Heavenly Visions

HEALED BY AN ANGEL

By O. MONTGOMERY

Ellen G. White was a profound believer in divine healing. She wrote much on the subject and gave most valuable instruction regarding prayer for the sick. She herself was healed many times as she has related in “Life Sketches” and other writings. Some of these experiences of healing were most remarkable. One such experience that is not published in any of her books came to Mrs. White in the old Tabernacle in Battle Creek, Michigan, in the presence of a large congregation. This was a wonderful experience, as told by an eyewitness who was permitted to see the light of the angel that brought healing to the Lord’s messenger. We shall let Edith Donaldson Brownsberger tell the story in her own language, as written to W. C. White: HEVI 126.1

“All who were in that congregation saw the work of healing that was done by the angel of the Lord, but as far as I know there were only four who saw the light of the angel. Those four were HEVI 126.2

James White, Mary Kelsey White, Ella King Sanders, and I. What we saw then we could not forget. HEVI 126.3

“I know that your father saw it, because when I came home that night after the meeting Elder White said to me, ‘Did you see the angel?’ When I replied in the affirmative, he took my hand and said, ‘Child, thank the Lord that He opened your eyes. He did it for some purpose.’ PICTURE HEVI 126.4

“I was then boarding with Brother and Sister Robert Sawyer, where your father and mother and you and your wife were boarding. HEVI 126.5

“Mary also talked with me. I do not remember any words that she spoke, but my impression is that she saw about the same as I. HEVI 126.6

“Your mother had just returned from some extended trip. She came home in the early part of the week, and she had an appointment to speak the next Sunday night in the Tabernacle. The Lord had made known to her that some matter which had been shown her in vision concerning the condition of the Battle Creek church and the sanitarium were to be made known to the people. HEVI 126.7

“But she had come home sick. She had a severe cold, was very weak, and she was so hoarse that she could not speak above a whisper. Every morning and every night the burden of your father’s prayer was that she might be healed and given strength to speak or that the burden of the meeting might be taken from her. I expected the prayer to be answered by the lifting of the burden. HEVI 126.8

“When Sunday night came your father said, ‘Ellen, shall I call off the appointment? She answered, ‘No, the burden rests heavy upon me.’ Then he carried her out to the carriage in his arms and took her to the Tabernacle. She scarcely had strength to walk as he assisted her to her seat on the rostrum. After the opening exercises she arose and, leaning upon the desk, began to speak. HEVI 126.9

“Her voice was only a whisper. Ella and I were sitting directly in front, but I could not hear her words. HEVI 126.10

“A few months before this I had traveled in company with Sister White from my Oregon home to Battle Creek. On the way we had stopped over for several weeks in Oakland, California, and also in Colorado. I had often slept in the room with Sister White and early every morning I would be awakened by her voice in prayer. I could see her kneeling by her bedside, her eyes open and looking upward, her hands clasped and moving one over the other in the manner familiar to those who have seen her in prayer. HEVI 126.11

“She prayed aloud, and after all these years these words ring in my ears, ‘He is the chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely.’ ‘He is high and lifted up, and the train of His glory fills the temple.’ She was beholding her Saviour. HEVI 126.12

“If I had known then what I know now, if I had appreciated the precious privilege that was mine, I would have listened more intently to those prayers. But I was a child; the atmosphere was peaceful and heavenly, and I fell asleep to be awakened later by her voice telling me it was time to get up. HEVI 126.13

“Then when I saw dear Mother White almost too weak to stand alone and unable to speak above a whisper and knew that for days she had been praying for healing and help from her heavenly Father, I could not understand why the Lord did not hear prayer and give strength to carry the heavy burden He had laid upon her. HEVI 127.1

“I felt rebellious. I wanted to take her home and put her to bed and care for her as I used to care for my own mother. I could not understand how a God of love could require of His servant such hard and impossible things. I felt that I did not love such an unjust God, and I did not want to serve Him. HEVI 127.2

“While these thoughts were passing through my mind, a shock like an electric shock passed through me and I trembled all over. Then I saw a light of dazzling brightness. This light was as much brighter than an electric light as an electric light is brighter than our tallow candles that we used to have for lights. HEVI 127.3

“I saw no shape or form. The light came from what seemed to me to be an opening in the roof of the building. My eyes were drawn to it just as it appeared to enter the building. The light moved over my head directly to Sister White. It enveloped her and then everything on the rostrum was hidden by the light. I was blinded and could see nothing for some moments. HEVI 127.4

“When I could see again, the light had vanished and Sister White stood erect at the edge of the rostrum. She was holding her Bible outstretched in one hand and her voice was pealing out like a bell. HEVI 127.5

“Her first words were, ‘God has sent His angel and strengthened me.’ HEVI 127.6

“Then I knew that the angel of the Lord had healed her. Then I understood that the Lord had not only required her to walk by faith right up to the edge of the precipice, but also to step off by faith, trusting in His strength. HEVI 127.7

“I do not remember much that was said that night. I could not understand it. I was bewildered. I had just come from the Methodist Church, and I thought that the Adventist people were a consecrated Christian people. The warning that God sent to Battle Creek church, and especially to the sanitarium and Doctor Kellogg, was confusing to my mind at that time. Later I could understand it. HEVI 127.8

“When Sister White came home that night she was well; there was no trace of her severe illness left and none was manifested later. The next day she was well and strong. HEVI 127.9

“Many times I have thought of your father’s words, ‘Thank the Lord, child, that He opened your eyes! He did it for a purpose.’ I was a faithless, ‘doubting Thomas,’ and the Lord had mercy on me. While I was thinking those wicked, rebellious thoughts and doubting His love and justice, He proved to me that He ‘is true and faithful concerning His promises.’ “[Signed] Edith D. Brownsberger.” The Review and Herald, September 30, 1943. HEVI 127.10