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Counsels for the Church
voice is still heard today through the thousands of pages written by the
Lord’s chosen messenger, Ellen G. White.
The Vision of the Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan
The little schoolhouse in a village in the eastern part of America
was filled with men and women that Sunday afternoon in mid-March,
1858, as they gathered for a service. Elder James White conducted
the funeral of a young man, preaching the sermon. As he finished
speaking, Mrs. White felt impressed to say a few words to those
who mourned. She rose to her feet, spoke for a minute or two, and
then paused. The people looked up to catch the next words from her
lips. They were a bit startled by the exclamation of “Glory to God!”
repeated three times with increasing emphases. Mrs. White was in
vision.
Elder White told the people about the visions given to Mrs. White.
[11]
He explained that visions had been given to her since she was a young
woman of seventeen. He told them that although her eyes were open,
and it seemed as if she were watching something in the distance, she
was absolutely unconscious of her surroundings and knew nothing
of what was going on about her. He referred to
Numbers 24:4
and
Numbers 24:16
, where we read of one “which heard the words of God,
and know the knowledge of the Most High, which saw the vision of
the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open.”
He explained to the people that she did not breathe while in vision.
Then he turned to
Daniel 10:17
and read Daniel’s experience while in
vision: “There remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left
in me.” Elder White next invited those who cared to do so to come
forward and examine Mrs. White. He always gave freedom for such
an examination and was pleased if a physician was present who could
examine her while in vision.
As the people pressed close, they saw that Mrs. White did not
breathe, yet her heart continued to beat normally, and the color of her
cheeks was natural. A mirror was brought and held before her face,
but no moisture gathered on the mirror. Then they brought a candle
and lit it and held it close to her nose and mouth. But the flame stood
erect, without a flicker. The people could see that she did not breathe.
She walked about the room, moving her arms gracefully as she spoke