The Salamanca Vision and the 1890 Diary

The Salamanca Vision

by H. W. Cottrell ⁵ [1852-1940]

On March 8, 1891, at a religious service held at 5:30 a.m. in the south vestry of the Tabernacle at Battle Creek, Michigan, Mrs. E. G. White read from a manuscript, as she frequently did in general assemblies. During the course of her remarks she said, as nearly as I can call to mind, that during the visions of the night she appeared to be in a council meeting of brethren who were considering plans concerning the makeup of the American Sentinel, when a man arose holding the paper—the American Sentinel—open in his hand, and pointing with his finger to a short article treating on the Sabbath question, in the lower right hand. column, said with intensity of feeling, “That article should not have been allowed to be printed in this paper.” SVD 81.1

Mrs. White followed with a strong reproof of the course the man she had seen in vision had taken to shut out articles on the Bible Sabbath from the columns of the American Sentinel. Having finished her reading, she sat down. SVD 81.2

Immediately, Elder A. F. Ballenger, secretary of the Religious Liberty Association, arose and said that the meeting referred to in the testimony just read by the servant of the Lord had been held at a late hour the previous night by the Religious Liberty Board of Counsel, and that he was the man who held the American Sentinel in his hand, and pointed to the article treating on the Sabbath question, and made the statement read from the testimony. He admitted he was the guilty man, and confessed he was on the wrong side of the controversy. SVD 81.3

Mrs. White had conducted the Tabernacle service the evening before, and after she had retired, the council was held during which the controversy arose; but the meeting had been shown her in vision months previous to its actual occurrence as evidenced by the very large manuscript from which she read. SVD 81.4

The event made a very deep and lasting impression upon me, and is still vividly impressed upon my mind. There is not the least doubt in my mind but that the Lord showed her this prior to its actual occurrence.—White Estate Document File 107b. SVD 81.5