16 A Sketch of the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. White
viewing the glory of the Holy, Jesus raised the second vail, and I passed
into the Holy of Holies.
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. Their faces were turned towards each other, and they
looked downwards. Between the angels was a golden censer. Above
the ark, where the angels stood, was an exceeding bright glory, that
appeared like a throne where God dwelt. Jesus stood by the ark. And
as the saints’ prayers came up to Jesus, the incense in the censer would
smoke, and he offered up the prayers of the saints with the smoke of
the incense to his Father. 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. Jesus opened them, and I saw the ten commandments
written on them with the finger of God. On one table was four, and
on the other six. The 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. The 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. But the Pope had
changed it from the seventh to the first day of the week; for he was to
change times and laws.
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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 Temple in heaven; and it would read
thus: The 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.” 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.
I saw that God had children, who do not see and keep the Sabbath.
They 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