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The Ellen White Research Project |
Home Shut Door Visions 1844 Top 7 Plagiarism Health Articles Letters FAQ Search Order |
By the request of dear friends I have consented to give a brief
sketch of my experience and views, with the hope that it will
cheer and strengthen the humble, trusting children of the Lord.
At the age of eleven years I was converted, and when twelve years
old was baptized, and joined the Methodist Church. At the age
of thirteen I heard William Miller deliver his second course of
lectures in Portland, Maine. I then felt that I was not holy,
not ready to see Jesus. And when the invitation was given for
church members and sinners to come forward for prayers, I embraced
the first opportunity, for I knew that I must have a great work
done for me to fit me for heaven. My soul was thirsting for full
and free salvation, but knew not how to obtain it.
In 1842, I constantly attended the second advent meetings in Portland,
Maine, and fully believed that the Lord was coming. I was hungering
and thirsting for full salvation, an entire conformity to the
will of God. Day and night I was struggling to obtain this priceless
treasure, that all the riches of earth could not purchase. As
I was bowed before God praying for this blessing, the duty to
go and pray in a public prayer meeting was presented before me.
I had never prayed vocally in meeting, and drew back from the
duty, fearing that if I should attempt to pray I would be confounded.
Every time I went before the Lord in secret prayer this unfulfilled
duty presented itself, until I ceased to pray, and settled down
in a melancholy state, and finally in deep despair.
In this state of mind I remained for three weeks, with not one ray of light to pierce the thick clouds of darkness around me. I then had two dreams which gave me a faint ray of light and hope. After that I opened my mind to my devoted mother. She told me that I was not lost and advised me to go and see Brother Stockman, who then preached to the Advent people in Portland. I had great confidence in him, for he was a devoted and beloved servant of Christ. His words affected me and led me to hope. I returned home and again went before the Lord, and promised that I would do and suffer anything if I could have the smiles of Jesus. The same duty was presented. There was to be a prayer meeting that evening, which I attended, and when others knelt to pray, I bowed with them trembling, and after two or three had prayed, I opened my mouth in prayer before I was aware of it, and the promises of God looked to me like so many precious pearls that were to be received by only asking for them. As I prayed, the burden and agony of soul that I had so long felt left me, and the blessing of God came upon me like the gentle dew. I gave glory to God for what I felt, but I longed for more. I could not be satisfied till I was filled with the fullness of God. Inexpressible love for Jesus filled my soul. Wave after wave of glory rolled over me, until my body grew stiff. Everything was shut out from me but Jesus and glory, and I knew nothing of what was passing around me.
I remained in this state of body and mind a long time, and when
I realized what was around me, everything seemed changed. Everything
looked glorious and new, as if smiling and praising God. I was
then willing to confess Jesus everywhere. For six months not a
cloud of darkness passed over my mind. My soul was daily drinking
rich draughts of salvation. I thought that those who loved Jesus
would love His coming, so went to the class meeting and told them
what Jesus had done for me and what a fullness I enjoyed through
believing that the Lord was coming. The class leader interrupted
me, saying, "Through Methodism"; but I could not give
the glory to Methodism when it was Christ and the hope of His
soon coming that had made me free.
Most of my father's family were full believers in the advent,
and for bearing testimony to this glorious doctrine seven of us
were at one time cast out of the Methodist Church. At this time
the words of the prophet were exceedingly precious to us: "Your
brethren that hated you, that cast you out for My name's sake,
said, Let the Lord be glorified: but He shall appear to your joy,
and they shall be ashamed." Isa. 66:5.
From this time, up to December, 1844, my joys, trials, and disappointments
were like those of my dear Advent friends around me. At this time
I visited one of our Advent sisters, and in the morning we bowed
around the family altar. It was not an exciting occasion, and
there were but five of us present, all women. While I was praying,
the power of God came upon me as I had never felt it before. I
was wrapped in a vision of God's glory, and seemed to be rising
higher and higher from the earth, and was shown something of the
travels of the Advent people to the Holy City, as narrated below.
As God has shown me the travels of the Advent people to the Holy
City and the rich reward to be given those who wait the return
of their Lord from the wedding, it may be my duty to give you
a short sketch of what God has revealed to me. The dear saints
have many trials to pass through. But our light afflictions, which
are but for a moment, will work for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory--while we look not at the things which
are seen, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the
things which are not seen are eternal. I have tried to bring back
a good report and a few grapes from the heavenly Canaan, for which
many would stone me, as the congregation bade stone Caleb and
Joshua for their report. (Num. 14:10.) But I declare to you, my
brethren and sisters in the Lord, it is a goodly land, and we
are well able to go up and possess it.
