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

Chapter 13—(1851) The First Winter of “The Gathering Time “

Clearly a new day was dawning for the remnant church. But as it took on life it was threatened by certain perils. One of these was in the form of ecstatic experiences in connection with the conferences in Topsham and Paris, Maine, held in the autumn of 1850. James and Ellen White were present at both, and they partook of the experiences. Earlier ecstatic experiences, in the form of speaking in unknown tongues came to mind. There had been four such times in the previous thirty months. Two were of major importance, two less significant. Before presenting the restraining cautions of the vision of December 24, 1850, we should review these experiences. One led to encouragement and gave impetus to the work of God; the other misled in a doctrinal line. We present the affirmative first; the data for this comes largely from a Hiram Edson account, dated November 26, 1849, published in Present Truth. 1BIO 196.1