Ellen White: Woman of Vision

Otis Nichols’ Eyewitness Account

Writing in 1859 or 1860, Otis Nichols gave this account of the meeting: WV 32.6

About one o'clock p.m. the meeting was opened by singing and praying by Sargent, Robbins, and French; then one of us prayed for the Lord to lead this meeting. Then Sister White commenced praying and was soon afterwards taken off in vision with extraordinary manifestations and continued talking in vision with a shrill voice which could be distinctly understood by all present, until about sundown. WV 32.7

Sargent, Robbins, and French were much exasperated as well as excited to hear Sister White 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. WV 33.1

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. WV 33.2

“But,” said Robbins, “you are bowed to an idol. You are worshiping a golden calf.” WV 33.3

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. WV 33.4

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 one 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 of 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 [were] looking upward and not on the Bible, to turn over the leaves with the other hand and place her finger upon certain passages and correctly utter their words with a solemn voice. WV 33.5

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 upward. Some of the passages referred to were judgments against the wicked and blasphemous; and others were admonitions and instructions relative to our present condition. WV 33.6

In this state she continued all the afternoon until nearly sundown when she came out of vision. WV 34.1

When Ellen arose in vision upon her feet with the heavy open Bible upon her hand, and walked the room uttering the passages of Scripture, Sargent, Robbins, and French were silent. 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 (DF 105, “Statement by Otis Nichols” [see also Ibid., 232-234; Spiritual Gifts, 2:77-79]). WV 34.2

Not long after this these men confessed publicly to some of the most shameful acts of their lives. This had the effect of breaking up the meetings at Randolph and separating the honest believers from their unholy influence. Within a short time the “No-work Party” of fanatics gave up their faith in the Bible and scattered as Ellen had predicted. WV 34.3

Some stalwart souls who later became pillars in the church were initially hesitant about accepting the visions of Ellen Harmon. Outstanding among these was Joseph Bates. WV 34.4

Joseph Bates had been an earnest worker in the Advent awakening of 18401844. A sea-captain-turned-minister, he invested his property and his strength in heralding the soon coming of Christ. As Ellen and her sister were in New Bedford, Massachusetts, they became acquainted with him and his family. He, of course, learned of the visions given to Ellen, and this troubled him. He wrote of his experience two years later: WV 34.5

Although I could see nothing in them that militated against the Word, yet I felt alarmed and tried exceedingly, and for a long time unwilling to believe that it was anything more than what was produced by a protracted debilitated state of her body. WV 34.6

I therefore sought opportunities in the presence of others, when her mind seemed freed from excitement (out of meeting), to question and cross-question her, and her friends which accompanied her, especially her elder sister [Sarah], to get if possible at the truth (Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, 97, 98). WV 34.7

Bates had been troubled with serious doubts as to the visions, but the evidence in the experience at Topsham, Maine, at the home of Eli Curtis in November 1846, was such that he accepted them wholeheartedly from that time forth. Bates told the story to his friend J. N. Loughborough, who recorded it in his book The Great Second Advent Movement. WV 34.8

Mrs. White, while in vision, began to talk about the stars, giving a glowing description of rosy-tinted belts which she saw across the surface of some planet, and added, “I see four moons.” WV 34.9

“Oh,” said Elder Bates, “she is viewing Jupiter!” WV 35.1

Then having made motions as though traveling through space, she began giving a description of belts and rings in their ever-varying beauty, and said, “I see seven moons.” WV 35.2

Elder Bates exclaimed, “She is describing Saturn.” WV 35.3

Next she said, “I see six moons,” and at once began a description of Uranus, with its six moons; then a wonderful description of the “opening heavens,” with its glory, calling it an opening into a region more enlightened. Elder Bates said that her description far surpassed any account of the opening heavens he had ever read from any author. WV 35.4

While she was talking and still in vision, he arose to his feet, and exclaimed, “Oh, how I wish Lord John Rosse was here tonight!” Elder White inquired, “Who is Lord John Rosse?” WV 35.5

“Oh,” said Elder Bates, “he is the great English astronomer. I wish he was here to hear that woman talk astronomy, and to hear that description of the ‘opening heavens.’ It is ahead of anything I ever read on the subject” (GSAM, p. 258). WV 35.6

Ellen White reported of this experience that took place in the Eli Curtis home: WV 35.7

After I came out of vision I related what I had seen. Elder Bates then asked if I had studied astronomy. I told him I had no recollection of ever looking into an astronomy. WV 35.8

Said he, “This is of the Lord.” I never saw him as free and happy before. His countenance shone with the light of heaven, and he exhorted the church with power (Life Sketches of James White and Ellen G. White (1880), 239). WV 35.9

