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

The Third Angel's Message to be Made Plain by a Chart

In mid-September James White laid aside publishing the Advent Review, as there were conferences to attend at Sutton, Vermont, September 26 to 29; at Topsham, Maine, October 12 and 13; and at Fairhaven, Massachusetts, October 19 and 20. The Whites could not visit Massachusetts without spending a little time at the Otis Nichols home, in Dorchester, near Boston. So on Monday, the day after the Fairhaven conference, they made their way there. That night, while in the home of a man whose business was lithographing, Ellen White was given instruction in vision. She wrote of it to Reuben Loveland and his wife, whom she had recently met on a visit to Vermont: 1BIO 184.6

There in the night God gave me a very interesting vision, the most of which you will see in the paper.—Letter 26, 1850. 1BIO 185.1

In her letter to the Hastings family she went into more detail concerning this vision and its call for an advance step in proclaiming the third angel's message: 1BIO 185.2

On our return to Brother Nichols’ the Lord gave me a vision and showed me that the truth must be made plain upon tables and it would cause many to decide for the truth by the third angel's message, with the two former being made plain upon tables.—Letter 28, 1850. 1BIO 185.3

In this vision she was also shown that which would give James White courage to continue publishing: 1BIO 185.4

I also saw it was as necessary for the paper to be published as for the messengers to go, for the messengers need a paper to carry with them containing present truth to put in the hands of those that hear, and then the truth would not fade from the mind. And that the paper would go where the messengers could not go.—Ibid. 1BIO 185.5

Work on the new chart was begun at once, and opportunity was given to tell the brethren about it in the issue of Present Truth that James got out the next month: 1BIO 185.6

The Chart. A chronological chart of the visions of Daniel and John, calculated to illustrate clearly the present truth, is now being lithographed under the care of Brother Otis Nichols, of Dorchester, Massachusetts. Those who teach the present truth will be greatly aided by it. Further notice of the chart will be given hereafter.—The Present Truth, November, 1850M. 1BIO 185.7

By late January, 1851, the chart was ready and advertised for $2. James White was much pleased with it and offered it free to “those whom God has called to give the message of the third angel” (The Review and Herald, January, 1851). Some generous donations had helped meet the expense of publication. 1BIO 185.8