While I was praying at the family altar, the Holy Ghost fell upon
me, and I seemed to be rising higher and higher, far above the
dark world. I turned to look for the Advent people in the world,
but could not find them, when a voice said to me, "Look again,
and look a little higher." At this I raised my eyes, and
saw a straight and narrow path, cast up high above the world.
On this path the Advent people were traveling to the city, which
was at the farther end of the path. They had a bright light set
up behind them at the beginning of the path, which an angel told
me was the midnight cry. This light shone all along the path and
gave light for their feet so that they might not stumble. If they
kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, who was just before them, leading
them to the city, they were safe. But soon some grew weary, and
said the city was a great way off, and they expected to have entered
it before. Then Jesus would encourage them by raising His glorious
right arm, and from His arm came a light which waved over the
Advent band, and they shouted, "Alleluia!" Others rashly
denied the light behind them and said that it was not God that
had led them out so far. The light behind them went out, leaving
their feet in perfect darkness, and they stumbled and lost sight
of the mark and of Jesus, and fell off the path down into 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 number, knew and understood the
voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.
When God spoke the time, He poured upon 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 foreheads
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 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.
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, 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?" Then the angels ceased to sing, and
there was some 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 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 perfect square. Some of them had very bright crowns, others not so bright. Some crowns appeared heavy with stars, while others had but few. All were perfectly satisfied with their crowns. And they were all clothed with a glorious white mantle from their shoulders to their feet. Angels were all about us as we marched over the sea of glass to the gate of the city. Jesus raised His mighty, glorious arm, laid hold of the pearly gate, swung it back on its glittering hinges, and said to us, "You have washed your robes in My blood, stood stiffly for My truth, enter in." We all marched in and felt that we had a perfect right in the city.
Here we saw the tree of life and the throne of God. Out of the
throne came a pure river of water, and on either side of the river
was the tree of life. On one side of the river was a trunk of
a tree, and a trunk on the other side of the river, both of pure,
transparent gold. At first I thought I saw two trees. I looked
again, and saw that they were united at the top in one tree. So
it was the tree of life on either side of the river of life. Its
branches bowed to the place where we stood, and the fruit was
glorious; it looked like gold mixed with silver.
We all went under the tree and sat down to look at the glory of
the place, when Brethren Fitch and Stockman, who had preached
the gospel of the kingdom, and whom God had laid in the grave
to save them, came up to us and asked us what we had passed through
while they were sleeping. We tried to call up our greatest trials,
but they looked so small compared with the far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory that surrounded us that we could not
speak them out, and we all cried out, "Alleluia, heaven is
cheap enough!" and we touched our glorious harps and made
heaven's arches ring.
With Jesus at our head we all descended from the city down to
this earth, on a great and mighty mountain, which could not bear
Jesus up, and it parted asunder, and there was a mighty plain.
Then we looked up and saw the great city, with twelve foundations,
and twelve gates, three on each side, and an angel at each gate.
We all cried out, "The city, the great city, it's coming,
it's coming down from God out of heaven," and it came and
settled on the place where we stood. Then we began to look at
the glorious things outside of the city. There I saw most glorious
houses, that had the appearance of silver, supported by four pillars
set with pearls most glorious to behold. These were to be inhabited
by the saints. In each was a golden shelf. I saw many of the saints
go into the houses, take off their glittering crowns and lay them
on the shelf, then go out into the field by the houses to do something
with the earth; not as we have to do with the earth here; no,
no. A glorious light shone all about their heads, and they were
continually shouting and offering praises to God.
I saw another field full of all kinds of flowers, and as I plucked
them, I cried out, "They will never fade." Next I saw
a field of tall grass, most glorious to behold; it was living
green and had a reflection of silver and gold, as it waved proudly
to the glory of King Jesus. Then we entered a field full of all
kinds of beasts--the lion, the lamb, the leopard, and the wolf,
all together in perfect union. We passed through the midst of
them, and they followed on peaceably after. Then we entered a
wood, not like the dark woods we have here; no, no; but light,
and all over glorious; the branches of the trees moved to and
fro, and we all cried out, "We will dwell safely in the wilderness
and sleep in the woods." We passed through the woods, for
we were on our way to Mount Zion.
As we were traveling along, we met a company who also were gazing
at the glories of the place. I noticed red as a border on their
garments; their crowns were brilliant; their robes were pure white.
