Believe His Prophets

Reactions of Early Pioneers to the Claims of Ellen G. White

How did the early pioneers and believers in general respond to the claims of Ellen Harmon and the physical evidences of her call? Did they see in her the evidence that God was again speaking through a human being the same as He had done all through the history of His people? She expected people to be not only critical but even skeptical, for they were human, much as we are today. BHP 63.1

Early in 1847 one believer wrote a note to James White expressing his reaction to Ellen G. White’s visions: BHP 63.2

“I cannot endorse sister Ellen’s visions as being of divine inspiration, as you and she think them to be; yet I do not suspect the least shade of dishonesty in either of you in this matter…. I think that what she and you regard as visions from the Lord, are only religious reveries, in which her imagination runs without control upon themes in which she is most deeply interested…. I do not by any means think her visions are like some from the devil.’”—Quoted by James White in A Word to the “Little Flock, ” p. 22. BHP 63.3

You see, he was very kind in saying, “I do not think they are from the devil, but I just cannot accept them as you do.” So it was in the years following 1844 and 1845 that many people turned their backs upon her, and she had a rather difficult time. BHP 63.4

We can almost sense her feelings during those years as we try to relive that experience. But not all the people were quite so outspoken as this brother, for we have in the words of James White himself his own testimony, and we believe that he spoke for many like him. These are his words written in 1847: BHP 63.5

“Dreams and Visions are among the signs that precede the great and notable day of the Lord. And as the signs of that day have been, and still are fulfilling, it must be clear to every unprejudiced mind, that the time has fully come, when the children of God may expect dreams and visions from the Lord. BHP 64.1

“I know that this is a very unpopular position to hold on this subject, even among Adventists; but I choose to believe the word of the Lord on this point, rather than the teachings of men. I am well aware of the prejudice in many minds on this subject; but as it has been caused principally by the preaching of popular Adventists and the lack of a correct view of this subject; I have humbly hoped to cut it away, with the ‘sword of the Spirit,’ from some minds, at least.”—Ibid., p. 13. BHP 64.2

That is James White’s written testimony concerning his attitude back there. Perhaps he spoke for some others, too. Many were not clear as to these manifestations and revelations. They needed some kind of evidence that would convince them that what she said had its origin in a message from God, and was true and accurate, reliable, and something to be depended upon. BHP 64.3

The story of the change in attitude concerning Ellen Harmon’s visions, from one of doubt and uncertainty on the part of Captain Bates, to one of full faith and confidence, is an impressive one. Joseph Bates entered upon his seafaring adventures at a very early age, beginning as cabin boy and advancing through various steps in responsibility until he finally became captain and owner of seagoing vessels. As such, he became a sort of authority on astronomy. He read with avidity everything he could find on the subject, and was much interested in Lord John Rosse’s description of “the gap in the sky” that appeared in the Illustrated London News of April 19, 1845. BHP 64.4

Captain Bates attended a conference of the Advent believers in Topsham, Maine, in November, 1846. At that time he was still unconvinced on the matter of visions. On one occasion he took opportunity to ask Mrs. White (she had then married James White) what she knew about astronomy. He found her as ignorant as most of us are on the subject, and was disappointed that she had never read a book or an article on it. In fact, she had no inclination even to hear or talk about it. BHP 65.1

Imagine Joseph Bates’s surprise one evening during that conference not only to see Ellen G. White in vision but to hear her description of what she was seeing. She began to talk about stars and the rosy-tinted belts around one of them. She said, “I see four moons.” Captain Bates mused, “Oh, she is viewing Jupiter!” Then she described a planet with rings changing in their colors, and said, “I see seven moons.” “She is describing Saturn,” remarked the old sea captain. BHP 65.2

Next came a marvelous word picture of another planet and its six moons, but when she began to describe the “opening heavens” with all its beauty and immensity, Captain Bates exclaimed, “O how I wish Lord John Rosse was here to-night!” Not knowing even the name of John Rosse, Elder White asked, “Who is Lord John Rosse?” Joseph Bates told of this English astronomer and his description of the “opening” in the heavens (J. N. Loughborough, The Great Second Advent Movement, p. 258). BHP 66.1

That was enough for Joseph Bates. He was satisfied that the visions came from a power outside Ellen G. White’s knowledge and control. No wonder he concluded, “I believe the work is of God, and is given to comfort and strengthen His “scattered,” “torn,” and “pealed people.”—A Word to the “Little Flock,” p. 21. BHP 66.2

Not all were won over to full and complete support for Ellen G. White and her singular spiritual manifestations. Some were merely overawed and silenced by what they saw and heard. Such was the case of Robbins and Sargent, who were leading a group of Advent believers into a very serious type of fanaticism in Boston, Massachusetts. We have the story in the handwriting of Otis Nichols, around whose home the story has its setting. It is also presented by Mrs. White in her book Spiritual Gifts. She tells the story which we give here, supplying the proper names for the initials used in the original printing: BHP 66.3

