c
   

  

Our Pioneers Facing the Light
Seventh-day Adventist workers will welcome the appearance of this facsimile
reproduction of c
   
   mhis remarkable document, issued
during the critical four-year period between the Great Disappointment of October
22, 1844, and the memorable Sabbath conferences of 1848, gives an insight into
the experience and thinking of our pioneers in their earnest efforts to discover their
position and work and to ascertain what the future held for the believers and the
world.

While this pamphlet, issued in May, 1847, contains statements signed by three
early workers, James White, Ellen G. White, and Joseph Bates, it is primarily a
James White publication devoted to the setting forth of his views of unfulfilled
prophecy. At that time there were probably not more than one hundred
Sabbath-keeping Adventists in the United States. As a youthful minister of
twenty-five, he worked almost alone in setting forth the views he had, up to that
time, formulated. mhis was nearly a year before the first of the five Sabbath
conferences convened, at which time those whom we today revere as our spiritual
forefathers met together and with open minds and hearts searched the Word of God
to better understand its truths.

With a full understanding of the historic setting of c
   


  the reader will not be disturbed by finding that in a few instances positions
set forth by Elder White on some points were modified by him in later years, as
more mature and joint study revealed clearer views. mhis document presents a
picture primarily of one worker's attempt to cheer and aid those about him through
a dissemination of light which was beginning to unfold. mo one familiar with the
many contemporary voices that were heard advocating discordant views and
extreme positions, the clarity of reasoning and the essential correctness of
perspective and purity of teaching of these articles are remarkable.

Also of interest in this early publication are the three communications written
by Mrs. E. G. White, depicting the experiences yet before the people of God. mwo
of these, being presentations of important visions, have been largely reprinted
again and again in the E. G. White books. mhat some words, phrases, and
sentences which appeared in these early accounts were left out by Mrs. White in
later printings has been a source of concern to some. For a brief account of the
first printing of these visions and a discussion of the omissions, together with Mrs.
White's explanation, the reader is directed to the appendix.

mhat the reissuance of c
   

   in this form, identical with
its original publication, may lead to a better understanding of the experience of the
founders of the message, and that it may satisfy the frequently expressed desire to
have at hand for careful study, the initial E. G. White visions as first printed, is the
sincere wish of the Publishers and the mrustees of the Ellen G. White Publications.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

c
   
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

mhe following articles were written for the DAY-DAWN, which has been
published at Canandaigua, New York, by O. R. L. Crosier. But as that paper is
not now published, and as we do no know as it will be published again, it is
thought best by some of us in Maine, to have them given in this form. I wish to
call the attention of the "little flock" to those things which will very soon take
place on this earth.

After our Savior had spoken of "distress of nations, with perplexity," he said,
"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your
heads: for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:28.

We do not rejoice to know that our fellow men are distressed, and famishing
for want of food: but, still, the true believer will look up, and rejoice, in view of
redemption, while this sure token of the coming of the Son of Man is beginning to
come to pass. When we look abroad to other nations, and see them looking to this
country for food: and then look at the scarcity, and rising price of food in our own
nation, we cannot doubt but that the "time of trouble such as never was," is fast
coming upon the nations of the earth.
Brunswick, Maine, May 30, 1847. JAMES WHImE

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 m   
"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having
the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God." Rev. 15:1.

For more than one year, it has been my settled faith, that the seven last
plagues were all in the future, and that they were all to be poured out before the
first resurrection.

It may not be my duty to attempt to point out each plague separately, but only
give some of my reasons for believing that they are yet to be poured out, prior to
the second advent. By the light of the brightly shining lamp, (the bible) we can
see the events of our past experience distinctly; while future events may not be
seen in their order so clearly.

If it be true that the plagues are yet to be poured out upon the earth before the
resurrection and change of the saints, has not the time fully come for us to see the
light in relation to them, that we may better see, and feel the force of Christ's
words? Watch ye, therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to
escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Luke 21:36.

From the last clause of Rev. 15:1, "for in them is filled up the wrath of God,"
it seems clear that all the wrath of God to be poured out on the living wicked, is
contained in the plagues. mhe vials of wrath will certainly be poured out, in the
day of the wrath of God, and of the Lamb.

Jesus is clearly represented in the bible, in his different characters, offices,

and works. At the crucifixion he was the meek, slain lamb. From the ascension,
to the shutting of the door, Oct. 1844, Jesus stood with wide-spread arms of love,
and mercy; ready to receive, and plead the cause of every sinner, who would come
to God by him.

On the 10th day of the 7th month, 1844, he passed into the Holy of Holies,
where he has since been a merciful "high priest over the house of God." But when
his priestly work is finished there, he is to lay off his priestly attire, and put on his
most kingly robes, to execute his judgment on the living wicked. Now where
shall we look for the day of wrath, in which will be poured out the vials of wrath?
Not to the crucifixion, nor while Jesus is fulfilling his Priesthood in the Heavenly
Sanctuary. But, when he lays off his priestly attire, and puts on the "garments of
vengeance" to "repay fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies;" then the
day of his wrath will have fully come. As the "wrath of God" on the living
wicked is 
  in the plagues, and as the day of wrath is future, it follows that
the plagues are all future. I think the following is a prophesy which has been
fulfilling since Oct. 1844.

"And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for
truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey; and
the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

"And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no

 ." Isaiah 59:14, 15, 16.

I think that the next two verses, which speak of our Lord's putting on the
"garments of vengeance for clothing," to "repay fury to his adversaries," point to
the wrath of God in the seven last plagues. God has shown this day of wrath, in
prophetic vision, to some of his servants by different symbols. Ezekiel saw it in
the men with "slaughter-weapons," slaying "utterly, old and young." Eze. 9:5,6.
John saw it in the "seven last plagues;" while Esdras saw it in the famine,
pestilence, and the sword. mhe Bible contains many descriptions of this soon
expected day of wrath.

"A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it
shall not come nigh thee" see Ps. 91:5-10.

"Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction
from the Almighty. mherefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall
melt;" see Isa. 13:6-11.

"And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that
have fought against Jerusalem (the saints): mheir flesh shall consume away while
they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and
their tongues shall consume away in their mouth." Zech. 14:12.

"Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction
from the Almighty shall it come."
 "mhe seed is rotted under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns
are broken down, for the corn is withered." see Joel 1:15-18; Jer. 30:23,24; Dan.
12:1; Hab. 3:12,13; Zeph. 1:17,18; 2nd Esdras, 15:10-13. I am quite sure that our
Savior referred to the same, when he spake of "distress of nations, with
perplexity"; "Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things
which are coming on the earth." Luke, 21:26,27. In the 36th verse we are
exhorted to constant watchfulness and prayer, that we "may be accounted worthy
to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of
man." at his appearing.

mhis makes it sure, that the trouble comes before the second advent; for the
saints are to escape it, before they "stand before the Son of man." At the second
appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, the living wicked, who are not swept off by the
plagues, are to be destroyed by the "brightness of his coming." 2mhess. 2:8.

mhis is positive proof that the plagues come before, and not after the advent;
for the wicked will not suffer by the plagues, after they are destroyed by the
burning glory of his coming.

mhe plagues of Egypt, and the deliverance of ancient Israel from bondage,
clearly shadow forth the seven last plagues, and the deliverance of the saints.

"I will bring them (the saints) with a mighty hand and a stretched-out arm,
and smite Egypt with plagues AS BEFORE," etc. 2Esdras 15:11. "Zion shall be
redeemed with judgment," etc. Isa 1:27, see Eze. 20:33-38. mhe plagues were
poured out on Egypt just before, and at the deliverance of Israel; so we may expect
the last plagues on the wicked, just before and at the deliverance of the saints.

We may see by the 91st Psalm, that many of the wicked are to be cut off,
while the saints are on the earth, in their mortal state; for they are to fall by
thousands all around them.

mhe saints are exhorted not to fear the plagues at that time, for God will give
his angels charge over them, so that no plague shall come nigh their dwellings; but
such an exhortation would be useless, if the saints are immortal before the plagues
are poured out.

mhe men with slaughter-weapons in their hands have this charge, "come not
near any man upon whom is the mark;" which shows that the marked saints are in
their mortal state, at the slaying time.

But the humble followers of the Lamb, have nothing to fear from the terrors
of the day of his wrath; for they will be sealed before the plagues are poured out.

mhe man "clothed with linen," marks the saints before the slaying commences.

mhe "four angels" are not to hurt the "earth, neither the sea, nor the trees," till
the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads. Rev. 7:1-3.

mhe marking or sealing of the saints, seems to be shadowed forth by the

marking of the side posts and upper door posts of the houses of all Israel, before
the Lord passed through Egypt, to slay the first-born of the Egyptians.

Israel was safe; for God was their protector in that perilous night. mhe true
Israel of God will be safely protected, when Christ rules the nations with a "rod of
iron," and dashes them" in pieces like a potter's vessel;" for he has promised to
give his angels charge over them, to keep them in all their ways.

mhose who keep the word of Christ's "patience" in this time of waiting, and
trial, will then be kept "FROM the hour of temptation, (or trial) which shall come
on all the WORLD, to try them that dwell upon the earth." Rev 3:10.

mhose who do every well known duty to God, and his children: and confess
their faults to God, and to one another: and are healed from their faults: will safely
rest in the arms of the holy angels, while the burning wrath of God is being poured
out on those who have rejected his counsel, and commandments. But I must leave
this subject for the present, and close with the exhortation of the prophet: "Seek ye
the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek
righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's
anger." Zeph. 2:3.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

m 
  
"mhe Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the
heavens and earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the
strength of the children of Israel." Joel 3:16.
 Second Advent writers and lecturers, have usually confounded the voice of
God, which is to shake the heavens and the earth, with the "voice of the Son of
God," which will call forth the saints. But I think, that we shall clearly see, that
here are two distinct events. mhe voice of God, that is to shake the heavens and
the earth, comes "  Zion," and is uttered " Jerusalem;" but before the
voice of Jesus calls forth the sleeping saints, he is to leave the heavenly Sanctuary,
and "descend  heaven," with his holy angels. mhen, and not till then, will he
send his angels to "gather his elect, from the four winds;" while his voice calls
them forth to meet him "in the air." If the voice of God, which is to be uttered
"from Jerusalem," raises the saints, then they will be caught up to meet the Lord in
Jerusalem. But I think we shall all agree on this point, that Jesus is first to
"descend from heaven" with the angels: then commission the heavenly host, to
conduct the saints to meet him "in the 
," while his voice calls them forth. Matt.
24:30,31, 1mhess 4:16,17, 2mhess. 1:7.

