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

The Vergennes Meeting and Mrs. Alcott

On June 11 they reached the home where they were to be entertained. Loughborough recounted what happened: 1BIO 279.3

As we alighted from the carriage, and were standing under a large apple tree in front of the house, Sister White said to her husband, “James, we have got to the church where that woman lives whom I saw in the Tyrone vision.” “Why,” said Brother White, “this is not the house where she lives, is it?” “No,” said Sister White, “but I saw this man and woman in connection with the case. The woman in this house has no confidence in that woman, but the man here thinks she is all right.” 1BIO 279.4

Loughborough commented: 1BIO 280.1

I thought that was a plain venture in the matter, as there had been no exchange of words between Sister White and these persons on the subject.

As we still stood under the tree, Elder Cornell spoke and said, “Brother Brigham is coming.” Sister White looked up, while they were still some ten rods off, and said, “Oh! I saw them in connection with this case. None of that load have any confidence in that woman's pretensions.” 1BIO 280.2

Then another load drove up. As she looked at them, she said, “That load is divided on the case. Those on the front seat have no confidence in the woman; those on the back seat think she is all right.” Then a third load came up. She said, “They are all under the woman's influence.” 1BIO 280.3

She then said, “This must be the church where that woman lives; for I have seen all these persons in connection with that affair.”—The Review and Herald, May 6, 1884. 1BIO 280.4

Sabbath morning the meeting was held in a large barn three miles beyond the home where the visitors were entertained. Loughborough recalled: 1BIO 280.5

While Brother White was preaching, an old man, a young man, and a woman came in. The two former sat down directly in front of Brother White, while the woman took a seat close to the barn door. After a brief discourse from Brother White, Sister White arose to speak. She introduced her remarks by speaking of the care ministers should have that they mar not the work committed to them. She said God could not call a woman to travel about the country with some other man than her husband. 1BIO 280.6

Finally she said, “That woman who just sat down near the door claims that God has called her to preach. She is traveling with this young man who just sat down in front of the desk, while this old man, her husband—God pity him!—is toiling at home to earn means which they are using to carry on their iniquity. She professes to be very holy—to be sanctified. With all her pretensions and talk about holiness, God has showed me that she and this young man have violated the seventh commandment.” 1BIO 280.7

All in that barn knew that Sister White had never personally seen these individuals until they came into that barn. Her picking out of the persons and her delineation of the case had weight in favor of her vision.—Ibid. 1BIO 281.1

Now all eyes turned toward the woman in question, a Mrs. Alcott. What would be her reaction to this plain delineation of her strange witness and her adultery? “What did she do?” asked Loughborough as he told the story. 1BIO 281.2

After sitting about one minute, she slowly arose to her feet, put on a sanctimonious look, and said, “God—knows—my—heart.” That was all she said, and sat down. Here was just what the Lord showed (May 28) that the woman would say. On June 11 she did just as it was said she would do, and said the identical words predicted she would say when reproved, and no more.—Ibid. 1BIO 281.3

During the next few weeks opposition grew that led the young man in the case to return to Canada. Before he left he was asked by one of the Adventists if Ellen White's vision concerning him was true. He replied, “That vision was too true.”—Ibid., June 10, 1884. Some weeks later Mrs. Alcott, when questioned by several Adventist women living in Greenville as to the truthfulness of Ellen White's vision concerning her, replied, “I consider Sister White a good, devoted, Christian woman. While I may not regard her visions just as you do, I shall not say one word against her or her work.”—Ibid. 1BIO 281.4

She would not deny the truthfulness of the vision. 1BIO 281.5