Counsels for the Church

Messages that Changed Lives

An evangelist held a series of meetings in Bushnell, Michigan. Soon after the baptism, however, he left the people without properly grounding the believers in the message. The people slowly became discouraged, and some began their bad habits again. Finally the church became so small that the ten or twelve members who were left decided that it was no use to continue any longer. Just after they dispersed for what they thought was their last meeting, the mail arrived and among the letters was the Review and Herald. In the itinerary section was a notice that James and Ellen White were to be at Bushnell for meetings on July 20, 1867. This was only one week away. The children were sent to call the people back who were on their way home. It was decided to prepare a place in the grove and invite their neighbors, especially the backslidden members. CCh 23.1

On Sabbath morning, July 20, the Whites arrived at the grove where sixty persons had gathered. Elder White spoke in the morning. In the afternoon Mrs. White rose to speak, but after reading her text, she looked perplexed. Without further comment she closed her Bible and began to speak to the people in a very personal way. CCh 23.2

“As I stand before you this afternoon, I am looking into the faces of those who were shown to me in vision two years ago. As I look into your faces, your experience comes back clearly to my mind, and I have a message for you from the Lord. CCh 23.3

“There is this brother over near the pine tree. I can't call your name for I haven't been introduced to you, but your face is familiar to me, and your experience stands out clearly before me.” Then she spoke to this brother of his backsliding. She encouraged him to come back and walk with God's people. CCh 23.4

Then, turning to a woman in another part of the audience, she said, “this sister seated by sister Maynard of the Greenville church—I can't speak your name because I haven't been told what it is—but two years ago your case was shown to me in vision, and your experience is familiar to me.” Then Mrs. White gave encouragement to this sister. CCh 23.5

“Then there is this brother back there by the oak tree. I can't call you by name either, for I haven't met you yet, but your case is clear to me.” Then she spoke of this man, opening to everyone there his inmost thoughts and telling of his experience. CCh 23.6

From one to another she turned in that congregation, telling of what had been shown to her two years before in vision. After Mrs. White had finished her sermon, speaking not only words of reproof but words of encouragement as well, she sat down. One of the company stood up. He said, “I want to know if what sister White has told us this afternoon is true. Elder and Mrs. White have never been here before; they are not acquainted with us at all. Sister White does not even know the names of most of us, and yet she comes here this afternoon and tells us that two years ago a vision was given to her in which our cases were shown to her, and then one by one she proceeds to speak to us individually, opening up to everyone here our course of living and our inmost thoughts. Are these all true in every case? Or has sister White made some mistake? I want to know.” CCh 23.7

One by one the people stood up. The man over by the pine tree stood to his feet and said that Mrs. White had described his case better than he could have described it. He confessed his wayward course. He expressed his resolution to come back and walk with God's people. The woman seated by sister Maynard from the Greenville church also testified. She said that Mrs. White had told her experience better than she could have told it. The man by the oak tree said that sister White had described his case better than he could have described it. Confessions were made. Sins were put aside. The Spirit of God came in, and there was a revival at Bushnell. CCh 24.1

Elder and Mrs. White came back on the next Sabbath, when a baptism was held, and the church at Bushnell was well established. CCh 24.2

The Lord loved his people in Bushnell, as he does all those who look to him. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent,” Revelation 3:19, must have come to the minds of some present. When the people saw their own hearts as the Lord saw them, they understood their true condition and longed for a change in their lives. This is the true purpose of the many visions given to Mrs. White. CCh 24.3

Shortly after James White's death in 1881, Mrs. White lived close to Healdsburg College. Several young women stayed in her home while they attended school. It was the custom at that time to wear a simple net over the head so as to keep the hair neat and orderly throughout the day. One day while passing through Mrs. White's room, one of the girls saw a well-made hairnet that she wanted. Thinking that it would not be missed, she took it and put it in the top of her trunk. A little later while dressing to go out, Mrs. White missed her net and had to do without it. In the evening when the family were together Mrs. White inquired about her missing net, but no one gave any indication of knowing where it was. CCh 24.4

A day or so later when Mrs. White was passing through the girl's room, a voice said, “Open that trunk.” Because the trunk was not hers, she did not wish to do so. At the second command she recognized the voice as that of the angel. When she lifted the lid, she saw why the angel had spoken, for there was her net. When the family met again Mrs. White again asked about the net, stating that it could not disappear by itself. No one spoke up, so Mrs. White did not pursue the matter. CCh 24.5

A few days later while Mrs. White was resting from her writing, she was given a very short vision. She saw the hand of a girl lower a hairnet into a kerosene lamp. When the net touched the flame it was gone in a flash of fire. That was the end of the vision. CCh 24.6

When the family were next together, Mrs. White again pressed the matter of the disappearance of the hairnet, but still there was no confession, and no one seemed to know of its whereabouts. Then a little later Mrs. White called this young woman aside, told her of the voice and what she saw in the trunk, and then related the very short vision in which she saw the hairnet burn over the lamp. With this information before her, the girl confessed taking the net, and burning it lest she be detected. She made the matter right with Mrs. White and with the Lord. CCh 25.1

We may think that this is a very small matter for God to bother about—just a hairnet. But it was a matter of much greater importance than the value of the object stolen. Here was a young woman, a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She felt she was all right, but she did not see the defects in her own character. She did not see the selfishness there, which led her to steal and deceive. Now when she realized how important the little things are—that God would give a vision to his busy messenger here on earth just about a hairnet—this young woman began to see matters in their true light. This experience was the turning point in her life. CCh 25.2

That is one reason visions were given to Mrs. White. Though many of the testimonies written by Mrs. White had very specific applications, yet they present principles that meet the needs of the church in every country of the world. Mrs. White has made plain the purpose and place of the testimonies in these words: CCh 25.3

“The written testimonies are not to give new light, but to impress vividly upon the heart the truths of inspiration already revealed. Man's duty to God and to his fellow man has been distinctly specified in God's word, yet but few of you are obedient to the light given. Additional truth is not brought out; but God has through the testimonies simplified the great truths already given.... The testimonies are not to belittle the word of God, but to exalt it, and attract minds to it, that the beautiful simplicity of truth may impress all.” CCh 25.4

All through her life Mrs. White kept the word of God before the people. As she closed her very first book she stated: CCh 25.5

“I recommend to you, dear reader, the word of God as the rule of your faith and practice. By that word we are to be judged. God has, in that word, promised to give visions in the ‘last days’; not for a new rule of faith, but for the comfort of his people, and to correct those who err from Bible truth.” CCh 25.6