At the pouring out of the seventh vial, Rev. 16:17, we read: "and there came a
great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done." At
the same time, there is a great earthquake, produced by the "voice from the
throne," which shakes down the cities of the nations, and removes the islands and
mountains. mhis "voice from the throne," which causes the earthquakes, must be
the same as the voice uttered "from Jerusalem," which shakes the heavens and the
earth. Joel 3:16, and Jer. 25:30,31 It seems clear that this voice which is to come
"  the temple of heaven,   ," is not the "voice of the Son of
God," that raises the saints; for if the voice that raises the saints, comes out of the
heavenly temple, "from the throne:" then Jesus remains in heaven, on the throne,
and calls his elect up to meet him in the temple; which is not in harmony with the
teachings of St. Paul.

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice
of the arch-angel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first;
then we, which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." 1mhess 4:16,17. mherefore, I think we are
safe, in believing that we shall hear the voice of God, which will shake the heavens
and the earth before Jesus descends from heaven, with his angels and trumpet, to
awake and gather the elect in the air.

Will not the day and hour of Jesus' appearing be made known by the voice of
the Eternal God?
 mhat the day and hour will be known by the true children of God, and no
others, appears plain from the fact, that we are exhorted to watch for it; and if we
do not watch, Jesus will come on us "as a thief," and we shall "not know what
hour" he will come upon us. So, that none but those who truly  , and "
," will know the true time. Rev. 3:2,3. Here I will introduce a quotation from
"mhe mrue Midnight Cry," of Aug. 22, 1844.

"Concerning the time of that (Christ's) coming, he says, in Mark 13:32, "But
of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven,
neither the Son, but the Father." It is thought by many, that this passage proves
that men are never to know the time. But if it proves this, it likewise proves, that
the Son of God, himself, is never to know the time; for the passage declares
precisely the same concerning him, that it does concerning angels and men. But
can any person believe that our glorious Lord, to whom all power in heaven and
earth is given, is, and will remain ignorant of the time until the very moment that
he comes to judge the world?

If not, then certainly this text can never prove that men may not be made to
understand the time. An old English version of the passage, reads, "But that day
and hour no man maketh known, neither the angels which are in heaven, neither
the Son, but the Father."

mhis is the correct reading according to several of the ablest critics of the age.
mhe word  is used here, in the same sense as it is by Paul in 1Cor. 2:2. Paul
well understood many other things, besides Christ and him crucified, but he
determined to   nothing else among them. So in the passage first
quoted, it is declared that none but God the Father, maketh known the day and
hour; that is, the 

 
 of the second coming of his Son. And this
necessarily implies that God makes the time known."

I believe the above, to be a fair and correct view of the subject, and that the
Father will make known the true time of the advent, without the agency of men,
angels, or the Son. mhe following prophecy is to the point.

"Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying,
mhe days are prolonged, and every vision faileth? mell them therefore, mhus saith
the Lord God; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a
proverb in Israel; but say unto them, mhe days are at hand, and the effect of every
vision. For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within
the house of Israel. For I am the Lord: I will SPEAK, and   that I shall
speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged; for in your days, O
rebellious house, will I SAY mHE WORD, and will perform it, saith the Lord
God." Eze. 12:22-25.

mhe burden of this prophecy is time, concerning which, there has been true, and
false visions. mhe true vision (or light) on time, was written on the Chart, or table.
Hab. 2:2. God approved of the proclamation of 1843, and the 10th day of the 7th
month 1844: by the pouring out of the Holy Ghost. Since the 7th month 1844, the
"rebellious house" of Israel, have been removing the "land-marks," and writing,
and proclaiming false visions; but we all know that it has been the work of man,
and not of God. mhese flattering divinings, have cheered on the "rebellious house"
of Israel to some extent; but the work has not had the holy, sanctifying influence,
as when God's hand was in the work on time.

mhe proverb that "every vision faileth," is, or soon will be complete; and God
will make it, and the false visions to cease, by speaking from heaven, and giving
his people the true time. "For I am the Lord: I will SPEAK and the word that I
shall speak, shall come to pass; etc."

Now if the burden of this prophecy is time; I think all will admit, that the
word that the Lord God is to speak, is the true time. mhe false visions that have
been written, and proclaimed by the "rebellious house" of Israel, have failed: but
the word to be spoken by the "Lord God," will be the true time, and will surely
come to pass.

Jesus has left us the sure promise, that his Father will make known the day
and the hour of his coming. mhe "Lord God" has promised to speak, and assures
us that the word that he will speak, "shall come to pass." With such testimony as
this before us, from the Father and Son, what other conclusion can we come to,
than that the "word which the Father is to speak, is the true time, and when he
speaks, his voice will make it known to his saints?

As the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, have been literal, the shaking of the
powers of the heavens, Matt. 24:29, must also be literal.

mhis sign is not in the past, and as it is a sign, it must come prior to the advent
itself.

mherefore, it is clear, that this last sign will appear when the "Lord roars out
of Zion," and shakes the heavens and the earth. We believe that the signs in Rev.
6:12-14, are the same as in Matt. 24:29, and Mark 13:24,25. mhen the shaking of
the powers of the heavens, Matt. 24:29, is the same as the heavens departing "as a
scroll, when it is rolled together." Rev. 6:14: for they both follow the falling of the
stars.

Now what is this heaven that is to be shaken and rolled together as a scroll?
We may not see this event so clearly now, as we shall about the time of its
fulfilment; but still, it is our duty to receive, and cherish all the light that we can
see on this, or any other future event. As we travel onward toward the Holy City,
our burning lamps discover new objects: but we cannot see all at once. If we
reject a little light, because we cannot see the whole clearly at once, it will
displease our heavenly leader; and we shall be left in the dark. But, if we cherish
the light, as fast as it is our Lord's will to open it to us, he will increase the light;
and our souls will feast upon the opening truths of the blessed bible.

mhe word heaven, is applied to at least four places or things in the scriptures.
1st, it is applied to Paradise, where St. Paul was taken in vision, 2Cor. 12:2-4.
2nd, to the region of the sun, moon, and stars - Gen. 1:8-17. 3rd, to the
atmosphere which encompasses this earth, in which the fowls of heaven fly, Rev.
19:17,18. And 4th, to the church of God on earth, Rev. 14:6,7. It cannot be
Paradise, nor the region of the heavenly lights, neither the church of God on earth,
that is to be shaken and rolled together as a scroll: therefore, it must be the air
around the earth, in which the fowls of heaven fly.

"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the AIR; and there came a
great voice out of the temple of heaven from the throne, saying, It is done." Rev.
16:17.

We may now see that it is the seventh vial and voice of God, which will shake
the powers of the heavens, and cause the great earthquake or the shaking of the
earth: and that this event constitutes the last literal sign, just before the sign of the
Son of man appears in heaven.

It seems clear that all the vials, the voice of God from the throne, the voices,
and thunders, and lightnings, and the great earthquake, and the falling of the cities
of the nations, and the removing of the mountains and the islands, are to take place
before the advent.

mhis view no doubt, will at once be rejected by many who profess to be

looking for Jesus every day and hour; but I think it will appear very plain, by
comparing Rev. 16:17-21 with chapter 6:14-17.

After the heavens depart "as a scroll when rolled together," and the
"mountains and islands are moved out of their places," "the kings of the earth, and
great men, etc." "hide in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains," from the
awful glory of the coming Jesus, attended by "all the holy angels;" and call for the
rocks and mountains to fall on them, and hide them from the „
  


 (which is to destroy all the living wicked at his coming, 2mhess. 2:8; and
overwhelmed with anguish, in view of their expected fate, (when Christ and the
angels draw near the earth to raise and gather the elect,) they cry out: "For the great
day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?" Rev. 6:17.

Here we see that the wicked who are hid, are still looking forward to the time
when the saints alone will "be able to stand" before Christ at his appearing. If
Christ should burst in upon the world as suddenly and unexpectedly as some teach,
no one would think of hiding in caves, dens, and rocks: for they are not within their
reach. mhis shows that an entire change must take place in the earth's surface prior
to the second advent, by the voice of God, in order for the wicked to have a chance
to hide from the expected Lamb, in caves, dens, and rocks of the mountains.
When the Father utters his voice "from the throne," which is to cause "a great
earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth:" then there will be a
chance for all the wicked, who are not swept off by the former plagues, to hide
from the presence of the Lamb. But rocks, caves, and dens, will not shelter them
from the burning glory of that holy throng, for all the living wicked are to be
destroyed "with the brightness of the coming." 2mhess. 2:8.

God has promised to be the "hope of his people," at the time his voice shakes
the heavens and the earth. His children have nothing to fear from the terrors of
that day; for they will be sheltered from the falling of cities, mountains, and
houses. God's promise cannot fail.

mhat will be a glad day for the saints; for they will then be "delivered" from
every outward foe, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, to prepare them to gaze on
Jesus, and stand before him at his appearing. mhen the saints will better know the
real worth of the blessed hope; and they will rejoice that they have been accounted
worthy to suffer reproach for clinging close to the truth, and strictly obeying all the
"commandments of God." When God spake to Moses in Sinai, his "voice then
shook the earth;" and we are taught by St. Paul, in Heb. 12:22-27, that he is yet to
speak from the "City of the living God," and "shake not only the earth, but also
heaven." When God spake to Moses, the glory rested on him so that he had to
cover his face with a vail, before his brethren could stand before him, and hear the
word of the Lord from his mouth. And may we not expect the same effect, from
the same cause? If so, then when God speaks from the Holy City to all his people,
as he did to Moses: all will have the glory poured on them, as Moses had it poured
on him. mhis out-pouring of the Holy Ghost must take place before the second
advent, to prepare us for the glory of that scene: for in our present state, none of us
could stand a single moment before the brightness of that coming, which is to
destroy the "man of sin." At the presence of one angel at the resurrection of
Christ, the Roman guard fell like dead men to the ground. It is therefore
necessary, that the saints should share largely in the glory of God, to prepare them
to stand before the Son of God, when he comes with all the holy angels with him.

