The Great Visions of Ellen G. White

Chapter 3—The Heavenly Sanctuary Vision “The Reality” April 3, 1847

Ellen Harmon had been a unique prophetic “messenger” of the Lord for nearly one year and nine months when she exchanged her family name for that of her fiance, James White, on August 30, 1846. Poor as the proverbial church mice, the newlyweds initially made their new home with Ellen’s parents in Gorham, Maine, where she had been born some 19 years earlier (Gorham is located about 12 miles west of Portland). ¹ GVEGW 39.1

Robert Harmon, Sr., and his wife, Eunice, believed in the divine origin of their daughter’s visions, but they were not as quick to accept her new ideas concerning the obligation of New Testament Christians to observe the Sabbath on Saturday (and would not for at least another year). ² Thus normal in-law tensions in the home were exacerbated by religious differences; it was inevitable that the new couple would need to find other living quarters elsewhere within a half year. GVEGW 39.2

But this was perhaps among the least of their immediate problems. Within several months of their wedding, Satan appears to have made two concerted efforts to snuff out the life of the young prophetess—though not without advance warning from the Lord. Wrote Ellen: “I was shown that I would be much afflicted, and that we would have a trial of our faith after our return to Gorham.” ³ GVEGW 39.3

First came a life-threatening illness in November 1846. Never in robust health since the age of 9 (she was suffering from advanced tuberculosis and lung hemorrhages at the time of her call to the prophetic office at age 17), the young bride was now felled by an affliction that prostrated her. Indeed, after three weeks her condition was so traumatic that she requested no further prayers be offered on her behalf, preferring death to continued suffering. GVEGW 39.4

At a special prayer season for her recovery, Henry Nichols, son of the Adventist lithographer of Dorchester, Massachusetts (an earlier benefactor), felt led of the Spirit to pray for her restoration. Ellen wrote later: GVEGW 40.1

“Much burdened, and with the power of God resting upon him, [Henry] rose from his knees, came across the room, and laid his hands upon my head, saying, ‘Sister Ellen, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole,’ and fell back prostrated by the power of God. I believed the work was of God, and the pain left me. My soul was filled with gratitude and peace.” ⁴ GVEGW 40.2

But Satan was not finished with her. Several weeks later Ellen and her husband traveled from Portland to Boston by ship. During the voyage a severe storm blew up suddenly, though not unexpectedly, for the North Atlantic is well known to punish travelers who dare to venture out upon her waters in winter months. GVEGW 40.3

The passengers were terrified, most despairing of their lives, for the vessel itself was severely damaged. Struck by the contrast of Ellen’s calm demeanor and self-possession, a fellow traveler queried her, whereupon the latter responded: GVEGW 40.4

“I told her I made Christ my refuge, and if my work was done, I might as well lie in the bottom of the ocean as in any other place; but if my work was not done, all the waters of the ocean could not drown me. My trust was in God, that He would bring us safe to land if it was for His glory.” ⁵ GVEGW 40.5

It was, and He did! But one of Satan’s titles in Scripture is “prince of the power of the air“: and it is quite likely that Satan was hoping—either through acute illness or a severe storm at sea—to destroy God’s chosen instrument, thus to put a premature end to her work before she could do him much damage. Nor would this be the last time that he would attempt such a feat! GVEGW 40.6

In the autumn of 1846 James and Ellen had occasion to read a tract written by retired sea captain-turned-Millerite preacher, Joseph Bates, in which the author strenuously held for the present sanctity and Christian obligation of the seventh-day Sabbath. Though only 48 pages in length, the tract bore the rather ponderous title of The Seventh-day Sabbath, a Perpetual Sign, From the Beginning, to the Entering Into the Gates of the Holy City, According to the Commandment! GVEGW 40.7

The Scriptures adduced were impressive and the logic coercive, whereupon the Whites, out of a simple commitment to basic Christian honesty, accepted this new doctrine. They began to observe, teach, and defend it before others. At this time there were perhaps 50 Sabbathkeepers in all of New England and New York State among the ranks of the disappointed ex-Millerites. ⁶ GVEGW 41.1