Another pioneer of the Advent movement who had witnessed the early manifestation of the gift of the Spirit through Ellen Harmon was John N. Loughborough, who first saw her in vision in 1852 and later in life declared that he had seen her in vision 50 times. He wrote: WV 35.10

In passing into vision she gives three enrapturing shouts of “Glory!” which echo and re-echo, the second, and especially the third, fainter, but more thrilling than the first, the voice resembling that of one quite a distance from you, and just going out of hearing. WV 35.11

For about four or five seconds she seems to drop down like a person in a swoon, or one having lost his strength; she then seems to be instantly filled with superhuman strength, sometimes rising at once to her feet and walking about the room. There are frequent movements of the hands and arms, pointing to the right or left as her head turns. All these movements are made in a most graceful manner. In whatever position the hand or arm may be placed, it is impossible for anyone to move it. WV 35.12

Her eyes are always open, but she does not wink; her head is raised, and she is looking upward, not with a vacant stare, but with a pleasant expression, only differing from the normal in that she appears to be looking intently at some distant object. WV 36.1

She does not breathe, yet her pulse beats regularly. Her countenance is pleasant, and the color of her face as florid as in her natural state (GSAM, pp. 204, 205). WV 36.2

Individual visions were marked by various characteristics, but James White pointed out four: WV 36.3

1. She is utterly unconscious of everything transpiring around her, as has been proved by the most rigid tests, but views herself as removed from this world, and in the presence of heavenly beings. WV 36.4

2. She does not breathe. During the entire period of her continuance in vision, which has at different times ranged from fifteen minutes to three hours, there is no breath, as has been repeatedly proved by pressing upon the chest, and by closing the mouth and nostrils. WV 36.5

3. Immediately on entering vision, her muscles become rigid, and joints fixed, so far as any external force can influence them. At the same time her movements and gestures, which are frequent, are free and graceful, and cannot be hindered nor controlled by the strongest person. WV 36.6

4. On coming out of vision, whether in the daytime or a well-lighted room at night, all is total darkness. Her power to distinguish even the most brilliant objects, held within a few inches of the eyes, returns but gradually.... WV 36.7

She has probably had, during the past twenty-three years, between one and two hundred visions. These have been given under almost every variety of circumstance, yet maintaining a wonderful similarity (Life Incidents, p. 272). WV 36.8

While Ellen had no part in the divine procedure that selected her as the one to whom the gift of prophecy would be given for the remnant church, the responsibility of delivering special light, truth, and counsel troubled her very much. She often prayed that God would remove the burden from her and place it upon someone more capable of bearing it. Many times she felt that death would have been welcome to relieve her of the responsibilities. WV 36.9

“Deliver the message faithfully,” the angel had said. “Endure unto the end, and you shall eat of the fruit of the tree of life and drink of the water of life” (Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, 72). With this assurance Ellen committed herself to the Lord, ready to do His bidding whatever the cost. WV 36.10

Jesus did not tell His disciples that their work would be easy. When Ellen accepted the call to be God's special messenger, she was not told that it would be easy. Finding acceptance for the role to which she was committed was not easy. WV 37.1

But one of the most difficult problems that confronted her and her family at the beginning of her ministry was the matter of transportation. How could an 18-year-old girl, frail and in poor health, get around and visit the scattered believers in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and other places? Frequently on the steamboats or on the train she would faint and remain breathless for minutes. WV 37.2

James White explained: WV 37.3

It was necessary that she should have one or more attendants. Either her sister Sarah or Sister Foss traveled with her. And as neither her aged father nor feeble brother were suitable persons to travel with one so feeble, and introduce her and her mission to the people, the writer, fully believing that her wonderful experience and work was of God, became satisfied that it was his duty to accompany them. WV 37.4

And as our thus traveling subjected us to the reproaches of the enemies of the Lord and His truth, duty seemed very clear that the one who had so important a message to the world should have a legal protector, and that we should unite our labors (Life Sketches of James White and Ellen G. White (1880), 238). WV 37.5

James and Ellen had been closely associated in travel and labor through much of 1845, but apparently neither had given thought to marriage. Of their situation James White later wrote that they both shared the view that the coming of Christ was “near, even at the doors.... Most of our brethren who believed with us that the Second Advent movement was the work of God were opposed to marriage in the sense that as time was very short it was a denial of faith, as such a union contemplated long years of married life” (Ibid., 126). WV 37.6

Now as her work would spread out into a larger field, they took the matter to the Lord and were convinced that God had a great work for both of them, and that they could greatly assist each other in that work. WV 37.7