Our present trying, waiting, watching state, is represented by a dark night; and
the coming glory before us, by the morning. mhere are two parts to the morning:
first, the dawn of day, and second, full day light, which is completed by the rising
of the sun. So in the glad morning before us; the day of rest will dawn at the voice
of God, when his light, and glory, rest upon us; then we shall rise from glory to
glory, till Christ appears, to clothe us with immortality, and give us eternal life.
O, Glory! Hallelujah!! My poor heart is set on fire for the kingdom, while I
dwell on this sweet prospect, before the true believer. If we "hold fast" but a few
days more, the dark shades of night will vanish before the glory of the preparatory
scenes of the coming of the Son of man.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

m m
  m
"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for
the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was
since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be
delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them
that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake," etc. Dan. 12:1,2.

We are taught by some, that the standing up of Michael, the time of trouble,
and the delivering of the saints are in the future; and that all these events are to be
accomplished at the second appearing of Christ. Others teach, that Michael stood
up on the 10th day of the 7th month, 1844, and that since that time we have been
passing through the "time of trouble, such as never was;" and that the deliverance
of the saints, is at the first resurrection. But as I cannot harmonize either of these
views with the bible, I wish to humbly give my brethren and sisters my view of
these events. It is clear to me, that here are four distinct events, all in the future.
1st, the standing up of Michael. 2nd, the time of trouble. 3rd, the deliverance of
the saints. And 4th, the resurrection of the just, to everlasting life.

mhat Jesus rose up, and shut the door, and came to the Ancient of days, to
receive his kingdom, at the 7th month, 1844, I fully believe, see Luke 13:25; Matt.
25:10; and Dan. 7:13,14. But the standing up of Michael, Dan. 12:1, appears to be
another event, for another purpose. His rising up in 1844, was to shut the door,
and come to his Father, to receive his kingdom, and power to reign; but Michael's
standing up, is to manifest his kingly power, which he already has, in the
destruction of the wicked, and in the deliverance of his people. Michael is to
stand up at the time that the last power in chapter 11 comes to his end, and none to
help him. mhis power is the last that treads down the true church of God: and as
the true church is still trodden down, and cast out by all christendom, it follows
that the last oppressive power has not "come to his end;" and Michael has not stood
up. mhis last power that treads down the saints is brought to view in Rev.
13:11-18. His number is 666. Much of his power, deception, wonders, miracles,
and oppression, will doubtless be manifested during his last struggle under the
"seven last plagues," about the time of his coming to his end. mhis is clearly
shadowed forth by the magicians of Egypt, deceiving Pharoah and his host, in
performing most of the miracles, that Moses performed by the power of God.
mhat was just before the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage; and may we
not expect to see as great a manifestation of the power of the Devil, just before the
glorious deliverance of the saints? If Michael stood up in 1844, what power came
"to his end, and none to help him," "Am mHAm mIME"? mhe trouble that is to
come at the time that Michael stands up, is not the trial, or trouble of the saints; but
it is a trouble of the nations of the earth, caused by "seven last plagues." So when
Jesus has finished his work of atonement, in the Holy of Holies, he will lay off his
priestly attire, and put on his most kingly robes and crown, to ride forth, and
manifest his kingly power, in ruling the nations, and dashing them in pieces.

We believe, that our great High Priest is attired as the Jewish high priest was,
see Lev. 16. But when Michael stands up to reign, KING OF KINGS, AND
LORD OF LORDS, he has on many crowns, in one crown. Rev. 19:16.

mhe deliverance of the living saints, is before the first resurrection; for it is
spoken of as a separate event.

If the deliverance of the living saints is not until the first resurrection; why is
the resurrection spoken of as a separate event, after the deliverance? It seems
clear that the deliverance is at the voice of God. mhen, from that time till Christ
appears, the saints will have power over the nations, who remain of the former
plagues.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

m m
    m
Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it; it is even the time of Jacob's
trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. Jer. 30:7.

By comparing Genesis chapter 32 with Jer. 30:7, and with the prophecy of
Obadiah, we may see that Jacob represents believers, and Esau represents
unbelievers. I doubt not, but these two characters will be brought out, and clearly
seen in the closing strife with the Image Beast, which is just before us, see Rev. 13:
11-18. Jacob's trouble was when the messengers returning to him, said, "We came
to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with
him. mhen Jacob was greatly afraid, and distressed." Gen. 32:6,7.

mhe true saints will be brought into a similar situation, at the time of the
fulfilment of Rev. 13:11-18.

Not that the saints will be killed; for then none would remain till the change:
but to fulfill this prophecy, a decree must go forth to kill the saints, which will
cause fear, and distress. When Jacob was troubled, he wrestled with the angels
"until the breaking of the day." Gen. 32:34. In the last closing strife with the
Image Beast, when a decree goes forth that as many as will not worship the image
of the beast shall "be killed", the saints will cry day and night, and be delivered by
the voice of God. mhen "the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of
Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them,
and devour them, and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the
Lord hath spoken it." Obadiah, 18th verse. I have not been able to see anything in
our past and present history, which answers to Jacob's trouble, and the day and
night cry of the elect. Luke 17:7. I have been astonished at some of our brethren,
while they have urged us to go about the work of crying day and night for
deliverance. Not long since, I was in a meeting where the sentiment prevailed,
that if all would then go about the work they might pray Christ down to the earth in
twenty-four hours. It is clear that when the time comes for this cry, that the elect
will have the spirit of prayer poured upon them. "And I will pour upon the house
of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and
supplication," etc. "And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the
house of David apart, and their wives apart;" see Zech. 12:14; Eze. 7:15,16.

When Jesus has finished his work in the Heavenly Sanctuary and comes out
upon the great white cloud, with his sharp sickle, then will be the time for the day
and night cry, which is represented by the angel's crying to Jesus, to thrust in his
sharp sickle, and reap. Rev. 14:14,15.

mhe desire, and prayer of every pure soul is, "mhy kingdom come." But the
special mourning, praying time of the saints, is evidently yet to come.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

m  
 !"
mhe 13th chapter of Revelation and the first five verses of the 14th is one
connected chain of past, present, and future events, down to the complete
redemption of the 144,000: then the 6th verse commences another chain of events,
which carry us down through the history of God's people in this mortal state. John
had a view of the beast and his image, as recorded in chapter 13; and how natural it
would be for him to view on a little further, and see the 144,000, who had gotten
the victory over the beast, and over his image, standing on mount Zion with the
Lamb, etc., as recorded in chapter 14: 1-5. So I think the division should be
between the 5th and 6th verses of the 14th chapter; and the 6th verse commences a
series of events, relative to the successive messages of holy advent truth.

All classes of second advent believers agree, that the angel brought to view in
the 6th and 7th verses of this chapter, represents the advent message, to the church
and world. If this is true, then all five of the angels brought to view in this
chapter, represent five distinct messages, prior to the advent, or we are left without
a rule to interpret this chapter.

mhe work of the second angel, was to show to the advent host that Babylon
had fallen. And as a large portion of them did not learn this fact, until the power
of the MIDNIGHm CRY waked them up, just in time for them to make their escape
from the churches, before the 10th day came on; it follows, that the second angel
brought us to the 7th month, 1844. mhe third angel's message was, and still is, a
WARNING to the saints to "hold fast," and not go back, and "receive" the marks
which the virgin band got rid of, during the second angel's cry.

And has not the true message for God's people, since the 7th month 1844,
been just such a warning? It certainly has. I cannot agree with those who make
two messages of the cry, "Babylon the great, is fallen," and the voice, "Come out
of her my people"; for every sermon that was printed, or preached on this subject,
contained them both in one message. mhe 12th verse reads, "Here is the patience
of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God," etc. Where did
you see them, John? Why, "" during this third angel. As the patient waiting
time has been since the 7th month 1844, and as the class that keep the sabbath, etc.
have appeared since that time: it is plain that we live in the time of the third angel's
message.

mhe last two angels are messages of prayer. We shall, no doubt, better
understand them at the time of their fulfilment.
JAMES WHImE

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
mopsham, Maine April 21, 1847.
mo Bro. Eli Curtis, New York City.

Dear Bro: In the Day-Dawn, Vol. 1, Numbers 10 and 11, you kindly invite
me to address you a communication.

mhe only apology I have to offer for not writing before is, I have not had a
clear duty to write till now. You will, I doubt not, excuse me for addressing you
so publicly, at this time. I have been much interested in your writings in the
Dawn, and Extra; and fully agree with you on some points, but on others we
widely differ.

Your Extra is now on the stand before me; and I beg leave to state to you, and
the scattered flock of God, what I have seen in vision relative to these things on
which you have written. I fully agree with you, that there will be two literal
resurrections, 1,000 years apart.

I also agree with you, that the new heavens, and the new earth, (Rev. 21:1,
Isa. 65:17, 2Pet. 3:13) will not appear, till after the wicked dead are raised, and
destroyed, at the end of the 1,000 years. I saw that Satan was "loosed out of his
prison," at the end of the 1,000 years, just at the time the wicked dead were raised;
and that Satan deceived them by making them believe that they could take the
Holy City from the saints. mhe wicked all marched up around the "camp of the
saints," with Satan at their head; and when they were ready to make an effort to
take the City, the Almighty breathed from his high throne, on the City, a breath of
devouring fire, which came down on them, and burnt them up, "root and branch."

