⁷ While they are preaching or praying some would fall prostrate and helpless; not by the power of the Holy Ghost, no, no; but by the power of Satan breathed on these agents and through them to the people. 1EGWLM 161.3

I saw some professed Adventists who had rejected present truth while preaching, praying, or in private conversation used mesmerism to gain adherents; and the people would rejoice, thinking it was the power of God; and some that used it were so far in the darkness and deception of the devil that they thought it was the power of God given them to exercise.⁸ I saw that these men had made God altogether such a one as themselves and valued His power as a thing of naught. I saw that some of these agents of the devil were affecting the bodies of those that they could not deceive and draw from the present truth.⁹ Some of these were even trying to affect some of the saints unto death.¹⁰ Oh, that all could get a view of it as God revealed it unto me,—that they might know more of the wiles of Satan so as to be on their guard. 1EGWLM 162.1

I saw that Satan was at work in these ways to distract, draw away, and deceive God's people just now in this sealing time.¹¹ I saw some who were not standing stiffly, their knees were trembling, their feet were sliding because they were not planted on the present truth, and the covering of Almighty God could not be drawn over them while they were thus trembling. Satan was trying his every art to hold them where they were until the sealing was over, and the covering drawn over God's people, and they were left without protection in the time of slaughter. God has begun to draw the covering over His people, therefore it will very soon be drawn over all those who are to have a shelter in the day of the Lord. 1EGWLM 162.2

I saw that as God worked in power for His people; Satan would also work, and that the mysterious knocking, and signs and wonders of Satan and false reformations would increase and spread. The reformations that were shown me were not reformations from error to truth; no, no; but from bad to worse, for those who professed a change of heart had only wrapped about them a religious garb which covered up the iniquity of a vile heart. Some appeared to have been really converted so as to deceive God's people. But if their hearts could be seen they would appear as black as ever.¹² My accompanying angel bade me to look for the travail of soul for sinners as used to be. I looked, but could not see it, for the time of their salvation is passed.¹³ 1EGWLM 163.1