My First Vision
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taining Jesus’ new name. At our happy, holy state the wicked were
enraged, and would rush violently up to lay hands on us to thrust us
into prison, when we would stretch forth the hand in the name of the
Lord, and they would fall helpless to the ground. Then it was that
the synagogue of Satan knew that God had loved us, who could wash
one another’s feet, and salute the brethren with a holy kiss, and they
worshiped at our feet.
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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. In solemn silence we all gazed on the
cloud as it drew nearer, and became lighter, glorious, and still more
glorious, till it was a great white cloud. The bottom appeared like
fire; a rainbow was over the cloud, while around it were ten thousand
angels, singing a most lovely song; and upon it sat the Son of man. His
hair was white and curly and lay on His shoulders, and upon His head
were many crowns. His feet had the appearance of fire; in His right
hand was a sharp sickle, in His left a silver trumpet. His eyes were as
a flame of fire, which searched His children through and through.
Then all faces gathered paleness, and those that God had rejected
gathered blackness. Then we all cried out: “Who shall be able to
stand? Is my robe spotless?” The angels ceased to sing, and there was
a time of awful silence, when Jesus spoke: “Those who have clean
hands and pure hearts 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 sang again, while the cloud drew still
nearer the earth. Then Jesus’ silver trumpet sounded, as He descended
on the cloud, wrapped in flames of fire. He gazed on the graves of the
sleeping saints, then raised His eyes and hands to heaven, and cried:
“Awake! Awake! Awake! ye that sleep in the dust, and arise.” Then
there was a mighty earthquake. The graves opened, and the dead came
up clothed with immortality. The 144,000 shouted, “Alleluia!” 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.
We all entered the cloud together, and were seven days ascending
to the sea of glass, when Jesus brought the crowns, and with His own
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right hand placed them on our heads. He gave us harps of gold and
palms of victory. Here on the sea of glass the 144,000 stood in a