Messenger of the Lord

Some in 1856 Never to Die

At a Battle Creek conference on May 27, 1856, Ellen White was given a vision of “two ways” and what it means to travel in either: “They are opposite in character, in life, in dress, and in conversation.” Then she made an observation that has intrigued church members for more than a century: “I was shown the company present at the conference. Said the angel, ‘Some food for worms, some subjects of the seven last plagues, some will be alive and remain upon the earth to be translated at the coming of Jesus.’” ¹⁸ MOL 488.2

For those present, these words were solemn. Three days after this vision, Clarissa M. Bonfoey, a close family friend of the Whites, died. At the time of the vision apparently she was in good health. But what should we think of this vision today? All who attended that conference have long been dead. Did Ellen White make a flawed prediction? MOL 488.3

Understanding this 1856 prediction requires an understanding of the Biblical principle of conditional prophecy. ¹⁹ Those who trust the Biblical accounts of unfulfilled prophecy will have no difficulty understanding Ellen White’s 1856 statement. She made frequent reference to the fact that God is not changing His mind about the timing of the Advent; His people have not fulfilled their part of the gospel commission. ²⁰ MOL 488.4

In 1901 she summed up her many references to the delayed Advent: “We may have to remain here in this world because of insubordination many more years, as did the children of Israel; but for Christ’s sake, His people should not add sin to sin by charging God with the consequence of their own wrong course of action.” ²¹ MOL 488.5