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

The Conference at Johnson, Vermont

As the conference opened at Johnson, Vermont, some present pressed hard on the matter of the 1851 time. One brother declared that “he was not sure but something did take place, that Jesus did leave the Most Holy the time they said He would. He was happy; these were the happiest days of his life.”—Ibid. Ellen White continued the story: 1BIO 220.3

He went on in this strain with such a wild spirit that all were disgusted with him. The Spirit of God came upon James. He arose and rebuked him in the name of the Lord. His mouth was closed in a moment. He could not say ... anything through the meeting. He was rebuked by God. This was a great help to the meeting and a great help to Brother Baker. 1BIO 220.4

I got up and told them what God had shown me about some trying to get a substitute after the time passed. Some would get Jesus upon the great white cloud, others would be looking to old Jerusalem or, as they called it, the “age to come.” ... 1BIO 220.5

I talked plainly. The Lord helped me. I showed them how the messengers that had been toiling in the scattering time had labored to get the truth before them, how much they had suffered, and now when God's cause was prospering they embrace the third angel's message and enter into the labors of the chosen messengers of God and lift up their heel against them.—Ibid. 1BIO 220.6

On Sabbath there were one hundred present; G. W. Holt and James White preached. Sunday morning, before the preaching, Mrs. Butler confessed that she had been wrong. Butler himself “talked very well,” wrote Ellen White, and “there was a confession made all around with weeping.” It was a dramatic meeting described by Ellen White: 1BIO 221.1

I got up and told my vision about Brother Baker and Hart and others. I never had it in a more clear manner. I told Brother Baker his going to the churches to proclaim the third angel's message was all wrong, that he had to tame down that message or he could not have got into the churches and that he had been taking the children's bread and giving it to dogs. I told him just how his case was shown to me. 1BIO 221.2

I also told them all that the messengers of God should be perfectly united in their views of Bible truth and should consult with each other and should not advance any new view until they first went to the messengers and examined those views with the Bible, and if they were correct let all the messengers spread them and if they were error lay them to one side. Then the gospel seed would be sown in union and raised in strength; all the messengers east and west, north and south, would be telling the same story.... 1BIO 221.3

In the afternoon after James talked, Brother Baker arose. None knew what he was about to say. He told them that every word of the vision related in the forenoon concerning him was every word of it truth, just exactly as it was. (I saw in vision that Brother Baker had not had any bitter feelings towards us like some others.) He referred to this in particular. He knew it to be just so. 1BIO 221.4

“Well, now,” says he, “you will say, ‘What is Brother Baker going to do with the visions?’ I will tell you. It is high time for me to decide there is no halfway work about this business. The visions are all of God, or there is none of them of God. ‘Well,’ say you, ‘what is Brother Baker going to do?’ Believe the visions. 1BIO 221.5

“I see that they are inseparably connected with the third angel's message, and if I give up the visions, I must give up the third angel's message, and if I give up the third angel's message, I give up that we have had the first and second, and if I give up that we have had the first, second, and third angels’ messages, I give up the Word of God, my Christian experience, and am an infidel at once.”—Ibid. 1BIO 221.6

It was a traumatic experience, and not only was Baker involved. Ellen White continued the account: 1BIO 222.1

I never witnessed such a melting, weeping time before. (Brother Butler had taken his stand the day before and told the brethren and sisters in public where to find him, on the side of the visions. “I believe them to be of God, I am a full believer in the visions, so you know where to find me.”)—Ibid. 1BIO 222.2

Relief came to all present, but this was not all. At a meeting held Monday morning, the power of God rested on the company of believers, and Ellen White was given a vision that, when she related it, comforted Brother Baker and made him strong. He was not to sink down but was admonished by the angel, “Feed the sheep, feed the sheep.” She wrote regarding the feeling that existed when the conference closed: 1BIO 222.3

We parted with the brethren and sisters while sweet love and union prevailed among all.—Ibid. 1BIO 222.4

In his report of the Johnson experience in the Review James White pointed out that “the meeting was most manifestly led by the Holy Spirit.... It seemed wonderful that a meeting of such intense interest, where the brethren had such deep feeling, should be so free from unpleasant excitement.” Finding it difficult to reach for words that expressed his feeling, he declared: 1BIO 222.5

Though every heart felt deeply, yet the sweet, gentle spirit of Jesus reigned, and the God of peace and order was glorified.—The Review and Herald, November 25, 1851. 1BIO 222.6