Ellen White: Woman of Vision

Arrival Of The Promised Testimonies

On Tuesday, December 26, Daniells went to his office early (probably his old office in the West Building) to see whether the communications from Ellen White had come. They had not. A few minutes later one of the physicians from the Battle Creek Sanitarium came to see him. WV 486.4

The physician was in great perplexity of mind. He had been brought up to look upon all messages given by Ellen White as emanating from the Lord. But now he was bewildered and confused. The night before, he, with many other leading sanitarium workers, had attended a meeting lasting from 5:00 to 11:00 in which Dr. Kellogg had outlined the recent controversy as he saw it. Kellogg told this group of responsible sanitarium workers that he believed in the Spirit of Prophecy and believed Ellen White “is a good woman and that she had been inspired by the Lord.” But, he continued, “all of the communications which were sent out could not be relied upon as coming from the Lord” (AGD to G. A. Irwin, December 27, 1905). WV 486.5

“Now,” said the doctor, addressing Elder Daniells, “I want, if possible, that you shall make it plain to me what messages we are to understand are from the Lord, and which ones emanate from men who are influencing Sister White.” WV 487.1

Elder Daniells told him that he could not give him any light on the point, that to him they were “all genuine,” that “they were all either from the Lord or from the devil.” WV 487.2

While the men talked, there was a knock on the door, and a messenger handed Elder Daniells a large envelope with “Elmshaven,” Sanitarium, California, as the return address. The next day Daniells told the story: WV 487.3

“Now,” said I, “Doctor, we will open this envelope, and you shall be the first to look upon these testimonies; take them, look them over, and tell me whether they are genuine or spurious—whether they were given to her by the Lord, or by some man.” WV 487.4

He took them and looked at the titles, the dates, and the signatures, and handing them over, he said to me, “Well, I cannot tell you whether these are from the Lord or from man, whether they are reliable or unreliable. It looks to me,” said he, “that it is a question of faith on my part as to whether Sister White is a servant of God or a wicked pretender.” WV 487.5

“Well,” said I, “you are just as able to tell me who inspired these communications as I am to tell you; you have seen them first; you know just as much about them as I do; I cannot give you the slightest information that you do not possess. WV 487.6

“Now,” said I, “the only ground for me to occupy is absolute confidence that God is revealing to His servant that which the church needs to understand, and that every single communication which she sends out emanates from God and not from man” (Ibid.). WV 487.7

The physician said that he saw the whole point and that “he must stand fully on this ground.” WV 487.8