The Great Visions of Ellen G. White

Chapter 6—The Civil War Vision “The Veil” January 12, 1861

The majority of Ellen White’s visions were probably recorded fairly soon after the prophet received them. Sometimes, however, there might be a delay of days, weeks, or even months, in the writing out of details. This was the case of the 1890 Salamanca vision in New York, and the 1894 “plowed furrow” vision of an incident on land that later became Avondale College’s campus in Australia. GVEGW 76.1

Occasionally the Lord’s messenger never did get around to writing out a comprehensive account of a vision at all, in which case we today are dependent upon the records of an eyewitness. A good example of this category would be the first health reform vision, given in the autumn of 1848. It was reported by her husband, James White, some 22 years later, in an article in the November 8, 1870, edition of the Review and Herald. ¹ GVEGW 76.2

So also with the background and contents of Mrs. White’s first vision revealing important information concerning the yet-future U.S. Civil War. That vision was received at Parkville, St. Joseph County, Michigan, on Sabbath, January 12, 1861. GVEGW 76.3

Fortunately, SDA historian J. N. Loughborough was present on the latter occasion. He provides a detailed account in his first book, Rise and Progress of the Seventh-day Adventists. Although this work was not published until 1892, we may presume that Loughborough wrote down the incident immediately after it took place. In his preface the author states unequivocally, “Since November 1853 I have kept a diary of daily occurrences. The narrative [in this book] from that date is from the record of this diary.” ² GVEGW 76.4

Parkville is a small village some 30 miles south of Battle Creek, ³ a town so insignificant that today it does not even appear in the Rand McNally Road Atlas map of the state of Michigan. ⁴ GVEGW 77.1

J. N. Andrews and J. N. Loughborough conducted an evangelistic campaign in Parkville in 1859, ⁵ and as a result raised up a small company. That group is identified in the Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia as “the first legally organized SDA church,” referring to a ceremony that took place on May 13, 1860. ⁶ GVEGW 77.2

Since the corporate name “Seventh-day Adventist” was not adopted until October 1, four and a half months later, ⁷ at “one of the most significant SDA gatherings up to that time,” ⁸ this congregation was obliged to choose its own name. Their “articles of association” reveal that they selected the rather cumbersome title of “Parkville Church of Christ’s second advent: taking the Bible as the rule of our faith and discipline!” ⁹ GVEGW 77.3

Doubtless with tongue in cheek, Loughborough, in reporting the event, gently suggested that “perhaps a more appropriate name will be chosen by us as a people; but the church at Parkville concluded to take this name for the present.” ¹⁰ GVEGW 77.4

A church edifice was constructed subsequently, and an announcement of dedication services, set for January 11 and 12, 1861, duly appeared in the columns of the Review and Herald. It invited top church leaders to attend, “and as many more as can come.” ¹¹ At the time appointed, an impressive array of church officials appeared to grace the occasion: James and Ellen White, J. H. Waggoner, Uriah Smith, and Loughborough himself. ¹² A “large congregation” assembled to hear them and to enjoy the festivities. ¹³ GVEGW 77.5

Waggoner, who had written three books on SDA doctrine before 1860 (reportedly “with clarity and precision”), and who was also known to be an “eloquent” speaker, ¹⁴ was chosen to preach the sermon. James White offered the dedicatory prayer. Ellen followed with “a very powerful exhortation.” Moments after she had sat down she was taken off in vision, the duration of which was reported to be “some 20 minutes or more.” ¹⁵ GVEGW 77.6