And I saw, that as Christ is the vine, and his children the branches: so Satan is
the "root", and his children are the "branches;" and at the final destruction of "Gog
and Magog," the whole wicked host will be burnt up, "root and branch," and cease
to exist. mhen will appear the new heaven and the new earth. mhen will the
saints "build houses," and "plant vineyards." I saw, that all the righteous dead
were raised by the voice of the Son of God, at the first resurrection; and all that
were raised at the second resurrection, were burnt up, and ceased to exist.

You think, that those who worship before the saint's feet, (Rev. 3:9), will at
last be saved. Here I must differ with you; for God shew me that this class were
professed Adventists, who had fallen away, and "crucified to themselves the Son of
God afresh, and put him to an open shame." And in the "hour of temptation,"
which is yet to come, to show out every one's true character, they will know that
they are forever lost; and overwhelmed with anguish of spirit, they will bow at the
saint's feet.

You also think, that Michael stood up, and the time of trouble commenced, in
the spring of 1844.

mhe Lord has shown me in vision, that Jesus rose up, and shut the door, and
entered the Holy of Holies, at the 7th month 1844; but Michael's standing up (Dan.
12:1) to deliver his people, is in the future.

mhis will not take place, until Jesus has finished his priestly office in the
Heavenly Sanctuary, and lays off his priestly attire, and puts on his most kingly
robes, and crown, to ride forth on the cloudy chariot, to "thresh the heathen in
anger," and deliver his people.

mhen Jesus will have the sharp sickle in his hand, (Rev. 14:14) and then the
saints will cry day and night to Jesus on the cloud, to thrust in his sharp sickle and
reap.

mhis will be the time of Jacob's trouble, (Jer. 30:5-8) out of which, the saints
will be delivered by the voice of God.
 I believe the Sanctuary, to be cleansed at the end of the 2,300 days, is the
New Jerusalem memple, of which Christ is a minister. mhe Lord shew me in
vision, more than one year ago, that Brother Crosier had the true light, on the
cleansing of the Sanctuary; and that it was his will, that Brother C. should write out
the view which he gave us in the Day-Star, Extra, February 7, 1846. I feel fully
authorized by the Lord, to recommend that Extra, to every saint.

I pray that these lines may prove a blessing to you, and all the dear children
who may read them.
E. G. White

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my
Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your
young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And on my
servants, and on my hand-maidens, I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and
they shall prophesy. And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the
earth beneath; blood and fire and vapor of smoke. mhe sun shall be turned into
darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord
come". Acts 2:17-20.

"When the day of Pentecost was fully come," and the disciples were "all with
one accord in one place," filled with the Holy Ghost, "Peter standing up with the
eleven," quoted the above scripture from the prophecy of Joel. His object was to
show that the marvelous work which was wrought in the disciples at that time, was
a subject of prophecy, and the work of God. I conclude that there is not one
Second Advent believer who will take the ground, that all of the prophecy of Joel,
quoted by Peter, was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost; for there is not the least
evidence that any part of it was then fulfilled, only that part which related to the
pouring out of the Holy Ghost. We cannot believe that the signs in the sun, and
the moon, etc., were seen on that day, or that there were any having visions, or
dreaming among them at that exciting hour; for there is no proof of any such thing.
A part of this prophecy was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost; and ALL of it is to be
fulfilled "IN mHE LASm DAYS, SAImH GOD." Dreams and visions are among
the signs that precede the great and notable days of the Lord. And as the signs of
that day have been, and still are fulfilling, it must be clear to every unprejudiced
mind, that the time has fully come, when the children of God may expect dreams
and visions from the Lord.
 I know that this is a very unpopular position to hold on this subject, even
among Adventists; but I choose to believe the word of the Lord on this point,
rather than the teachings of men. I am well aware of the prejudice in many minds
on this subject; but as it has been caused principally by the preaching of popular
Adventists, and the lack of a correct view of this subject; I have humbly hoped to
cut it away, with the "sword of the Spirit," from some minds, at least. We will
bear it in mind, that these dreams and visions, are to be in the "LASm DAYS". As
there cannot be any days later than the last, it is certain that we may expect just
such revelations, until Christ appears in the clouds of heaven. I know that it is a
very popular opinion among Adventists, that there was nothing more to be revealed
by visions, after John closed up the revelation in A.D. 96. But if this opinion is
correct, then the last days ended while John was on the isle of Patmos.

mhe bible is a perfect, and complete revelation. It is our only rule of faith
and practice. But this is no reason, why God may not show the past, present, and
future fulfilment of his word, in these  , by dreams and visions; according
to Peter's testimony. mrue visions are given to lead us to God, and his written
word; but those that are given for a new rule of faith and practice, separate from
the bible, cannot be from God, and should be rejected.

mhe following vision was published in the Day-Star, more than a year ago.
By the request of friends, it is republished in this little work, with scripture
references, for the benefit of the little flock.

I hope that all who may read it, will take the wise, and safe course, pointed
out to us by the following passages of scripture. "Despise not prophesyings.
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." Paul. "mo the law and to the
testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in
them." Isaiah 8:20.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

m m    c

As God has shown me in holy vision 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. mhe 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. 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, (Num. 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.

While praying at the family altar, the Holy Ghost fell on me, and I seemed to
be rising higher and higher, far above the dark world. I turned to look for the
Advent people in the world, but could not find them - when a voice said to me,
"Look again, and look a little higher." At this I raised my eyes and saw a straight
and narrow path, (a) cast up high above the world. On this path the Advent people
were travelling to the City, which was at the farther end of the path. mhey had a
bright light set up behind them at the first end of the path, which an angel told me
was the Midnight Cry. (b) mhis light shone all along the path, and gave light for
their feet so they might not stumble. And if they kept their eyes fixed on Jesus,
who was just before them, leading them to the City, they were safe. But soon
some grew weary, and they said the City was a great way off, and they expected to
have entered it before. mhen Jesus would encourage them by raising his glorious
right arm, and from his arm came a glorious light which waved over the Advent
band, and they shouted Hallelujah! Others rashly denied the light behind them,
and said that it was not God that had led them out so far. mhe light behind them
went out leaving their feet in perfect darkness, and they stumbled and got their
eyes off the mark and lost sight of Jesus, and fell off the path down in the dark and
wicked world below. It was just as impossible for them to get on the path again
and go to the City, as all the wicked world which God had rejected. mhey fell all
the way along the path one after another, until we heard the voice of God like
many waters, (c) which gave us the day and hour of Jesus' coming. (d) mhe living
saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked
thought it was thunder and an earthquake. (e) When God spake the time, he
poured on us the Holy Ghost, and our faces began to light up and shine with the
glory of God as Moses' did when he came down from Mount Sinai. (f)

By this time the 144,000 were all sealed and perfectly united. On their
foreheads was written, God, New Jerusalem, and a glorious Star containing Jesus'
new name. (g) At our happy, holy state the wicked were enraged, and would rush
violently up to lay hands on us to thrust us in prison, when we would stretch forth
the hand in the name of the Lord, and the wicked would fall helpless to the ground.
mhen it was that the synagogue of Satan knew that God had loved us who could
wash one another's feet, and salute the holy brethren with a holy kiss, and they
worshipped at our feet. (h) Soon our eyes were drawn to the East, for a small
black cloud had appeared about half as large as a man's hand, which we all knew
was the Sign of the Son of Man. (i) We all in solemn silence gazed on the cloud
as it drew nearer, lighter, and brighter, glorious, and still more glorious, till it was a
great white cloud. (j) mhe bottom appeared like fire, a rainbow was over it,
around the cloud were ten thousand angels singing a most lovely song. And on it
sat the Son of Man, (k) on his head were crowns, (l) his hair was white and curly
and lay on his shoulders. (m) His feet had the appearance of fire, (n) in his right
hand was a sharp sickle, (o) in his left a silver trumpet. (p) His eyes were as a
flame of fire, (q) which searched his children through and through. mhen all faces
gathered paleness, and those that God had rejected gathered blackness. mhen we
all cried out, who shall be able to stand? Is my robe spotless? mhen the angels
ceased to sing, and there was some time of awful silence, (r) when Jesus spoke.
mhose who have clean hands and a pure heart shall be able to stand, my grace is
sufficient for you. At this, our faces lighted up, and joy filled every heart. And
the angels struck a note higher and sung again while the cloud drew still nearer the
earth. mhen Jesus' silver trumpet sounded, as he descended on the cloud, wrapped
in flames of fire. (s) He gazed on the graves of the sleeping saints, then raised his
eyes and hands to heaven and cried out, (t) Awake! Awake! Awake! ye that sleep
in the dust, and arise. mhen there was a mighty earthquake. mhe graves opened,
and the dead came up clothed with immortality. mhe 144,000 shouted, Hallelujah!
as they recognized their friends who had been torn from them by death, and in the
same moment we were changed and caught up together with them to meet the Lord
in the air. (u) We all entered the cloud together, and were seven days ascending to
the sea of glass, when Jesus brought along the crowns and with his own right hand
placed them on our heads. (v) He gave us harps of gold and palms of victory. (w)
Here on the sea of glass the 144,000 stood in a perfect square. Some of them had
very bright crowns, others not so bright. Some crowns appeared heavy with stars,
while others had but few. All were perfectly satisfied with their crowns. And
they were all clothed with a glorious white mantle from their shoulders to their
feet. (x) Angels were all about us as we marched over the sea of glass to the gate
of the City. Jesus raised his mighty glorious arm, laid hold of the gate and swung
it back on its golden hinges, and said to us, You have washed your robes in my
blood, stood stiffly for my truth, enter in. (y) We all marched in and felt we had a
perfect right in the City. Here we saw the tree of life, and the throne of God. Out
of the throne came a pure river of water, and on either side of the river was the tree
of life. (z) On one side of the river was a trunk of a tree and a trunk on the other
side of the river, both of pure transparent gold.
 At first I thought I saw two trees. I looked again and saw they were united at
the top in one tree. So it was the tree of life, on either side of the river of life; its
branches bowed to the place where we stood; and the fruit was glorious, which
looked like gold mixed with silver. We all went under the tree, and sat down to
look at the glory of the place, when brothers Fitch and Stockman, who had
preached the gospel of the kingdom, and whom God had laid in the grave to save
them, came up to us and asked us what we had passed through while they were
sleeping. We tried to call up our greatest trials, but they looked so small
compared with the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (aa) that
surrounded us, that we could not speak them out, (bb) and we all cried out
Hallelujah, heaven is cheap enough, and we touched our glorious harps and made
heaven's arches ring. And as we were gazing at the glories of the place our eyes
were attracted upwards to something that had the appearance of silver. I asked
Jesus to let me see what was within there. In a moment we were winging our way
upward, and entering in; here we saw good old father Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
Noah, Daniel, and many like them. And I saw a vail with a heavy fringe of silver
and gold, as a border on the bottom; it was very beautiful. I asked Jesus what was
within the vail. He raised it with his own right arm, and bade me take heed. I
saw there a glorious ark, overlaid with pure gold, and it had a glorious border,
resembling Jesus' crowns; and on it were two bright angels - their wings were
spread over the ark as they sat on each end, with their faces turned towards each
other and looking downward. (cc) In the ark, beneath where the angels' wings
were spread, was a golden pot of Manna, of a yellowish cast; and I saw a rod,
which Jesus said was Aaron's; I saw it bud, blossom and bear fruit. (dd) And I
saw two long golden rods, on which hung silver wires, and on the wires most
glorious grapes; one cluster was more than a man here could carry. And I saw
Jesus step up and take of the manna, almonds, grapes and pomegranates, and bear
them down to the city, and place them on the supper table. I stepped up to see
how much was taken away, and there was just as much left; and we shouted
Hallelujah - Amen. We all descended from this place down into the city, and with
Jesus at our head we all descended from the city down to this earth, on a great and
mighty mountain, which could not bear Jesus up, and it parted asunder, and there
was a mighty plain. (ee) mhen we looked up and saw the great city, with twelve
foundations, twelve gates, three on each side, and an angel at each gate, and all
cried out, "the city, the great city, it's coming, it's coming down from God, out of
heaven;" (ff) and it came and settled on the place where we stood. mhen we began
to look at the glorious things outside of the city. mhere I saw most glorious
houses, that had the appearance of silver, supported by four pillars, set with pearls,
most glorious to behold, which were to be inhabited by the saints; (gg) in them was
a golden shelf; I saw many of the saints go into the houses, take off their glittering
crowns and lay them on the shelf, then go out into the field by the houses to do
something with the earth; (hh) not as we have to do with the earth here; no, no. A
glorious light shone all about their heads, and they were continually shouting and
offering praises to God.

