Ellen G. White and Her Critics

Appendix C: A Remarkable Test

[Under the above title there appeared the following from the pen of James White in the The Signs of the Times, August 29, 1878, page 260.] EGWC 558.1

The prophets of God have been shown events of the past, present, and future. The best evidence of the truthfulness of those revelations is that they accorded with the facts in the case. EGWC 558.2

Some fifteen years since one of our preachers, whose name we withhold because of apostasy, gave a course of lectures in the town of Ionia, Michigan. About thirty persons embraced the third angel’s message, but, in consequence of a want of thoroughness and power on the part of the preacher, these souls were not very strong in the message. Brother King, local elder of the Orleans church, and Brother Maynard, local elder of the Greenville church, proposed to go with us and hold a grove meeting. We immediately wrote a notice of the prospective meeting without consulting the brethren in Bushnell, and sent it to the Review and Herald. EGWC 558.3

The next Sabbath only seven of the Bushnell brethren met for worship, and, under this discouragement decided to give up their meeting. On leaving the house, however, they were met by a neighbor who had brought the Review from the postoffice which contained the appointment of the grove meeting the following week. On seeing this they determined to attend the meeting and also labor to have their brethren attend it, most of whom had given up the Sabbath. EGWC 558.4

When the meeting was held, however, there were only twenty of the Bushnell brethren present on the Sabbath. But as there was a general turnout from the Greenville and Orleans churches, our congregation was good and the meeting was an excellent one. On Sunday the attendance was large; all who had observed the Sabbath in that place were present, and also large representations from the Orleans and Greenville churches, besides a large number of outsiders. The meeting was such a decided success that the Bushnell brethren, who were all becoming deeply interested again requested that a two days’ meeting be held there the following week. EGWC 558.5

Accordingly the next Sabbath all in that place who had kept the Sabbath met with us in the morning. Mrs. White arose, Bible in hand, and began to speak from a text of Scripture. She suddenly stopped speaking, laid aside her Bible, and began to address those who had embraced the Sabbath in that place. She had never before seen one of them with the natural eye, and of course could not call them by name. But she designated each brother and sister by his or her position, as the one by that tree, or the one sitting by that brother or sister of the Greenville or Orleans Church, with whom she was personally acquainted, and whom she called by name. EGWC 558.6

She described each peculiar case, stating that the Lord had shown her their cases two years previous, and that, while she was just then speaking from the Bible, that view had flashed over her mind, like sudden lightning in a dark night distinctly revealing every object around. When she had spoken in this manner about one hour, the preacher who had been instrumental in bringing the Bushnell brethren to the light of the Sabbath, asked them if the things that had been spoken were true. He insisted that they should rise and testify to the facts in the case, urging that a strong test be made. Each person present knew whether or not the truth had been spoken in regard to his or her case. Either these things were true or they were not; if they were not true he, and all present, wished to know it; and if they were true they also wished to know it, and from that day have a settled faith in the testimonies. EGWC 559.1

The persons thus addressed accordingly arose one by one, and testified that their cases had been described better than they could have done it themselves. It was not enough for that intelligent company to know that the testimony given that day was correct in the majority of cases present, but it was necessary that it be proven correct in every particular of the case of each person, in order that their faith should be fully established. Had the testimony failed in a single instance, it would have destroyed the faith of all present. As it was they had a settled faith from that hour, and all took their position on the third message. EGWC 559.2

On Sunday morning we gave a discourse upon Christian Baptism. The preacher before referred to had been ordained by a tobacco-user in whom he now had no confidence; he therefore requested baptism and ordination at our hand. The congregation immediately repaired to a beautiful lake where we bowed down with Brethren King and Maynard upon the green grass, and according to the New Testament rule ordained the brother. We then baptized him, after which he then and there baptized his converts. A church was immediately organized, names enrolled, and proper officers chosen. From that day till this time the Bushnell church has been among the most decided of the good Michigan Conference. EGWC 559.3

By their fruits ye shall know them. This is a Bible test. The testimony was in harmony with the facts in the case, and the fruit has been excellent. “An evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit, neither can a good tree bring forth evil fruit.” EGWC 559.4

J. W. EGWC 559.5