Ellen White: Woman of Vision

News Of The San Francisco Earthquake

On Wednesday she attended a portion of the annual session of the Southern California Conference. As she neared the Carr Street church to fill her speaking appointment, she heard the newsboys crying: “San Francisco destroyed by an earthquake!” WV 496.6

A paper was purchased, and she and those with her in the carriage quickly scanned the “first hastily printed news” (Testimonies for the Church, 9:94). WV 496.7

As to the visions on Monday and Tuesday nights, she later commented, “It has taken me many days to write out a portion of that which was revealed those two nights at Loma Linda and Glendale. I have not finished yet” (The Review and Herald, July 5, 1906). She expected to write several articles on the binding claims of God's law and the blessings promised to the obedient. WV 496.8

After speaking at the dedication of the Paradise Valley Sanitarium in San Diego on April 24, Ellen White started back toward northern California via Loma Linda. Feelings of dread swept over her as she contemplated the trip home. She knew she would view with her own eyes destruction similar to what she had seen in vision.”I did not want to see the ruins of San Francisco,” she declared, “and dreaded to stop at Mountain View” (Ibid., July 19, 1906), where the beloved Pacific Press had suffered severe damage. As the train neared San Jose, just south of Mountain View, that Thursday morning, May 3, she could see everywhere the effects of the earthquake. WV 497.1

Changing cars at San Jose, they traveled the 10 miles (16 kilometers) to Mountain View. Here they were met at the railroad station by C. H. Jones, manager of the Pacific Press, and W. T. Knox, president of the California-Nevada Conference, headquartered in Mountain View. The drive to the press took them through town, where they saw the new post office leveled to the ground and the largest stores totally destroyed. But “when we saw the fallen walls of the Pacific Press,” she reported, “we were sad at heart.” Yet there was one reason for rejoicing—”No lives were lost” (Manuscript 45, 1906). WV 497.2