12 A Sketch of the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. White
sight of Jesus, and fell off the path down in the dark and wicked world
below. Soon we heard the voice of God like many waters, which gave
us the day and hour of Jesus’ coming. The living saints, 144,000, in
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number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it
was thunder and an earthquake. 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.
The 144,000 were all sealed and perfectly united. On their fore-
heads was written, God, New Jerusalem, and a glorious Star containing
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 in prison,
when we would stretch forth the hand in the name of the Lord, and
the wicked 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 holy brethren with a holy kiss, and they
worshipped at our feet. 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. We all in solemn
silence gazed on the cloud as it drew nearer, and became lighter, glori-
ous, and still more glorious, till it was a great white cloud. The 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, on his head were crowns, his hair was white and curly and
lay on his shoulders. 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? Then the angels ceased to sing, and there was some
time of awful silence, when Jesus spoke. Those who have clean hands
and a pure heart shall be able to stand, my grace is sufficient for you.
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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. 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