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Ellen G. White: The Early Years: 1827-1862 (vol. 1)

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Ellen White's Mind Locked for a Few Years

But this is not the full story. The Lord manifested Himself in a manner that made it forever clear that what took place was beyond human manipulation. Ellen White explained: 1BIO 145.5

During this whole time I could not understand the reasoning of the brethren. My mind was locked, as it were, and I could not comprehend the meaning of the scriptures we were studying. This was one of the greatest sorrows of my life. I was in this condition of mind until all the principal points of our faith were made clear to our minds, in harmony with the Word of God. The brethren knew that when not in vision, I could not understand these matters, and they accepted as light direct from heaven the revelations given.—Manuscript 46, 1904 (see also Selected Messages 1:207). 1BIO 145.6

In 1906 she recounted it this way: 1BIO 145.7

In the early days of the message, when our numbers were few, we studied diligently to understand the meaning of many scriptures. At times it seemed as if no explanation could be given. My mind seemed to be locked to an understanding of the Word; but when our brethren who had assembled for study came to a point where they could go no farther, and had recourse to earnest prayer, the Spirit of God would rest upon me, and I would be taken off in vision, and be instructed in regard to the relation of scripture to scripture.—The Review and Herald, June 14, 1906.

In a statement penned in 1903 she told of the opening of her mind to an understanding of the Scriptures: 1BIO 146.1

For two or three years my mind continued to be locked to the Scriptures.... It was some time after my second son was born [July, 1849] that we were in great perplexity regarding certain points of doctrine. I was asking the Lord to unlock my mind, that I might understand His Word. Suddenly I seemed to be enshrouded in clear, beautiful light, and ever since, the Scriptures have been an open book to me.—Manuscript 135, 1903. 1BIO 146.2

Ellen White related that soon after James White had started to publish the Review and Herald in Paris, Maine, in December, 1850, the father of J. N. Andrews was very sick with inflammatory rheumatism. The brethren prayed for his healing. Ellen White laid her hands on his head and declared: “Father Andrews, the Lord Jesus maketh thee whole.” He was instantly healed. It was at that time, as Ellen White stated, that “light seemed to shine all through the house, and an angel's hand was laid upon my head. From that time to this, I have been enabled to understand the Word of God.”— Ibid. 1BIO 146.3

In the experience of Seventh-day Adventists the visions were not given to take the place of Bible study. They were, however, a definite aid in Bible study, correcting erroneous interpretations and pointing to what was truth. “He [God] wants us to go to the Bible,” she wrote in 1888, “and get the Scripture evidence.”—Manuscript 9, 1888. 1BIO 146.4

This was easily done with the first angel's message of Revelation 14, the second angel's message, and with the Sabbath truth as seen in the fourth commandment. But with the third angel's message, the process was a little more involved; time was needed to grasp it all. Ellen White wrote of this some years later: 1BIO 146.5

When we began to present the light on the Sabbath question, we had no clearly defined idea of the third angel's message of Revelation 14:9-12. The burden of our testimony as we came before the people was that the great Second Advent movement was of God, that the first and second messages had gone forth, and that the third was to be given. We saw that the third message closed with the words: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” And we as clearly saw as we now see that these prophetic words suggested a Sabbath reform; but as to what the worship of the beast mentioned in the message was, or what the image and mark of the beast were, we had no defined position. 1BIO 146.6

God by His Holy Spirit let light shine forth upon His servants, and the subject gradually opened to their minds. It required much study and anxious care to search it out, link after link. By care, anxiety, and incessant labor has the work moved on until the great truths of our message, a clear, connected, perfect whole, have been given to the world.—Testimonies for the Church, 1:78, 79. 1BIO 147.1