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

Ellen Harmon Given a Vision—Her First

Three other young women joined Mrs. Haines and Ellen for morning family worship. Tradition has it that this worship experience occurred in the second-floor room of the house at the corner of Ocean and C streets. The exact date is not known, but in 1847 Ellen White placed it in December, 1844. 1BIO 55.5

“It was not an exciting occasion,” Ellen later recalled. “While I was praying, the power of God came upon me as I had never felt it before. I was wrapped in a vision of God's glory, and seemed to be rising higher and higher from the earth, and was shown something of the travels of the Advent people to the Holy City.”—Early Writings, 13 (see also Experience and Views, p. 5). 1BIO 56.1

As she recounted the experience about a year later in a letter to Enoch Jacobs, editor of the Day-Star, [Up to this time the vision had been recounted only in oral form. She could not hold her hand steady enough to write at the time of the vision nor for several months following it.] she declared: 1BIO 56.2

As God has shown me the travels of the Advent people to the Holy City, and the rich reward to be given those who wait the return of their Lord from the wedding, it may be my duty to give you a short sketch of what God has revealed to me. The dear saints have got many trials to pass through. But our light afflictions, which are but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory—while we look not at the things which are seen, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 1BIO 56.3

I have tried to bring back a good report, and a few grapes from the heavenly Canaan, for which many would stone me, as the congregation bade stone Caleb and Joshua for their report (Numbers 14:10). But I declare to you, my brethren and sisters in the Lord, it is a goodly land, and we are well able to go up and possess it.—Experience and Views, pp. 9, 10. 1BIO 56.4