The Abiding Gift of Prophecy

Welcomed as Messages From Heaven

After a great struggle against her natural feelings of timidity, Miss Harmon related this vision to the band of advent believers in Portland. Its fitness appealed to their hearts. Because of their intimate knowledge of the unique Christian experience of the messenger, they recognized that she was worthy of their confidence, and about sixty of them welcomed it at once as indeed a message from heaven. AGP 262.2

About a week later, in a second vision, she was bidden to relate to others what had been revealed to her. In connection with the call to public service, she was shown the trials, opposition, and anguish of spirit that would attend her, but was given the assurance, “The grace of God is sufficient for you; He will hold you up.” “Early Writings of Mrs. E. G. White,” p. 20. Timidly she began her work among the companies of believers in neighboring towns. AGP 262.3

Further revelations were given to her in relation to a system of truth that explained how the past advent movement, though ending in disappointment, had, nevertheless, been directed by God. In February, 1845, at Exeter, Maine, there was given her AGP 262.4

in vision a view of Jesus, our great High Priest, passing from His ministration in the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary into the most holy place, where was the ark containing the Ten Commandments. AGP 263.1

Still later, through Bible study and revelation, it was made clear that the time for the ending of the 2300 days, as given in the advent message, had been correct, but through a misunderstanding of what was represented by the “sanctuary,” in Daniel 8:14, there had been a mistake in supposing that Christ was to come to this earth at that time. It was seen that the great work of the investigative judgment was the antitypical fulfillment of the cleansing of the ancient sanctuary on the tenth day of the seventh Jewish month. AGP 263.2

With this message, there came to Miss Harmon a conviction, which could not be silenced, that it was her duty to relate to the scattered groups of believers what had been shown her. Accompanied by some member of her family, or by some sister believer, she went from place to place endeavoring to cheer the hearts of others with the light and hope that had come to her. AGP 263.3

Small and poor at first was the company who accepted the light sent from heaven through Miss Harmon. Fewer still were those who were able to give their time entirely to its dissemination. But, fired with the conviction that God Himself had spoken, these few began to do their part in spreading the message that was to gather from all parts of the world that company seen in vision. AGP 263.4

Early in her public labors Miss Harmon formed the acquaintance of James White, a young minister who had been a zealous preacher in the advent movement, but who was now with the rest of the believers in great perplexity. This acquaintance developed into a common sympathy and a warm friendship that resulted in their marriage. From that time on, through her long, active, public life, she was known, and will be referred to, as Ellen G. White. AGP 263.5