Ellen White: Woman of Vision

The Seventh-day Sabbath

Soon after their marriage Ellen and James began keeping the seventh-day Sabbath. Scriptural evidence for this had first been given to them by Joseph Bates, a retired sea captain living in Fairhaven, near New Bedford, the Massachusetts whaling seaport center. Bates had taken his stand in 1845, having had his attention called to it through an article in The Hope of Israel, written by T. M. Preble. A man of conviction and action, Bates in turn prepared a 48-page pamphlet, which he published in August 1846 under the title The Seventh-day Sabbath a Perpetual Sign From the Beginning to the Entering Into the Gates of the Holy City According to the Commandment. James White took a copy home with him after a funeral service he conducted at Falmouth. As he and Ellen studied the biblical evidences for the sacredness of the seventh day, they took their stand and began to teach it as they met with their fellow Adventists. At this time there were about 50 Sabbathkeepers in New England and New York State (Testimonies for the Church, 1:77). WV 40.3

James and Ellen White had accepted the Sabbath solely on the evidence of Scripture called to their attention by the Joseph Bates tract. On Sabbath, April 3, 1847, while visiting with the Howlands in their well-constructed home in Topsham, Maine, Ellen was given a significant vision confirming the Sabbath. She wrote of it in a letter to Joseph Bates: WV 41.1

In the city I saw a temple, which I entered. I passed through a door before I came to the first veil. This veil was raised, and I passed into the holy place. I saw the altar of incense, the candlestick with seven lamps, and the table on which was the shewbread, et cetera. After viewing the glory of the holy, Jesus raised the second veil, and I passed into the Holy of Holies. WV 41.2

In the Holiest I saw an ark; on the top and sides of it was purest gold. On each end of the ark was a lovely cherub, with their wings spread over it. Their faces were turned towards each other, and they looked downwards. Between the angels was a golden censer. Above the ark, where the angels stood, was an exceeding bright glory, that appeared like a throne where God dwelt. Jesus stood by the ark (A Word to the Little Flock, 18 [see also Early Writings, 32-35]). WV 41.3

In the vision Ellen saw Jesus ministering in the Most Holy Place in behalf of the saints, and then the ark was opened to enable her to see its contents. She describes what she saw: WV 41.4

In the ark was the golden pot of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of stone which folded together like a book. Jesus opened them, and I saw the Ten Commandments written on them with the finger of God. On one table was four, and on the other six. The four on the first table shone brighter than the other six. But the fourth, the Sabbath commandment, shone above them all; for the Sabbath was set apart to be kept in honor of God's holy name. The holy Sabbath looked glorious—a halo of glory was all around it (Ibid.). WV 41.5

In successive scenes she was carried through a review of the factors that give validity to the Sabbath and its observance. She was shown that the Sabbath is the point at which all humanity must make a decision to serve God or an apostate power. The vision was climaxed with a view of the second coming of Christ and the ascension of the redeemed to the Holy City, where Jesus opens the gates to welcome those who have “kept the ‘commandments of God,’” and have a “‘right to the tree of life’” (Ibid., 20). WV 41.6

A letter containing this message was sent to Joseph Bates. James White suggested to Bates that he have 1,000 copies printed on a broadside and send him the bill. This Bates did. When James received the bill of $7.50 he borrowed the money to pay it. Writing to Elvira Hastings, of New Ipswich, New Hampshire, he stated that he would “trust in the Lord for the money to be sent in” (JW to Elvira Hastings, May 21, 1847). WV 41.7

The intense urgency that had motivated both Ellen and James to spread the news of Christ's second coming before the disappointment in 1844 now was intensified by the impact of the visions and the assurance that came with the revelation of God's gentle guiding of His faithful believers. But how could they get this wonderful news across to the widely separated, somewhat bewildered people? Without funds, backing from any source, or experience, James White plunged ahead. WV 42.1

April 1847 marked James White's first major publishing accomplishment—the issuance of a 24-page pamphlet that he titled A Word to the “Little Flock”. The type was small and the margins narrow, yielding a page with twice the normal content of a book page of today. WV 42.2

Just a year earlier, on April 6, 1846, he had arranged for the broadside publication of Ellen's first vision—a single large sheet printed on one side only. Two hundred fifty copies were struck off in Portland, Maine. H. S. Gurney, blacksmith of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, shared the printing costs. It carried the significant title “To the Little Remnant Scattered Abroad.” A little more than two of the three columns were given to Ellen's first vision. Half of the third column was devoted to the vision of mid-February 1845 concerning the heavenly sanctuary and the events at the end of the 2300 days (Ibid., 54-56). WV 42.3

Very clearly A Word to the “Little Flock” represented the joint ministry of both James and Ellen White. James had written several articles for publication in Crosier's short-lived Day-Dawn, but by the time they were ready, that paper had ceased publication. So after talking with the Howlands and some others, he decided to present the materials in pamphlet form. In his opening paragraph he explained: “I wish to call the attention of the ‘little flock’ to those things which will very soon take place on this earth” (A Word to the Little Flock, 1). WV 42.4

The pamphlet was Bible-based with copious Scripture references and quotations. It seems clear that the visions given to Ellen helped James sort things out and clarify the order of events. It will be remembered that in 1845 a move toward time setting had been averted when Ellen was shown that before Christ would come, “the saints must pass through the ‘time of Jacob's trouble,’ which was future” (Ibid., 22). WV 42.5

The Whites were in Topsham through much of April and May while James was getting his pamphlet published in nearby Brunswick. They then returned to Gorham, where, through the summer, awaiting the birth of their first child. James engaged in such labor as he could find, determined not to be dependent on others for their livelihood. WV 42.6

In August 1847 their first son, Henry Nichols, was born. WV 42.7