And I saw another field full of all kinds of flowers, and as I plucked them, I
cried out, well they will never fade. Next I saw a field of tall grass, most glorious
to behold; it was living green, and had a reflection of silver and gold, as it waved
proudly to the glory of King Jesus. mhen we entered a field full of all kinds of
beasts - the lion, the lamb, the leopard and the wolf, altogether in perfect union; (ii)
we passed through the midst of them, and they followed on peaceably after. mhen
we entered a wood, not like the dark woods we have here, no, no; but light, and all
over glorious; the branches of the trees waved to and fro, and we all cried out, "we
will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in this woods." (jj) We passed
through the woods, for we were on our way to Mount Zion. As we were travelling
along, we met a company who were also gazing at the glories of the place. I
noticed red as a border on their garments; their crowns were brilliant; their robes
were pure white. As we greeted them, I asked Jesus who they were? He said
they were martyrs that had been slain for him. With them was an innumerable
company of little ones; they had a hem of red on their garments also. (kk) Mount
Zion was just before us, and on the Mount sat a glorious temple, and about it were
seven other mountains, on which grew roses and lillies, (ll) and I saw the little ones
climb, or if they chose, use their little wings and fly to the top of the mountains,
and pluck the never fading flowers. mhere were all kinds of trees around the
temple to beautify the place; the box, the pine, the fir, the oil, the myrtle, the
pomegranate, and the fig tree bowed down with the weight of its timely figs, that
made the place look all over glorious. (mm) And as we were about to enter the
holy temple, Jesus raised his lovely voice and said, only the 144,000 enter this
place, and we shouted Hallelujah.

Well, bless the Lord, dear brethren and sisters, it is an extra meeting for those
who have the seal of the living God. (nn) mhis temple was supported by seven
pillars, all of transparent gold, set with pearls most glorious. mhe glorious things I
saw there, I cannot describe to you. O, that I could talk in the language of
Canaan, then could I tell a little of the glory of the upper world; but, if faithful, you
soon will know all about it. I saw there the tables of stone in which the names of
the 144,000 were engraved in letters of gold; after we had beheld the glory of the
temple, we went out. mhen Jesus left us, and went to the city; soon, we heard his
lovely voice again, saying - "Come my people, you have come out of great
tribulation, and done my will; suffered for me; come in to supper, for I will gird
myself, and serve you." (oo) We shouted Hallelujah, glory, and entered into the
city.

And I saw a table of pure silver, it was many miles in length, yet our eyes
could extend over it. And I saw the fruit of the tree of life, the manna, almonds,
figs, pomegranates, grapes, and many other kinds of fruit. We all reclined at the
table. I asked Jesus to let me eat of the fruit. He said, not now. mhose who eat
of the fruit of this land, go back to earth no more. But in a little while, if faithful,
you shall both eat of the fruit of the tree of life, and drink of the water of the
fountain; and he said, you must go back to the earth again, and relate to others,
what I have revealed to you. mhen an angel bore me gently down to this dark
world. Sometimes I think I cannot stay here any longer, all things of earth look so
dreary - I feel very lonely here, for I have seen a better land. O, that I had wings
like a dove, then would I fly away, and be at rest.

a Matt. 7:14, b Matt. 25:6, c Eze. 43:2, Joel, 3:16, Rev. 16:17, d Eze. 12:25, Mark,
13:32, e John 12:29, f Isa. 10:27, g Rev. 8:12, h Rev. 3:9, i Matt. 24:30, j Rev.
14:14, k Luke, 21:27, l Rev. 19:12, m Rev. 1:14, n Rev. 1:15, o Rev. 14:14, p
1mhess. 4:16, q Rev. 1:14, r Rev. 8:1, s 2mhess. 1:7-8, t John 5:25, u 1mhess. 4:17,
v 2Esdras 2:43, w Rev. 15:2, Rev. 7:9, x Rev. 7:9, y Isa. 26:2, z Rev. 22:1-2, aa
2Cor. 4:17, bb Isa. 65:17, cc Ex. 25:18-20, Heb. 9:3-5, dd Num. 17:8, ee Zech.
14:4, ff Rev. 21:10-13, gg Isa. 65:21, hh Isa. 65:21, ii Isa. 11:6-9, jj Eze. 34:25, kk
Jer. 31:15-17, Matt. 2:18, ll 2Esdras 2:19, mm Isa. 60:13, Isa. 41:19, nn Rev. 14:3,
oo Luke, 12:37

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
mopsham, Maine April 7, 1847.

Dear Brother Bates: - Last Sabbath we met with the dear brethren and sisters
here, who meet at Bro. Howland's.

We felt an unusual spirit of prayer. And as we prayed, the Holy Ghost fell
upon us. We were very happy. Soon I was lost to earthly things, and was
wrapped up in a vision of God's glory. I saw an angel swiftly flying to me. He
quickly carried me from the earth to the Holy City. In the city I saw a temple,
which I entered. I passed through a door before I came to the first vail. mhis vail
was raised, and I passed into the Holy Place. Here I saw the Altar of Incense, the
candlestick with seven lamps, and the table on which was the showbread, etc.
After viewing the glory of the Holy, Jesus raised the second veil, and I passed into
the Holy of Holies. (a)
 In the Holiest I saw an ark; on the top and sides of it was purest gold. On
each end of the ark was a lovely Cherub, with their wings spread out over it.
mheir faces were turned towards each other, and they looked downwards. (b)
Between the angels was a golden censor. Above the ark, where the angels stood,
was an exceeding bright glory, that appeared like a throne where God dwelt. (c)
Jesus stood by the ark. And as the saints' prayers came up to Jesus, the incense in
the censor would smoke, and He offered up the prayers of the saints with the
smoke of the incense to His Father. (d) In the ark, was the golden pot of manna,
Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of stone which folded together like a book.
(e) Jesus opened them, and I saw the ten commandments written on them with the
finger of God. (f) On one table was four, and on the other six. mhe four on the
first table shone brighter than the other six. But the fourth (the Sabbath
commandment,) shone above them all; for the Sabbath was set apart to be kept in
honor of God's holy name. (g) mhe holy Sabbath looked glorious - a halo of glory
was all around it. I saw that the Sabbath was not nailed to the cross. If it was, the
other nine commandments were; and we are at liberty to go forth and break them
all, as well as to break the fourth. I saw that God had not changed the Sabbath, for
He never changes. (h) But the Pope had changed it from the seventh to the first
day of the week; for he was to change times and laws. (i)

And I saw that if God had changed the Sabbath, from the seventh to the first
day, He would have changed the writing of the Sabbath commandment, written on
the tables of stone, which are now in the ark, in the Most Holy Place of the memple
in heaven; (j) and it would read thus: mhe first day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy
God. But I saw that it read the same as when written on the tables of stone by the
finger of God, and delivered to Moses in Sinai, "But the seventh day is the Sabbath
of the Lord thy God." (k) I saw that the holy Sabbath is, and will be, the
separating wall between the true Israel of God and unbelievers; and that the
Sabbath is the great question, to unite the hearts of God's dear waiting saints. And
if one believed, and kept the Sabbath, and received the blessing attending it, and
then gave it up, and broke the holy commandment, they would shut the gates of the
Holy City against themselves, as sure as there was a God that rules in heaven
above. I saw that God had children, who do not see and keep the Sabbath. mhey
had not rejected the light on it. And at the commencement of the time of trouble,
we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth (l) and proclaimed the
Sabbath more fully. mhis enraged the church, and nominal Adventists, as they
could not refute the Sabbath truth. And at this time, God's chosen, all saw clearly
that we had the truth, and they came out and endured the persecution with us.
And I saw the sword, famine, pestilence, and great confusion in the land. (m) mhe
wicked thought that we had brought the judgments down on them. mhey rose up
and took counsel to rid the earth of us, thinking that then the evil would be stayed.
(n)

I saw all that "would not receive the mark of the Beast, and of his Image, in
their foreheads or in their hands," could not buy or sell. (o) I saw that the number
(666) of the Image Beast was made up; (p) and that it was the beast that changed
the Sabbath, and the Image Beast had followed on after, and kept the Pope's, and
not God's Sabbath. And all we were required to do, was to give up God's Sabbath,
and keep the Pope's, and then we should have the mark of the Beast, and of his
Image.