As we greeted them, I asked Jesus who they were. He said they
were martyrs that had been slain for Him. With them was an innumerable
company of little ones; they also had a hem of red on their garments.
Mount Zion was just before us, and on the mount was a glorious
temple, and about it were seven other mountains, on which grew
roses and lilies. And I saw the little ones climb, or, if they
chose, use their little wings and fly, to the top of the mountains
and pluck the never-fading flowers. There were all kinds of trees
around the temple to beautify the place: the box, the pine, the
fir, the oil, the myrtle, the pomegranate, and the fig tree bowed
down with the weight of its timely figs--these made the place
all over glorious. And as we were about to enter the holy temple,
Jesus raised His lovely voice and said, "Only the 144,000
enter this place," and we shouted, "Alleluia."
This temple was supported by seven pillars, all of transparent
gold, set with pearls most glorious. The wonderful things I there
saw I cannot describe. Oh, that I could talk in the language of
Canaan, then could I tell a little of the glory of the better
world. I saw there tables of stone in which the names of the 144,000
were engraved in letters of gold. After we beheld the glory of
the temple, we went out, and Jesus left us and went to the city.
Soon we heard His lovely voice again, saying, "Come, My people,
you have come out of great tribulation, and done My will; suffered
for Me; come in to supper, for I will gird Myself, and serve you."
We shouted, "Alleluia! glory!" and entered into the
city. And I saw a table of pure silver; it was many miles in length,
yet our eyes could extend over it. I saw the fruit of the tree
of life, the manna, almonds, figs, pomegranates, grapes, and many
other kinds of fruit. I asked Jesus to let me eat of the fruit.
He said, "Not now. Those who eat of the fruit of this land
go back to earth no more. But in a little while, if faithful,
you shall both eat of the fruit of the tree of life and drink
of the water of the fountain." And He said, "You must
go back to the earth again and relate to others what I have revealed
to you." Then an angel bore me gently down to this dark world.
Sometimes I think I can stay here no longer; all things of earth
look so dreary. I feel very lonely here, for I have seen a better
land. Oh, that I had wings like a dove, then would I fly away
and be at rest! -
After I came out of vision, everything looked changed; a gloom
was spread over all that I beheld. Oh, how dark this world looked
to me. I wept when I found myself here, and felt homesick. I had
seen a better world, and it had spoiled this for me. I told the
view to our little band in Portland, who then fully believed it
to be of God. That was a powerful time. The solemnity of eternity
rested upon us. About one week after this the Lord gave me another
view and showed me the trials I must pass through, and that I
must go and relate to others what He had revealed to me, and that
I should meet with great opposition and suffer anguish of spirit
by going. But said the angel, "The grace of God is sufficient
for you; He will hold you up."
After I came out of this vision, I was exceedingly troubled. My
health was very poor, and I was but seventeen years old. I knew
that many had fallen through exaltation, and I knew that if I
in any way became exalted, God would leave me, and I should surely
be lost. I went to the Lord in prayer and begged Him to lay the
burden on someone else. It seemed to me that I could not bear
it. I lay upon my face a long time, and all the light I could
get was, "Make known to others what I have revealed to you."
In my next vision I earnestly begged of the Lord that, if I must
go and relate what He had shown to me, He would keep me from exaltation.
Then He showed me that my prayer was answered, and if I should
be in danger of exaltation His hand would be laid upon me, and
I would be afflicted with sickness. Said the angel, "If you
deliver the messages faithfully, and endure unto the end, you
shall eat of the fruit of the tree of life and drink of the water
of the river of life."
Soon it was reported all around that the visions were the result
of mesmerism, and many Adventists were ready to believe and circulate
the report. A physician who was a celebrated mesmerizer told me
that my views were mesmerism, that I was a very easy subject,
and that he could mesmerize me and give me a vision. I told him
that the Lord had shown me in vision that mesmerism was from the
devil, from the bottomless pit, and that it would soon go there,
with those who continued to use it. I then gave him liberty to
mesmerize me if he could. He tried for more than half an hour,
resorting to different operations, and then gave it up. By faith
in God I was able to resist his influence, so that it did not
affect me in the least.
