The Gift of Prophecy

A New Vision to Write

In 1858 James and Ellen White visited Adventists in Lovett’s Grove, Ohio. On Sunday afternoon, in a rural schoolhouse, following a funeral service conducted by her husband, Ellen stood to offer her condolences. While speaking, she was given a vision, part of which included what is now referred to as the great controversy story—a behind-the-scenes portrayal of the cosmic struggle between Christ and Satan. Two days later, while they traveled by train from Ohio to Jackson, Michigan, Ellen shared with her husband more of what God had shown her in the vision. James was clear that they must print the vision as soon as she had time to write it out. But Satan had other plans! Shortly after arriving in Jackson, while they were in the home of Dan and Abigail Palmer, Ellen suffered a stroke of paralysis. Her left arm and leg were paralyzed. The believers prayed for her recovery, and the following day she was strong enough to return home by train to Battle Creek, where James immediately put his wife to bed. But she was determined to write out the vision. GOP 361.1

At first she could write only a page a day, then rest for three, but gradually she grew stronger, and her hand was able to write more pages. ¹⁶ The first edition of what today is called The Great Controversy was published later that year. After she completed the manuscript for the book, in a subsequent vision God showed Ellen White that the stroke of paralysis she suffered in Jackson was actually Satan’s attempt to kill her. ¹⁷ Given that Ellen White’s understanding regarding that cosmic battle permeates nearly all of her subsequent writings and that to this day her insights about it impact almost everything the Seventh-day Adventist Church teaches and does, no wonder Satan did not want the book written! GOP 361.2

Just days following the organization of the General Conference in 1863, Ellen White was given a major vision on health. Among several things shown to her that have helped Seventh-day Adventists to be one of the healthiest faith communities in the world, such as cleanliness, adequate sleep, exercise, and not using alcohol or tobacco, was instruction about not eating flesh foods. At the time, Ellen—by her own admission—was a “great meat eater.” Later she recalled her struggle to give up eating it. She stated, GOP 361.3

I was a great meat eater. But when faint, I placed my arms across my stomach and said: “I will not taste a morsel. I will eat simple food, or I will not eat at all.” Bread was distasteful to me. I could seldom eat a piece as large as a dollar. Some things in the reform I could get along with very well, but when I came to the bread I was especially set against it. When I made these changes I had a special battle to fight. The first two or three meals, I could not eat. I said to my stomach: “You may wait until you can eat bread.” In a little while I could eat bread, and graham bread, too. This I could not eat before; but now it tastes good, and I have had no loss of appetite. ¹⁸ GOP 361.4

Ellen White’s inspired counsels regarding diet and other aspects of healthful living, including her call to establish health institutions to help others regain their health, are important legacies that continue to have a positive impact on Adventists and are an important witness throughout the world. Today the Seventh-day Adventist Church operates approximately 175 hospitals and sanitariums around the world, in which the loving hands of thousands of caring health practitioners share the benefits of good health with millions of patients every year. ¹⁹ GOP 362.1

And all the while, Ellen was writing, writing, writing. Always writing. Later in 1863, while on a trip with her husband, she wrote early and late, and even between meetings. On Sunday afternoon, while sitting a very short distance from where Elder J. N. Andrews stood preaching, Ellen wrote six handwritten pages of testimony that she read to the group following the close of John Andrews’ sermon. When later asked what she thought of Brother Andrews as a speaker, she replied that she couldn’t say, as it had been a long time since she had heard him. ²⁰ GOP 362.2