In the time of trouble, we all fled from the cities and villages, (q) but were
pursued by the wicked, who entered the houses of the saints with the sword. mhey
raised the sword to kill us, but it broke, and fell, as powerless as a straw. mhen we
all cried day and night for deliverance, and the cry came up before God. (r) mhe
sun came up, and the moon stood still. (s) mhe streams ceased to flow. (t) Dark
heavy clouds came up, and clashed against each other. (u) But there was one clear
place of settled glory, from whence came the i
   like many waters, which
shook the heavens, and the earth. (v) mhe sky opened and shut, and was in
commotion. (w) mhe mountains shook like a reed in the wind, and cast out ragged
rocks all around. mhe sea boiled like a pot, and cast out stones upon the land. (x)
And as God spoke the day and hour of Jesus' coming, (y) and delivered the
everlasting covenant to His people, (z) He spoke one sentence, and then paused,
while the words were rolling through the earth! (aa) mhe Israel of God stood with
their eyes fixed upwards, listening to the words as they came from the mouth of
Jehovah, and rolled through the earth like peals of loudest thunder! It was awfully
solemn. At the end of every sentence, the saints shouted, Glory! Hallelujah!
mheir countenances were lighted up with the glory of God; and they shone with the
glory as Moses' face did when he came down from Sinai. mhe wicked could not
look on them, for the glory. (bb) And when the never ending blessing was
pronounced on those who had honored God, in keeping His Sabbath holy, there
was a mighty shout of victory over the Beast, and over his Image.

mhen commenced the jubilee, when the land should rest. I saw the pious
slave rise in triumph and victory, and shake off the chains that bound him, while
his wicked master was in confusion, and knew not what to do; for the wicked could
not understand the words of the voice of God. (cc) Soon appeared the great white
cloud. (dd) It looked more lovely than ever before. On it sat the Son of Man.
(ee) At first we did not see Jesus on the cloud, but as it drew near the earth, we
could behold his lovely person. mhis cloud when it first appeared was the Sign of
the Son of Man in heaven. (ff) mhe voice of the Son of God called forth the
sleeping saints, (gg) clothed with a glorious immortality. mhe living saints were
changed in a moment, and caught up with them in the cloudy chariot. (hh) It
looked all over glorious as it rolled upwards. On either side of the chariot were
wings, and beneath it wheels. And as the chariot rolled upwards, the wheels cried
Holy, and the wings as they moved, cried Holy, and the retinue of Holy Angels
around the cloud cried Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. And the saints in
the cloud cried Glory, Hallelujah. And the cloudy chariot rolled upwards to the
Holy City. Jesus threw open the gates of the Golden City, and led us in. (ii) Here
we were made welcome, for we had kept the "g of God," and had a
"right to the tree of life." (jj)

From your sister in the blessed hope,

E. G. White.

a Heb. 9:1-24, b Ex. 25:18-22, c Ex. 25:20-22, d Rev. 8:3-4, e Heb. 9:4, f Ex.
31:18, g Isa. 58:13-14, h Mal. 3:6, i Dan. 7:25, j Rev. 11:19, k Ex. 20:10, l Hosea
6:2-3, m Eze. 7:10-19, 2Esdras 15:5-27, n 2Esdras 16:68-74, o Rev. 13:15-17, p
Rev. 13:18, q Eze. 7:15-16, Luke 17:30-36 - see Campbell's translation, r Luke
18:7-8, s Hab. 3:11, t 2Esdras 6:24, u 2Esdras 15:34-35, v Joel 3:16, Heb.
12:25-27, w Rev. 6:14, Matt. 24:29, x Hab. 3:8-10, Isa. 2:19-21, y Eze. 12:25,
Mark 13:32, z Eze. 20:37, Heb. 12:22-25, aa Jer. 25:30-31, bb Wisdom of
Solomon 5:1-5, cc Dan. 12:10, dd Rev. 14:14, ee Luke 21:27 ff Matt. 24:30, gg
John 5:25-28, hh 1mhess. 4:17, ii Isa. 26:2, jj Rev. 22:14
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

REMARKS: I do not publish the above vision thinking to add or diminish

from the "sure word of prophecy." mhat will stand the test of men and wreck of
worlds! "It is written that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of
God." Amen.

It is now about two years since I first saw the author, and heard her relate the
substance of her visions as she has since published them in Portland (April 6,
1846). Although I could see nothing in them that militated against the word, yet I
felt alarmed and tried exceedingly, and for a long time unwilling to believe that it
was any thing more than what was produced by a protracted debilitated state of her
body.
 I therefore sought opportunities in presence of others, when her mind seemed
freed from excitement, (out of meeting) to question, and cross question her, and
her friends which accompanied her, especially her elder sister, to get if possible at
the truth. During the number of visits she has made to New Bedford and
Fairhaven since, while at our meetings, I have seen her in vision a number of
times, and also in mopsham, Me., and those who were present during some of these
exciting scenes know well with what interest and intensity I listened to every word,
and watched every move to detect deception, or mesmeric influence. And I thank
God for the opportunity I have had with others to witness these things. I can now
confidently speak for myself. I believe the work is of God, and is given to
comfort and strengthen his "scattered," "torn," and "pealed people," since the
closing up of our work for the world in October, 1844. mhe distracted state of lo,
heres! and lo, theres! since that time has exceedingly perplexed God's honest,
willing people, and made it exceedingly difficult for such as were not able to
expound the many conflicting texts that have been presented to their view. I
confess that I have received light and instruction on many passages that I could not
before clearly distinguish. I believe her to be a self-sacrificing, honest, willing
child of God, and saved, if at all, through her entire obedience to His will.

At a meeting in Fairhaven, 6th of the last month, I saw her have a similar
vision, which I then wrote down. It may be said that I send this out to strengthen
the argument of my late work on the Sabbath. I do in the sense above stated.
Respecting that work I entertain no fears. mhere is no scriptural argument to move
it.

mhe above vision can be had by application, post paid, to James White,
Gorham, Me., or to the editor.
JOSEPH BAmES.
Fairhaven, Massachusetts

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Some of our friends have seen this last vision and brother Bates' "remarks,"
published on a little sheet; but as that sheet cannot be circulated without
considerable expense, I have put the vision with Scripture references and the
remarks, into this little work, so that they may be widely circulated among the
saints.

mhose who have received the little sheet will see by referring to Ex. 26:35,
that there is a mistake in the 10th and 11th lines from the top of the first column.
mhis mistake is not in the original copy now in my possession, written by the
author. I have therefore, corrected this mistake, that I made in hastily copying the
vision to send to brother Bates.

It would be gratifying no doubt, to some of the readers of this little work, to

know something of the experience and calling of the author of these visions. I
have not room to say but very little now, but will make a statement of a few facts
well known by the friends in the East. I will first give an extract of a letter from a
beloved brother, who has stated I doubt not, his honest views in relation to the
visions.

"I cannot endorse sister Ellen's visions as being of divine inspiration, as you
and she think them to be; yet I do not suspect the least shade of dishonesty in either
of you in this matter. I may perhaps express to you my belief in the matter,
without harm - it will, doubtless, result either in your good or mine. At the same
time, I admit the possibility of my being mistaken. I think that what she and you
regard as visions from the Lord, are only religious reveries, in which her
imagination runs without control upon themes in which she is most deeply
interested. While so absorbed in these reveries, she is lost to everything around
her. Reveries are of two kinds, sinful and religious. Hers is the latter.
Rosseau's, "a celebrated French infidel," were the former. Infidelity was his
theme, and his reveries were infidel. Religion is her theme, and her reveries are
religious. In either case, the 
, in the main, are obtained from previous
teaching, or study. I do not by any means think her visions are like some from the
devil."

However true this extract may be in relation to reveries, it is  true in regard
to the visions: for the author   "obtain the sentiments" of her visions "from
previous teaching or study." When she received her first vision, Dec. 1844, she
and all the band in Portland, Maine, (where her parents then resided) had given up
the midnight-cry, and shut door, as being in the past. It was then that the Lord
shew her in vision, the error into which she and the band in Portland had fallen.
She then related her vision to the band, and about sixty confessed their error, and
acknowledged their 7th month experience to be the work of God.

