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

Ellen White's Battle With Disease

When this vision was given to Ellen White she was battling with illness. She was also pregnant, carrying her third child. She wrote: 1BIO 292.2

It was difficult for me to breathe lying down, and I could not sleep unless raised in nearly a sitting posture. My breath often stopped, and fainting fits were frequent. But this was not all my trouble. I had upon my left eyelid a swelling which appeared to be a cancer. It had been more than a year increasing gradually until it was quite painful and affected my sight. In reading or writing I was forced to bandage the afflicted eye.—Life Sketches of James White and Ellen G. White (1880), 304. 1BIO 292.3

When she consulted a “celebrated physician in Rochester,” he provided her with some “eyewash” and told her he thought the swelling would prove to be a cancer, but feeling her pulse, he told her she would die of apoplexy before the swelling would break out. Said he, “You are in a dangerous condition with disease of the heart.” About a month later she suffered a stroke; her left arm and side were helpless, and her tongue was heavy and numb. There was no response to the earnest prayers of those assembled to plead with God in her behalf; there was no immediate healing. But she felt she had the assurance of God's love, and was led to ask herself, “Can you believe the naked promise of God? Can you walk out by faith, let the appearance be what it may?”—Ibid., 306. 1BIO 292.4

I whispered to my husband, “I believe that I shall recover.” He answered, “I wish I could believe it.” I retired that night without relief, yet relying with firm confidence upon the promises of God. I could not sleep, but continued my silent prayer to God. Just before day I slept. 1BIO 292.5

When she awoke with the sun shining through the window, all pain was gone. She wrote of this: 1BIO 293.1

The pressure upon my heart was gone, and I was very happy. I was filled with gratitude. The praise of God was upon my lips. Oh, what a change! It seemed to me that an angel of God had touched me while I was sleeping. I awoke my husband and related to him the wonderful work that the Lord had wrought for me. He could scarcely comprehend it at first; but when I arose and dressed and walked around the house, and he witnessed the change in my countenance, he could praise God with me. My afflicted eye was free from pain. In a few days the cancer was gone, and my eyesight was fully restored. The work was complete.—Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, 306, 307. 1BIO 293.2

When she visited the physician and he felt her pulse, he declared that a complete change had taken place. The case was a mystery to him, and he did not understand it. 1BIO 293.3