“By invitation of Br. and Sr. Nichols, my sister Sarah and myself again went to Massachusetts, and made their house our home. There was in Boston and vicinity a company of fanatical persons, who held that it was a sin to labor. Their principal message was, ‘Sell that ye have and give alms.’ They said they were in the Jubilee, the land should rest, and the poor must be supported without labor. Sargent, Robbins, and some others, were leaders. They denounced my visions as being of the Devil, because I had been shown their errors. They were severe upon all who did not believe with them. While we were visiting at Bro. Nichols’, Robbins and Sargent came from Boston to obtain a favor of Bro. Nichols and said they had come to have a visit, and tarry over night with him. Bro. Nichols replied that he was glad they had come, for sisters Sarah and Ellen were in the house, and wished them to become acquainted with us. They changed their mind at once, and could not be persuaded to come into the house. Bro. Nichols asked if I could relate my message in Boston, and if they would hear, and then judge. ‘Yes,’ said they. ‘Come into Boston next Sabbath, we would like the privilege of hearing her.’ BHP 67.1

“Accordingly we designed to visit Boston, but in the evening, at the commencement of the Sabbath, I was shown in vision that we must not go into Boston, but in an opposite direction to Randolph; that the Lord had a work for us to do there. We went to Randolph, and found a large room full collected, and among them those who said they would be pleased to hear my message in Boston. As we entered, Robbins and Sargent looked at each other in surprise, and began to groan. They had promised to meet me in Boston, but thought they would disappoint us by going to Randolph, and while we were in Boston, warn the brethren against us. They did not have much freedom. At intermission one of their number remarked that good matter would be brought out in the afternoon. Sr. Nichols answered, ‘I believe it.’ Robbins told my sister that I could not have a vision where he was. BHP 67.2

“In the afternoon the blessing of the Lord rested upon me, and I was taken off in vision. I was again shown the errors of Robbins and Sargent and others united with them. I saw that they could not prosper: that truth would triumph in the end, and error be brought down. I was shown that they were not honest, and then I was carried into the future and shown some thing of the course they would pursue, that they would continue to despise the teachings of the Lord, despise reproof, and that they would be left in total darkness, to resist God’s Spirit until their folly should be made manifest to all. A chain of truth was presented to me from the scriptures, in contrast with their errors. When I came out of vision, candles were burning. I had been in vision nearly four hours. BHP 68.1

“As I was unconscious to all that transpired around me while in vision, I will copy from Bro. Nichols’ description of that meeting. BHP 68.2

“Sister Ellen was taken off in vision with extraordinary manifestations, and continued talking in vision with a clear voice, which could be distinctly understood by all present, until about sundown. Sargent, Robbins, and French were much exasperated, as well as excited, to hear sister Ellen talk in vision, which they declared was of the Devil; they exhausted all their influence, and bodily strength, to destroy the effect of the vision. They would unite in singing very loud, and then alternately would talk and read from the Bible in a loud voice, in order that Ellen might not be heard, until their strength was exhausted, and their hands would shake so they could not read from the Bible. But amidst all this confusion and noise, Ellen’s clear and shrill voice, as she talked in vision, was distinctly heard by all present. The opposition of these men continued as long as they could talk and sing, notwithstanding some of their own friends rebuked them, and requested them to stop. But says Robbins, “You are bowed to an idol; you are worshiping a golden calf.” BHP 68.3

“Mr. Thayer, the owner of the house, was not fully satisfied that her vision was of the Devil, as Robbins declared it to be. He wanted it tested in some way. He had heard that visions of satanic power were arrested by opening the Bible and laying it on the person in vision, and asked Sargent if he would test it in this way, which he declined to do. Then Thayer took a heavy, large quarto family Bible which was lying on the table, and seldom used, opened it, and laid it open upon the breast of Ellen while in vision, as she was then inclined backward against the wall in the corner of the room. Immediately after the Bible was laid upon her, she arose upon her feet, and walked into the middle of the room, with the Bible open in one hand, and lifted up as high as she could reach, and with her eyes steadily looking upward, declared in a solemn manner, “The inspired testimony from God,” or words of the same import. And then she continued for a long time, while the Bible was extended in one hand, and her eyes looking upwards, and not on the Bible, to turn over the leaves with her other hand, and place her finger upon certain passages, and correctly utter their words with a solemn voice. Many present looked at the passages where her finger was pointed, to see if she spoke them correctly, for her eyes at the same time were looking upwards. Some of the passages referred to were judgments against the wicked and blasphemers; and others were admonitions and instructions relative to our present condition. BHP 69.1

“In this state she continued all the afternoon until near sunset, when she came out of vision. When Ellen arose in vision upon her feet, with the heavy open Bible in her hand, and walked the room, uttering the passages of scripture, Sargent, Robbins, and French were silenced. For the remainder of the time they were troubled, with many others; but they shut their eyes and braved it out without making any acknowledgment of their feelings.’”—Spiritual Gifts 2:75-79. BHP 69.2