His Messenger

Chapter 13—When God Speaks

John N. Loughborough, an earnest, energetic young First-day Adventist preacher, was traveling through the New England States holding meetings, but the more he studied the Bible, the more dissatisfied he was with the message he was giving. HMes 67.1

At one time he came to a town where a Seventh-day Adventist was preaching, and decided to go and hear this minister. Mr. Loughborough became greatly interested in the studies given concerning the seventh-day Sabbath. After the meeting he went back to his room and studied the texts about the Sabbath and the law of God. HMes 67.2

“The seventh day must be the true Sabbath,” he decided. “The Lord is with these people, and I want to be with them too. I want to know more about what the Bible teaches.” HMes 67.3

The Adventists were holding their services in the home of one of their members at that time, and the little company heartily welcomed the earnest young preacher to their meetings. The first Sabbath that John Loughborough met with them, Mr. and Mrs. White were also present. HMes 67.4

In another room of the house lay a man who was ill with pleurisy. The doctor had said that the man must die, that he could do nothing more for him. During the service the sick man lay in great agony, hardly able to draw another breath, and at the close of the meeting he sent in a request that prayer be offered for him. HMes 67.5

Because John Loughborough was a minister, he was invited to go in with Mr. and Mrs. White to pray for the sick man. They bowed by the bedside and prayed earnestly that God would heal the sick. Those bowed in prayer could feel the presence of God in the room, and as they prayed, the sick man was healed. When they arose from prayer, he was sitting up in bed, striking his sides that had been so painful, and saying, “I am fully healed! I shall be able to work tomorrow!” HMes 68.1

When the men turned to look at Mrs. White, they saw that she was still kneeling beside the bed, looking upward. The same blessing that had healed the man had fallen upon her, and she was in vision. HMes 68.2

“Ellen is in vision,” quietly said her husband. “She does not breathe while in this condition.” HMes 68.3

Mrs. White still knelt beside the bed while she looked upward at something in the distance. She was looking with a natural, pleasant expression. She turned her head from side to side as if she were looking at different objects. Sometimes she moved her hands in a graceful gesture, pointing in the direction she was looking, or clasping them together. Sometimes she spoke, exclaiming in wonder at some beautiful scene she was viewing. HMes 68.4

She remained kneeling beside the bed for more than an hour, and all this time she never drew a breath. No air entered or left her lungs. HMes 68.5

When the vision was ended, she told those who were with her of what she had seen. She had a special message for Mr. Loughborough, which told him of the struggles he had been having in his work, and of his desire to find the Bible truth. She even described his thoughts. “Indeed, there is a power more than human connected with this vision,” Mr. Loughborough humbly said. HMes 68.6

Daniel said that when he was given a vision, there remained no strength in him. He said, “Straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.” Then a man came and touched him, and he was strengthened. HMes 69.1

When the angel of God spoke to Ellen White in vision, she also often became weak, and then was strengthened as the power of God came upon her. One of the most remarkable evidences of divine power was the fact that she, like Daniel, did not breathe. Not a particle of air passed through her lips during the time she was in vision. Even though she told of the things she saw, she spoke without breath. Of course, this would be impossible except for the fact that some power other than her own was in control. HMes 69.2

The Lord spoke to Ellen White in several ways. Sometimes she was given a vision while in the presence of other people, at which times she did not breathe and she was given special strength. The visions seemed to be given in this way especially to help people who were doubtful that God could speak in such a way. HMes 69.3

More often than any other way, the Lord spoke to her in a dream. During the night the messenger angel would show her many important things. She often said, “In the night season one stood by me and spoke.” The believers knew that the one who spoke was the messenger of God. It was in these two ways that the Lord spoke in the days of long ago. He said to the people of Israel, “If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream” (Numbers 12:6). HMes 69.4

Sometimes the visions given in the presence of others were quite impressive to those who did not know of how God spoke, and such visions helped them to believe that it really was the power of God that controlled Ellen White and showed her how to work for others. HMes 69.5

Once Mr. and Mrs. White were visiting in the home of John Byington, one of the workers. With them at worship was a young woman who was a friend of the family. She was a beautiful, intelligent young woman, who could be a fine worker in the cause of God if she would give her heart to Him. But she had not been willing to keep the Sabbath. The family she was visiting were eager for her to make the right step, but still she held back. HMes 70.1

During family worship Mrs. White was given a vision about Sabbathkeeping. She was also shown the young woman and her hesitancy in accepting the Sabbath. HMes 70.2

When the vision was ended, Mrs. White reached for the hand of the young woman whom she had never seen until that evening, and calling her by name, she said, “Will you keep the Sabbath?” The young woman hesitated. HMes 70.3

“Will you keep the Sabbath?” Mrs. White repeated. HMes 70.4

“I will,” the girl earnestly responded. And as long as she lived, she never forgot how the Lord had known her by name and had called her through His prophet. HMes 70.5

When asked concerning her visions, Ellen White said, “When the Lord sees fit to give a vision, I am taken into the presence of Jesus and angels, and am entirely lost to earthly things. I can see no farther than the angel directs me. My attention is often directed to scenes occurring on earth. HMes 70.6

“At times I am carried far ahead into the future and shown what is to take place. Then again I am shown things as they have occurred in the past. After I come out of vision I do not at once remember all that I have seen, and the matter is not so clear before me until I write; then the scene rises before me as was presented in vision, and I can write with freedom. HMes 70.7

“Sometimes the things that I have seen are hid from me after I come out of vision, and I cannot call them to mind until I am brought before a company where that vision applies; then the things I have seen come to my mind with force. I am just as dependent upon the Spirit of the Lord in relating or writing a vision, as in having the vision. It is impossible for me to call up things that have been shown me unless the Lord brings them before me at the time when He is pleased to have me relate or write them.” HMes 70.8