It is well known that many were expecting the Lord to come at the 7th month,
1845. mhat Christ would then come we firmly believed. A few days before the
time passed, I was at Fairhaven, and Dartmouth Mass., with a message on this
point of time. At this time, Ellen was with the band at Carver, Mass., where she
saw in vision, that we should be disappointed, and that the saints must pass through
the "time of Jacob's trouble," which was future. Her view of Jacob's trouble was
entirely new to us, as well as herself. At our conference in mopsham, Maine, last
Nov., Ellen had a vision of the handiworks of God. She was guided to the planets
Jupiter, Saturn, and I think one more. After she came out of vision, she could give
a clear description of their Moons, etc. It is well known, that she knew nothing of
astronomy, and could not answer one question in relation to the planets, before she
had this vision.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

m m#  

"And the temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seen in his
temple the ark of his testament:" Rev. 11:19.

mhe memple of God in which is the ark of his testament, is

 heaven. St.
Paul while in vision, was caught up to the third heaven, or paradise which we
believe is the New Jerusalem. mhe word heaven, is applied to other places beside
the New Jerusalem, see Gen. 1:8,17, and Rev. 14:6. But as they do not contain
God's memple, I must believe that the heaven
 which is the memple of God, is the
New Jerusalem. Old Jerusalem, and its memple were types of the New Jerusalem,
and God's memple which is in it. mhe ark containing the tables of stone, on which
God wrote the ten commandments with his own finger, were put into the Holiest.
When John had a view of the opening of the New Jerusalem memple, he saw the
ark in the same place in the antitype, that it was in the type.

mherefore it is clear that Old Jerusalem, its memple, and the furniture of that
memple, have distinct antitypes in Paradise. mhat Paradise was taken up from the
earth after the fall of man, is plain, as there is no such place on the earth which
answers the description of it given by Moses. Gen. 3:23,24. Also, the prophet
says: "Behold, the time shall come, that these tokens which I have told thee shall
come to pass, and the Bride shall appear, and she coming forth shall be seen, that

 
   . 2Esdras 7:26. mhe foundations, walls, and
gates, of the New Jerusalem, have certainly been formed in paradise, since Old
Jerusalem was built: if not, then the New, is older than the Old. Abraham by faith
looked for this City "which hath foundations;" but he did not expect to find it, until
the faithful were raised. mhe memple of Old Jerusalem was built purposely for the
Old Covenant worship. mhe memple, or Sanctuary of New Jerusalem, of which
Christ is a minister, the Lord pitched and not man, purposely for the New
Covenant worship. mherefore, when Christ has finished his ministry in the
Heavenly Sanctuary, and has redeemed his people, there will be no more use for
the New Jerusalem memple, than there was for the memple at Old Jerusalem, after
Jesus had nailed the ceremonial law to the cross. John had a view of the Holy
City when it shall come down, Rev. 21:10, at the close of the 1,000 years, Rev.
20:7-9, and said, "And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the
Lamb are the temple of it, Rev. 21:22. He does not tell us what had become of it;
but his saying that he saw no memple therein at that time, indicates that he had seen
one there before. mhe Holy City is called the mabernacle of God, Rev. 21:3, Isa.
33:20; but it is not called so, until it is situated on the New Earth. mhe City is also
called the memple of God, Rev. 17:15; but not until the saints are raised, and
gathered up into the City, where they will serve God "day and night." mhen the
Holy City alone, will be the mabernacle, or memple of God.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

m 
"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with
him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be
gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd
divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but
the goats on the left. Matt. 25:31-33.

mhis scripture evidently points out the most important events of the day of
Judgment. mhat day will be 1,000 years long. 2Pet. 3:7,8. mhe event which will
introduce the Judgment day, will be the coming of the Son of Man, to raise the
sleeping saints, and to change those that are alive at that time.

mhe second event, will be the King's sitting "upon the throne of his glory."
mhe King will not sit upon the throne of his glory, until those who have followed
him are raised, and sit upon the thrones of Judgment with him. Matt. 19:28. John
saw in vision, the length of time that Christ, and the saints would sit on the thrones
of Judgment, and has written: "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and
judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for
the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the
beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in
their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a mHOUSAND YEARS," Rev.
20:4. mhe third event, will be the gathering of all nations before the King, in their
separate places. All nations cannot be thus gathered, until the end of the 1,000
years, when the wicked dead will be raised, and gathered up around the Holy City.
mhe saints will then be in the City, and the wicked outside of it. All nations will
then be before him.

mhe fourth event, will be the delivering of the sentence by the King. His
sentence upon the whole host of Gog and Magog, will be, "Depart from me, ye
cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels," Matt. 25:41. If
this is not the final sentence of the judgment on the wicked, I think we shall not
find it in the bible. mherefore the wicked are not sentenced before Christ comes;
but they will hear their sentence after they are raised, at the close of the 1,000
years.

It is not necessary that the final sentence should be given before the first
resurrection, as some have taught; for the names of the saints are written in heaven,
and Jesus, and the angels will certainly know who to raise, and gather to the New
Jerusalem. mhe fifth event, will be the execution of the final judgment. Some
have taken the ground, that the 1,000 years will be taken up, in executing the
judgment on the wicked: but this cannot be; for the man of sin is to be destroyed
with the brightness of Christ's second coming: therefore the wicked are to remain
silent in the dust, all through the 1,000 years. How can the judgment be executed
on the wicked, before they are raised? It is certainly impossible. John saw the
wicked, all raised and gathered up around "the camp of the saints," at the end of the
1,000 years. He also saw fire come down "from God, out of heaven," which
devoured them. mhis will be the execution of the final judgment on all the
wicked.

God executed his judgments on the wicked, in the days of Lot, and Noah, and
at the destruction of Jerusalem, and will execute his judgments on the living
wicked, at the pouring out of the seven last plagues; but the pouring out of all these
judgments cannot be the final execution of the judgment. mhat will be at the
second death. mhen God will make all things new. mhen shall the King say unto
them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Matt. 25:34. mhen God will
have a clear Universe; for the Devil, and his angels, and all the wicked, will be
burnt up "root and branch."
JAMES WHImE.

mhis pamphlet can be had by application, post paid, to the subscriber. My

Post Office address is Gorham, Me.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

c$%&'(

$ 

  % #

mhe reader will have observed that three communications from the pen of
Mrs. E. G. White were included in c
   
  

First, there is the letter appearing on pages 11 and 12, addressed to Eli Curtis,
in reply to his request for Mrs. White's comments on his prophetic positions as
presented in articles in the . In this letter Mrs. White refers to his views
on such points as the two resurrections, the Holy City, the cleansing of the
sanctuary, etc. mhis published letter was never reprinted, as the fuller presentation
of her views on these subjects obviated the necessity of its being repeated.

mhe second communication from Mrs. White, found on pages 14-18, is an

account of her first vision under the title, "mo the Remnant Scattered Abroad."
this was written December 20, 1845, as a personal letter to Enoch Jacobs, and was
first published by the recipient in   of January 24, 1846. mhen on
April 6, 1846, it was reprinted in broadside form by James White and H. S.
Gurney. mhe statement as it appears in c
   
   with the
exception of minor editorial changes and added scripture references, is identical
with the full account of the vision as first printed.

It may be of interest to note that Mrs. White states in a post-script of her letter
to Mr. Jacobs, that this account "was not written for publication," and commenting
later she wrote, "Had I for once thought it was to be spread before the many
readers of your paper, I should have been more particular." E. G. Harmon, in
, March 14, 1846.

mhe third Ellen G. White communication, occupying pages 18-20, is a reprint

of a letter addressed to Joseph Bates, presenting an account of a vision which was
given April 7, 1847, in which Mrs. White was shown the most holy place in the
heavenly sanctuary, and was then carried into the future and viewed scenes
connected with the conflicts and victory of the church. mhis was first published in
broadside form by Elder Bates accompanied by his remarks found on page 21 of c

   
   Scripture references were also added by James White
to this third E. G. White communication as it went into print in this pamphlet.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

m 
 $ 

 )
In August, 1851, her first book, c     g

  
  
!
   

, was published at Saratoga Springs, New York. Among
the articles which comprise this work of sixty-four pages are the last two just
referred to, which appeared in c
   
   - the first E. G. white
vision and the letter to Elder Bates. See 


, pages 13-20, 32-35.

Introducing her first vision as presented in this book, Mrs. White stated, "Here
I will give the view which was first published in 1846. In this view I saw only a
very few of the events of the future. More recent views have been more full. I
shall therefore leave out a portion and prevent repetition." c     g


 
   !
   

, p. 9.

mhus, in the first edition of the first E. G. White book, purporting to be only a
"sketch," Mrs. White informed her readers that she was not including all of that
which had appeared in earlier published accounts of these visions. A fuller
presentation of scenes regarding which but very brief reference has been made in
her first visions was given in later chapters of the book, and was set forth by her as
the reason for these omissions. We offer two illustrations of this.

Near the center of page 16 of c
   

   is found a
statement describing the temple in heaven and that which was viewed by Mrs.
White in this temple. mhis statement is one which was omitted when she prepared
the matter for her first book, for it is a close repetition in many respects of the
description given on page 18, now found on pages 32 and 33 of 


.

On page 19 of c
   

   appears a short paragraph dealing
with the "mark of the beast." mhis paragraph also was omitted by Mrs. White, but
we find an entire chaper devoted to this subject in 


, pages 64-67.

mhe scripture references which appear in the E. G. White communications in

c
   
   were inserted by James White. With these are six
references to Second Esdras of the Apocrypha. James White assumed the full
responsibility for the insertion of all these references, as has been noted by his
statement appearing at the bottom of page 13, and they constitute no part of Mrs.
White's account.

It will also be observed that in the center of page 19, in connection with the
statement regarding the beast and the image beast, the number "666" is found
inserted in marks of parenthesis as are the letters referring to the scripture
references. mhe fact that this number appears in parentheses indicates clearly that
is was not a part of the vision, but was inserted by Joseph Bates, the first publisher,
as were the scripture references by James White, and reflects the view held by him
at that time.

In addition to Mrs. White's brief 1851 statement, referred to above, as to why

omissions were made when her first book was published, she, in 1883, wrote at
length dealing with most of these omitted portions. Her explanation follows.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

S

 $*#

My attention has recently been called to a sixteen-page pamphlet published by
---------- of Marion, Iowa, entitled g
   


  "




  #„

. mhe writer states that portions of my earlier visions, as
first printed, have been suppressed in the work recently published under the title



  "  

, and he conjectures as a reason for such
suppression that these passages teach doctrines now repudiated by us as a people.

He also charges us with willful deception in representing 



 as a
complete republication of my earliest views, with only verbal changes from the
original work.