If I had a vision in meeting, many would say that it was excitement
and that someone mesmerized me. Then I would go away alone in
the woods, where no eye or ear but God's could see or hear, and
pray to Him, and He would sometimes give me a vision there. I
then rejoiced, and told them what God had revealed to me alone,
where no mortal could influence me. But I was told by some that
I mesmerized myself. Oh, thought I, has it come to this that those
who honestly go to God alone to plead His promises and to claim
His salvation, are to be charged with being under the foul and
soul-damning influence of mesmerism? Do we ask our kind Father
in heaven for "bread," only to receive a "stone"
or a "scorpion"? These things wounded my spirit, and
wrung my soul in keen anguish, well-nigh to despair, while many
would have me believe that there was no Holy Ghost and that all
the exercises that holy men of God have experienced were only
mesmerism or the deceptions of Satan.
At this time there was fanaticism in Maine. Some refrained wholly
from labor and disfellowshiped all those who would not receive
their views on this point, and some other things which they held
to be religious duties. God revealed these errors to me in vision
and sent me to His erring children to declare them; but many of
them wholly rejected the message, and charged me with conforming
to the world. On the other hand, the nominal Adventists charged
me with fanaticism, and I was falsely, and by some wickedly, represented
as being the leader of the fanaticism that I was actually laboring
to correct. Different times were repeatedly set for the Lord to
come and were urged upon the brethren; but the Lord showed me
that they would all pass by, for the time of trouble must come
before the coming of Christ, and that every time that was set
and passed by would only weaken the faith of God's people. For
this I was charged with being with the evil servant that said
in his heart, "My Lord delayeth His coming."
All these things weighed heavily upon my spirits, and in the confusion
I was sometimes tempted to doubt my own experience. While at family
prayers one morning, the power of God began to rest upon me, and
the thought rushed into my mind that it was mesmerism, and I resisted
it. Immediately I was struck dumb and for a few moments was lost
to everything around me. I then saw my sin in doubting the power
of God, and that for so doing I was struck dumb, and that my tongue
would be loosed in less than twenty-four hours. A card was held
up before me, on which were written in letters of gold the chapter
and verse of fifty texts of Scripture. After I came out of vision,
I beckoned for the slate, and wrote upon it that I was dumb, also
what I had seen, and that I wished the large Bible. I took the
Bible and readily turned to all the texts that I had seen upon
the card. I was unable to speak all day. Early the next morning
my soul was filled with joy, and my tongue was loosed to shout
the high praises of God. After that I dared not doubt or for a
moment resist the power of God, however others might think of
me.
In 1846, while at Fairhaven, Massachusetts, my sister (who usually
accompanied me at that time), Sister A., Brother G., and myself
started in a sailboat to visit a family on West's Island. It was
almost night when we started. We had gone but a short distance
when a storm suddenly arose. It thundered and lightened, and the
rain came in torrents upon us. It seemed plain that we must be
lost, unless God should deliver.
I knelt down in the boat and began to cry to God to deliver us.
And there upon the tossing billows, while the water washed over
the top of the boat upon us, I was taken off in vision and saw
that sooner would every drop of water in the ocean be dried up
than we perish, for my work had but just begun. After I came out
of the vision all my fears were gone, and we sang and praised
God, and our little boat was to us a floating Bethel. The editor
of The Advent Herald has said that my visions were known to be
"the result of mesmeric operations." But, I ask, what
opportunity was there for mesmeric operations in such a time as
that? Brother G. had more than he could well do to manage the
boat. He tried to anchor, but the anchor dragged. Our little boat
was tossed upon the waves and driven by the wind, while it was
so dark that we could not see from one end of the boat to the
other. Soon the anchor held, and Brother G. called for help. There
were but two houses on the island, and it proved that we were
near one of them, but not the one where we wished to go. All the
family had retired to rest except a little child, who providentially
heard the call for help upon the water. Her father soon came to
our relief, and, in a small boat, took us to the shore. We spent
the most of that night in thanksgiving and praise to God for His
wonderful goodness unto us. -
And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until
the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest
not My words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. Luke 1:20.
All things that the Father hath are Mine: therefore said I, that
He shall take of Mine, and shall show it unto you. John 16:15.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak
with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:4.
And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto Thy servants,
that with all boldness they may speak Thy word, by stretching
forth Thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done
by the name of Thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed,
the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they
were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of
God with boldness. Acts 4:29-31.
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your
pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet,
and turn again and rend you. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek,
and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for
everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and
to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there
of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or
if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being
evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much
more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to
them that ask Him? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that
men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law
and the prophets. Beware of false prophets, which come to you
in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Matt.
7:6-12, 15.
For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall
show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible,
they shall deceive the very elect. Matt. 24:24.
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye
in Him: rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith,
as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware
lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after
the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not
after Christ. Col. 2:6-8.
Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense
of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done
the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little
while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now
the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul
shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw
back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of
the soul. Heb. 10:35-39.
For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from
his own works, as God did from His. Let us labor therefore to
enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example
of unbelief. For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper
than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder
of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner
of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Heb. 4:10-12. 26
Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a
good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
. . . Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel
of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent,
I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit,
with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; and
in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an
evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that
of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not
only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake. Phil.
1:6, 27-29.
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His
good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without
rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom
ye shine as lights in the world. Phil. 2:13-15.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power
of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able
to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against
the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness
in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God,
that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done
all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with
truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your
feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all,
taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench
all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Praying
always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching
thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
Eph. 6:10-18.
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Eph. 4:32.
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through
the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love
one another with a pure heart fervently. 1 Peter 1:22.
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as
I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall
all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to
another. John 13:34, 35.
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own
selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is
in you, except ye be reprobates? 2 Cor. 13:5.
According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise
master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth
thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is
Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold,
silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man's work
shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because
it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's
work of what sort it is. 1 Cor. 3:10-13.
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over
the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the
church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood. For
I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter
in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall
men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after
them. Acts 20:28-30.
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you
into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another;
but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel
of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any
other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you,
let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If
any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received,
let him be accursed. Gal. 1:6-9.
Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard
in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets
shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. And I say unto you My
friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that
have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye
shall fear: Fear Him, which after He hath killed hath power to
cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him. Are not five sparrows
sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before
God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear
not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. Luke 12:3-7.
For it is written, He shall give His angels charge over thee,
to keep thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest
at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Luke 4:10, 11.
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath
shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure
in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of
God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed;
we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken;
cast down, but not destroyed. 2 Cor. 4:6-9.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for
us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we
look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which
are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but
the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Cor. 4:17, 18.
Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation
ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice,
though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through
manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much
more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried
with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the
appearing of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:5-7.
For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. 1 Thess. 3:8.
And these things shall follow them that believe: In My name shall
they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they
shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it
shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they
shall recover. Mark 16:17, 18.
His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son,
and that he was born blind: but by what means he now seeth, we
know not; or who hath opened his eyes we know not: he is of age;
ask him: he shall speak for himself. These words spake his parents,
because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already,
that if any man did confess that He was Christ, he should be put
out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, He is of age;
ask him. Then again called they the man that was blind, and said
unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this Man is a sinner.
He answered and said, Whether He be a sinner or no, I know not:
one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. Then said
they to him again, What did He to thee? how opened He thine eyes?
He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear:
wherefore would ye hear it again? Would ye also be His disciples?
John 9:20-27.
And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the
Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in
My name, I will do it. If ye love Me, keep My commandments. John
14:13-15.
If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what
ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is My Father glorified,
that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples. John 15:7,
8.
And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit;
and he cried out, saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with
Thee, Thou Jesus of Nazareth? art Thou come to destroy us? I know
Thee who Thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him,
saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. Mark 1:23-25.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels,
nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things
to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall
be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8:38, 39.
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These things
saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of
David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and
no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee
an open door, and no man can shut it; for thou hast a little strength,
and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name. Behold, I
will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews,
and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and
worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because
thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee
from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world,
to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly:
hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him
that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God,
and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name
of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is New Jerusalem,
which cometh down out of heaven from My God: and I will write
upon him My new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches. Rev. 3:7-13.
These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are
virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He
goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits
unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile:
for they are without fault before the throne of God. Rev. 14:4,
5.
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for
the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Phil. 3:20.
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold,
the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and
hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter
rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming
of the Lord draweth nigh. James 5:7, 8.
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like
unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is
able even to subdue all things unto Himself. Phil. 3:21.
And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one
sat like unto the Son of man, having on His head a golden crown,
and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of
the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him that sat on the cloud,
Thrust in Thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for Thee
to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And He that sat
on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth
was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is
in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. Rev. 14:14-17.
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. Heb. 4:9.
And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from
God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev. 21:2.
And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion, and with
Him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father's name
written in their foreheads. Rev. 14:1.
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal,
proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst
of the street of life, and on either side of the river, was there
the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded
her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the
healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but
the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants
shall serve Him. And they shall see His face; and His name shall
be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and
they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord giveth
them light: and they shall reign forever and ever. Rev. 22:1-5.
The Lord gave me the following view in 1847, while the brethren
were assembled on the Sabbath, at Topsham, Maine.
