VI. Mrs. White and Her Visions.

Among the converts of William Miller there was a thirteen-year-old child, Ellen Harmon. She lived with her parents at Gorham, Me., and with them heard Miller deliver his series of lectures on the second coming of Christ at Portland, Me., in 1840.

At the age of nine Ellen had been struck in the face with a brick by a girl much larger than herself. Her nose was crushed, and for years her health “seemed hopelessly impaired.” (“Testimonies,” Volume I., page 10.)

“Not long after the passing of the time in 1844” she had her first “vision.” (“Testimo-nies,” Volume 1., page 58.) By “passing of the time” she meant Miller’s date, March 21. (“Testimonies,” Volume I., page 48, footnote.)

We have already stated that human beings migrate in “schools.” The nineteenth century opened with a pronounced belief in visions, and the regular “school” of prophets appeared. The preaching of Wesley and his coworkers in England and America, of Whitefield in America, and the attendant strange manifestations, gave birth to this sort of phenomena. Mesmer came on to the stage of action with his hypnotism; spiritualism appeared, with its rappings and table walking; Joseph Smith came out with his golden tables of Nephi which had been given him by an angel; and all this made it easy for a prophet to arise in the ranks of Adventism.

Miss Harmon was seventeen years of age when her first “vision” came upon her. I wish to be understood at the outset regarding my attitude toward Mrs. White and her work. It may be that the fatal stroke she received in the face at the age of nine had very much to do in the determination of her psychic exercises. I favor the idea. But the general belief in visions in 1830 and 1840 is the greater excuse for her prophetic claims. That she believed at the beginning that God was really manifesting himself to her in this way, I doubt not; but that she continued to believe this up until her death—July 16, 1915—I doubt very much; and the reason for my doubts will appear as we proceed.

Miss Harmon married Elder James White, a Millerite leader, in 1846. She spoke “freely” on all occasions and on all subjects. (“Testimonies,” Volume I., page 562) Her first appointment as lecturer was at Orrington, Me., where she met Elder White; but strange stories had begun to circulate regarding her conduct, and her mother requested that she come home. (“Testimonies,” Volume I., page 65.) Her testimonies were not convincing. Many charged that she was beset with “fanaticism.” (“Testimonies,” Volume I., page 71.)

From August 26, 1847, to September 20, 1860, Mrs. White gave birth to four sons-Henry, James, Willie, and Herbert.

THE CAUSE OF HER VISIONS.

“I fainted, . . . and was soon lost to earthly things.” (“Testimonies,” Volume I., page 86.)

“I fainted, . . . and was taken off in vision.” (Id., page 88.)

“I fainted, . . and was taken off in vision.” (Id., page 89.)

“I fainted at midnight, . . and was taken off in vision.” (Id., page 185.)

She fainted and then had a vision! Recently an Adventist preacher reminded me that Daniel, the prophet, had the very same experience. In Dan. 9: 8-17 it is stated that Daniel had a vision and then fainted. The two cases are just alike, except for the fact that they are exactly reversed.

Mrs. White fainted—had a vision.

Daniel had a vision-and then fainted.

When Mrs. White was at home with her husband and her babies, she had no visions; but just as soon as she launched a lecture tour or some burden came upon her, she fainted and had a vision.

JOSEPH BATES AND THE SABBATH.

Up to 1846 Adventists were all Sunday keepers, including Mrs. White and her husband. In 1846 Captain Joseph Bates, an old sea veteran, upon visiting with Seventh-Day Baptist relatives in New Hampshire, learned of the seventh-day Sabbath. Bates was converted immediately, and returned to his Advent friends with a new truth. He communicated his new find to Mrs. White and her husband, but they were obstinate until Mrs. White was taken off in vision and saw that Saturday really is the Sabbath. She and her husband began at once to keep Saturday. But Bates did not believe in Mrs. White’s purported “visions.” This was remedied, however. He believed in astronomy and knew a lot of it. Mrs. White went off in vision and had much to say about Jupiter and Saturn and the heavenly things. Bates wanted to know where she had studied astronomy. She confessed that she had never so much as looked into a book on the subject. That converted him. At this moment the Seventh-Day Adventist Church was born—at New Bedford, Mass., 1846. There were but three members-James White, Joseph Bates, and Mrs. White; but the greatest of these was Mrs. White.

Looking around, these three found twenty-five Adventists in the State of Maine who were favorably disposed toward the Sabbath. With these, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church numbered twenty-eight members in the year 1846.

There were, of course, many hundreds of Adventists in the Eastern States; but the vast majority of these refused to accept the Sabbath. This led to a split in the ranks of Adventism, and to the birth, also, of the First-Day Adventist Church.

In 1849 James White began to publish a small monthly paper, entitled Present Truth. At this time there were several hundred Sabbath keepers. Seventh-Day Adventist preachers went everywhere, and particularly had they begun to migrate Westward. A meeting was held in Battle Creek, Mich., and a church was built. Adventism flourished in Michigan, and Battle Creek was chosen as headquarters of the denomination. The Sabbath movement had taken on life, and a number of able men had joined themselves to the movement.

THE WHITES GO WEST.