Before I notice separately the passages which are said to have been omitted, it
is proper that several facts be stated. When my earliest views were first published
in pamphlet form, (c
   
  ) the edition was small, and was
soon sold. mhis was in a few years followed by a larger book,  g


 
   !
  "  

, printed in 1851, and containing much
additional matter.
 In our frequent change of location in the earlier history of the publishing
work, and then in almost incessant travel as I have labored from Maine to mexas,
from Michigan to California - and I have crossed the plains no less than seventeen
times - I lost all trace of the first published works.* When it was decided to
publish 


 at Oakland, last fall, we were obliged to send to Michigan
to borrow a copy of  
   !
. And in doing this we supposed that
we had obtained an exact copy of the earliest visions as first published. mhis we
reprinted, as stated in preface to 


, with only verbal changes from the
original work.

And here I will pause to state that any of our people having in their possession
a copy of any or all of my first views, as published prior to 1851, will do me a
great favor if they will send them to me without delay. I promise to return the
same as soon as a copy can be produced.

So far from desiring to withhold anything that I have ever published, I would
feel great satisfaction in giving to the public every line of my writings that has ever
been printed.....


 
mhe first quotation mentioned by ---------- is from a pamphlet of twenty-four
pages published in 1847, entitled c
   
  . Here are the lines
omitted in  
   !
: "It was just as impossible for them (those that
gave up their faith in the '44 movement) to get on the path again and go to the city
as all the wicked world which God had rejected. mhey fell all the way along the
path one after another." (p. 14)

I will give the context, that the full force of the expressions may be clearly
seen: "While praying at the family altar, the Holy Ghost fell on me, and I seemed
to be rising higher and higher, far above the dark world. I turned to look for the
Advent people in the world, but could not find them - when a voice said to me,
"Look again, and look a little higher." At this I raised my eyes and saw a straight
and narrow path, cast up high above the world. On this path the Advent people
were travelling to the city, which was at the farther end of the path. mhey had a
bright light set up behind them at the first end of the path, which an angel told me
was the Midnight Cry. mhis light shone all along the path, and give light for their
feet so they might not stumble. And if they kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, who
was just before them, leading them to the City, they were safe. But soon some
grew weary, and they said the City was a great way off, and they expected to have
entered it before. mhen Jesus would encourage them by raising His glorious right
arm, and from His arm came a glorious light which waved over the Advent band,
and they shouted Hallelujah. Others rashly denied the light behind them, and said
that it was not God that had led them out so far. mhe light behind them went out
leaving their feet in perfect darkness, and they stumbled and got their eyes off the
mark and lost sight of Jesus, and fell off the path down in the dark and wicked
world below."

Now follows the passage said to be in the original work, but not found in
 
   !
 or in 


: "It was just as impossible for them
(those that gave up their faith in the '44 movement) to get on the path again and go
to the City, as all the wicked world which God had rejected. mhey fell all the way
along the path one after another."

It is claimed that these expressions prove the shut door doctrine, and that this
is the reason of their omission, in later editions. But in fact they teach only that
which has been and is still held by us as a people, as I shall show.

m  & &


For a time after the disappointment in 1844, I did hold in common with the
Advent body, that the door of mercy was then forever closed to the world. mhis
position was taken before my first vision was given me. It was the light given me
of God that corrected our error, and enabled us to see the true position.

I am still a believer in the shut door theory, but not in the sense in which we at
first employed the term or in which it is employed by my opponents.

mhere was a shut door in Noah's day. mhere was at that time a withdrawal of
the Spirit of God from the sinful race that perished in the waters of the flood. God
Himself gave the shut door message to Noah: "My Spirit shall not always strive
with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty
years."

mhere was a shut door in the days of Abraham. Mercy ceased to plead with
the inhabitants of Sodom, and all but Lot with his wife and two daughters, were
consumed by the fire sent down from heaven.
 mhere was a shut door in Christ's day. mhe Son of God declared to the
unbelieving Jews of that generation, "Your house is left unto you desolate."

Looking down the stream of time to the last days, the same infinite power
proclaimed through John: "mhese things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He
that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and
no man openeth."

"I was shown in vision, and I still believe, that there was a shut door in 1844.
All who saw the light of the first and second angel's messages and rejected that
light, were left in darkness. And those who accepted it and received the Holy
Spirit which attended the proclamation of the message from heaven, and who
afterward renounced their faith and pronounced their experience a delusion,
thereby rejected the Spirit of God, and it no longer pleaded with them.

mhose who did not see the light, had not the guilt of its rejection. It was only
the class who had despised the light from heaven that the Spirit of God could not
reach. And this class included, as I have stated, both those who refused to accept
the message when it was presented to them, and also those who, having received it,
afterward renounced their faith. mhese might have a form of godliness, and
profess to be followers of Christ, but having no living connection with God, they
would be taken captive by the delusions of Satan. mhese two classes are brought
to view in the vision, --- those who declared the light which they followed, a
delusion, and the wicked of the world who, having rejected the light, had been
rejected of God. No reference is made to those who had not seen the light, and
therefore were not guilty of its rejection.

In order to prove that I believed and taught the shut door doctrine, Mr.
---------- gives a quotation from the ~i
 of June 11, 1861, signed by nine of our
prominent members. mhe quotation reads as follows: "Our views of the work
before us were then mostly vague and indefinite, some still retaining the idea
adopted by the body of Advent believers in 1844 with William Miller at their head,
that our work for 'the world' was finished and that the message was confined to
those of the original Advent faith. So firmly was this believed, that one of our
number was nearly refused the message, the individual presenting it having doubts
of the possibility of his salvation because he was not in 'the '44 movement'".

mo this I need only to add that in the same meeting in which it was urged that
the message could not be given to this brother (J. H. Waggoner), a testimony was
given me through vision to encourage him to hope in God and to give his heart
fully to Jesus, which he did then and there.

c + ,- 

In another passage from the book c
   
  , I speak of
scenes upon the earth, and state that I there saw holy men of old: "Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob, Noah, Daniel, and many like them." (p. 16) Because I speak of having seen
these men, our opponents $  that I then believed in the immortality of the
soul, and that having since changed my views upon this point I found it necessary
to suppress that passage. mhey are as near the truth here as in other conjectures.

In the year 1844, I accepted the doctrine we now hold, concerning the
nonimmortality of the soul as may be seen by reference to
   pp.
170,171 (1880 edition. See also 1915 ed., p. 49; 

 Vol. 1 pp. 39,40),
and I have never, by voice or pen, advocated any other. Had we suppressed this
passage on account of its teaching the immortality of the soul, we would have
found it necessary to suppress other passages.

In relating my first vision, page 13 of 



 (1882 ed.; present ed., p.
17), I speak of having seen brethren who had but a short time previous fallen
asleep in Jesus, and on page 14 (present ed., p. 18) I state that I was shown a great
company who had suffered martyrdom for their faith.

mhe immortality of the soul is no more taught in the 'suppressed' passage than
in the two last cited.

mhe fact in the case is, that in these visions I was carried forward to the time
when the resurrected saints shall be gathered into the kingdom of God. In the
same manner the Judgment, the second coming of Christ, the establishment of the
saints upon the new earth have been presented before me. Does anyone suppose
that these scenes have yet transpired? My adversaries show the spirit by which
they are actuated in thus accusing me of deception on the strength of a mere
'conjecture.'

c S
.

In this quotation are also found the words: "I saw two long golden rods, on
which hung silver wires, and on the wires most glorious grapes."
 My opponents ridicule "that weak and childish expression of glorious grapes
growing on silver wires, and these wires attached to golden rods."

What motive impelled the writer of the above to misstate my words? I do not
state that grapes were 
 on silver wires. mhat which I beheld is described
as it appeared to me. It is not to be supposed that grapes were attached to silver
wires or golden rods, but that such was the appearance presented. Similar
expressions are daily employed by every person in ordinary conversation. When
we speak of golden fruit, we are not understood as declaring that the fruit is
composed of that precious metal, but simply that it has the appearance of gold.
mhe same rule applied to my words removes all excuse for misapprehension.

m   

Another 'suppression' reads as follows: "Well, bless the Lord, dear brethren
and sisters, it is an extra meeting for those who have the seal of the living God." (p.
17)

mhere is nothing in this that we do not still hold. Reference to our published
works will show our belief that the living righteous will receive the seal of God
prior to the close of probation. Also that these will enjoy special honors, in the
kingdom of God.


  
mhe following passage is said to be omitted from the vision related on pages
25-28 (pp. 32-35, present ed.) of 


: "And if one believed, and kept the
Sabbath, and received the blessing attending it, and then gave it up, and broke the
holy commandment, they would shut the gates of the Holy City against
themselves, as sure as there was a God that rules in heaven above." (p. 19)

"mhose who have clearly seen and fully accepted the truth upon the fourth
commandment and have received the blessing attending obedience, but have since
renounced their faith, and dared to violate the law of God, will find if they persist
in this path of disobedience, the gates of the city of God closed against them...."

mhere are two other passages said to be found in my first book, but not given
in my later writings. Concerning these I shall only say, when I can obtain a book
containing them, so that I can be assured of the correctness of the quotations and
can see for myself their connection, I shall be prepared to speak understandingly in
regard to them.

From the beginning of my work, I have been pursued by hatred, reproach, and
falsehood. Base imputations and slanderous reports have been greedily gathered
up and widely circulated by the rebellious, the formalist, and the fanatic. mhere
are ministers of the so-called orthodox churches traveling from place to place to
war against Seventh-day Adventists and they make Mrs. White their textbook.
mhe scoffers of the last days are led on by those ministers professing to be God's
watchmen.

mhe unbelieving world, the ministers of the fallen churches, and the First-day
Adventists are all united in the work of assailing Mrs. White. mhis warfare has
been kept up for nearly forty years, but I have not felt at liberty even to notice their
vile speeches, reproaches, and insinuations. And I would not now depart from this
custom, were it not that some honest souls may be misled by the enemies of the
truth who are so exultantly declaring me a deceiver. In the hope of helping the
minds of the honest, I make the statements that I do."
 

 " % &''(