Introduction—The Prophetic Gift and Ellen G. White
xxxv
large gatherings, she became quite weak, as she had caught a severe
cold on the trip to the city. After one of the meetings she left for her
room discouraged and sick. She was thinking about pouring out her
soul before God and pleading for mercy and for health and strength.
[26]
She knelt by her chair, and in her own words, in telling about what
happened, she said:
“I had not uttered a word when the whole room seemed filled with
a soft silvery light, and my pain of disappointment and discouragement
was removed. I was filled with comfort and hope—the peace of Christ.”
And then she was given a vision. After the vision she did not wish
to sleep. She did not wish to rest. She was healed—she was rested.
In the morning a decision must be given. Could she go on to the
place where the next meetings were to be held, or must she go back
to her home at Battle Creek? A. T. Robinson, who had charge of the
work, and William White, Mrs. White’s son, called at her room to get
her answer. They found her dressed and well. She was ready to go.
She told of the healing. She told of the vision. She said, “I want to tell
you what was revealed to me last night. In the vision I seemed to be in
Battle Creek, and the angel messenger said, ‘Follow me.’” And then
she hesitated. She could not recall it to mind. Twice she attempted to
tell it, but could not recall what had been shown to her. In the days
that followed she wrote about what she was shown. It was about plans
being made for our religious liberty journal, then called the American
Sentinel.
“In the night season I was present in several councils, and there
I heard words repeated by influential men to the effect that if the
American Sentinel would drop the words ‘Seventh-day Adventist’
from its column, and would say nothing about the sabbath, the great
men of the world would patronize it; it would become popular, and do
a larger work. This looked very pleasing.
“I saw their countenances brighten, and they began to work on a
policy to make the Sentinel a popular success. The whole matter was
introduced by men who needed the truth in the chambers of the mind
and soul.”
It is clear that she saw a group of men discussing the editorial
policy of this paper. When the General Conference was opened in
March 1891, Mrs. White was asked to speak to the workers each
morning at half past five and to address the whole conference of 4,000