In 1855 Mrs. White and her husband moved to Battle Creek. They were too well known among Sabbath keepers of the East. Their sermons and visions were commonplace. The lure of the West was fascinating. There they would find new converts who were eager to listen to them. But there were men in the West, even among Seventh-Day Adventists, who had the spirit of the West. The Whites had been to Battle Creek only a short while when these brethren began to question the genuineness of her testimonies and visions.

“These brethren took the position,” wrote Mrs. White, “we believe the visions; but Sister White, in writing them, put in her own words, and we will believe that portion which we think is of God and will not heed the other.” (“Testimonies,” Volume I., page 234.) Another “took the position that persons had prejudiced my mind. He said he believed . . . that I was influenced by others in writing them.” (“Testimonies,” Volume I., page 235.) Mrs. White, of course, pleaded not guilty. She meant “puts” in, etc.

THE WATER-CURE INSTITUTE.

The water-cure craze was spreading over the country. Mrs. White urged Adventists to establish such an institute at Battle Creek. “Our people should have an institute of their own, under their own control.” (“Testimonies,” Volume I., page 492.) She pointed to their financial ability and assured them that the scheme would meet with success. So it was undertaken. But the wires got crossed, and the work came to a sudden halt. The brethren began firing at Mrs. White. Forced to do something, she confessed. And here is the confession:

“The brethren at Battle Creek wrote to me that the influence of my testimony was needed to move the brethren upon the subject. Under these circumstances I yielded my judgment to that of others. . . . In this I did wrong.” (“Testimonies,” Volume I., page 563.)

FURTHER TROUBLE AT BATTLE CREEK.

When Mrs. White and her husband returned from their lecturing tour, they were received at Battle Creek in a most humiliating fashion. “My husband was terribly disappointed at the cold reception we received at Battle Creek, and I also was grieved.” (“Testimonies,” Volume I., page 579.)

Elder White was seriously ill. He addressed a note to the officers of the church, stating that they might give him financial assistance if the church “would deem it a pleasure.” But the officers charged that he had gone “insane on the subject of money,” and paid no attention to his calls. (Id., page 582.)

Conditions at Battle Creek had grown to that psychological point where something had to be done; and, whatever was done, Mrs. White and her husband must come out on top—else, good-by, Mrs. White, and your visions! This could not happen, of course. The following is what took place:

1. Elder White called a meeting of all the members of the church just as soon as he was physically able to do so. “At this meeting my husband humbly confessed that he was wrong in several things of this nature, which he never should have done.” (“Testimonies,” Volume I., page 583.)
2. This thing of confessing faults is very contagious-and very salutary. Right or wrong, it does one good to confess occasionally that he isn’t much. Elder White’s humble confession touched the hearts of all present, and a general outburst of confession followed. The entire membership was prostrate, so to speak, and each felt that he was the worst creature that God had ever created.
3. Mrs. White was not asleep, and neither was she off in vision. She was “on the job.” She arose and bore a pointed, stinging testimony, and shamed the church for its littleness.
4. The church appointed a committee to write up a confession to Mrs. White and her husband. The committee’s report read after this fashion:

“We now accept with deep sorrow of heart the reproof given us in this testimony, and we ask that wherein we have erred from the right, through our lack of spiritual discernment, we may find forgiveness of God and his people.” (“Testimonies,” Volume I., page 611.)

The committee went a step further and bore the following testimony as to Elder White’s part in the family quarrel:

“We believe also that God has called Brother White to bear a plain testimony in reproving wrongs thus made manifest, and that in this he should have the support of those who truly fear God.” (Page 610.)

Replying to this confession as to her husband’s standing with the Lord and his ability to reprove wrongs, Mrs. White wrote thus:

“From time to time for the last twenty years I have been shown that the Lord had qualified my husband for the work of faithfully dealing with the erring, and had laid the burden upon him…. On many occasions where persons have risen up against his reproofs I have been shown that he was right in his judgment of matters and in his manner of reproving.” (Page 612.)

This was a great victory for the Whites. She insisted that the brethren were to blame for criticizing her husband, and that he was right. The confessions came. All was well. The whole church, so to speak, kissed and made up. Then, after it was all settled, for some reason not exactly clear to the average reader, Mrs. White comes out with another statement concerning the inherent tendency and nature of Mr. White. It is this:

“I was shown that his great wrong in the past has been an unforgiving spirit toward those brethren who have injured his influence in the cause of God. He was not as pitiful and compassionate as our Heavenly Father has been toward his erring, sinning, repenting children. When those who have caused him the greatest suffering acknowledged their wrongs heartily and fully, he could and did forgive them and fellowship them as brethren; but although the wrong was healed in the sight of God, yet he sometimes in his own mind probed that wound, and, by referring to the past, he suffered it to fester and make him unhappy.” (Pages 613, 614.)

And yet he was specially fitted to deal witherring brethren!

Such, then, is Mrs. Ellen G. White as she appears in the first volume of her “Testimonies.” This is not the end of the trouble at Battle Creek, but only the end of the first episode. One’s heart grows sick in reading of these church quarrels in the first six volumes of Mrs. White’s “Testimonies for the Church.” But the Whites, always and without an exception, manage to come out victors, and the church is left sitting humbly at their feet. Mrs. White’s unrelenting hold on the wills of her intimidated followers differs in no particular from the papal dominance over the consciences of men during the Middle Ages.

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CONTENTS