We felt an unusual spirit of prayer. And as we prayed the Holy
Ghost fell upon us. We were very happy. Soon I was lost to earthly
things and was wrapped in a vision of God's glory. I saw an angel
flying swiftly to me. He quickly carried me from the earth to
the Holy City. In the city I saw a temple, which I entered. I
passed through a door before I came to the first veil. This veil
was raised, and I passed into the holy place. Here I saw the altar
of incense, the candlestick with seven lamps, and the table on
which was the shewbread. After viewing the glory of the holy,
Jesus raised the second veil 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 its wings
spread out over it. Their faces were turned toward each other,
and they looked downward. 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 Him, the incense
in the censer would smoke, and He would offer up their prayers
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 were 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 commandment was not nailed to the cross.
If it was, the other nine commandments were; and we are at liberty
to 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.
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 on 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 have not rejected the light upon it. And at the commencement
of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as
we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully. This enraged
the churches and nominal Adventists, as they could not refute
the Sabbath truth. And at this time God's chosen all saw clearly
that we had the truth, and they came out and endured the persecution
with us. I saw the sword, famine, pestilence, and great confusion
in the land. The wicked thought that we had brought the judgments
upon them, and they rose up and took counsel to rid the earth
of us, thinking that then the evil would be stayed.
In the time of trouble we all fled from the cities and villages,
but were pursued by the wicked, who entered the houses of the
saints with a sword. They raised the sword to kill us, but it
broke, and fell as powerless as a straw. Then we all cried day
and night for deliverance, and the cry came up before God. The
sun came up, and the moon stood still. The streams ceased to flow.
Dark, heavy clouds came up and clashed against each other. But
there was one clear place of settled glory, whence came the voice
of God like many waters, which shook the heavens and the earth.
The sky opened and shut and was in commotion. The mountains shook
like a reed in the wind, and cast out ragged rocks all around.
The sea boiled like a pot and cast out stones upon the land. And
as God spoke the day and the hour of Jesus' coming and delivered
the everlasting covenant to His people, He spoke one sentence,
and then paused, while the words were rolling through the earth.
The Israel of God stood with their eyes fixed upward, listening
to the words as they came from the mouth of Jehovah, and rolled
through the earth like peals of loudest thunder. It was awfully
solemn. And at the end of every sentence the saints shouted, "Glory!
Alleluia!" Their countenances were lighted up with the glory
of God; and they shone with the glory, as did the face of Moses
when he came down from Sinai. The wicked could not look on them
for the glory. And when the never-ending blessing was pronounced
on those who had honored God in keeping His Sabbath holy, there
was a mighty shout of victory over the beast and over his image.
Then commenced the jubilee, when the land should rest. I saw the
pious slave rise in triumph and victory and shake off the chains
that bound him, while his wicked master was in confusion and knew
not what to do; for the wicked could not understand the words
of the voice of God. Soon appeared the great white cloud. It looked
more lovely than ever before. On it sat the Son of man. At first
we did not see Jesus on the cloud, but as it drew near the earth
we could behold His lovely person. This cloud, when it first appeared,
was the sign of the Son of man in heaven. The voice of the Son
of God called forth the sleeping saints, clothed with glorious
immortality. The living saints were changed in a moment and were
caught up with them into the cloudy chariot. It looked all over
glorious as it rolled upward. On either side of the chariot were
wings, and beneath it wheels. And as the chariot rolled upward,
the wheels cried, "Holy," and the wings, as they moved,
cried, "Holy," and the retinue of holy angels around
the cloud cried, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!"
And the saints in the cloud cried, "Glory! Alleluia!"
And the chariot rolled upward to the Holy City. Jesus threw open
the gates of the golden city and led us in. Here we were made
welcome, for we had kept the "commandments of God,"
and had a "right to the tree of life."
At the commencement of the holy Sabbath, January 5, 1849, we engaged
in prayer with Brother Belden's family at Rocky Hill, Connecticut,
and the Holy Ghost fell upon us. I was taken off in vision to
the most holy place, where I saw Jesus still interceding for Israel.
On the bottom of His garment was a bell and a pomegranate. Then
I saw that Jesus would not leave the most holy place until every
case was decided either for salvation or destruction, and that
the wrath of God could not come until Jesus had finished His work
in the most holy place, laid off His priestly attire, and clothed
Himself with the garments of vengeance. Then Jesus will step out
from between the Father and man, and God will keep silence no
longer, but pour out His wrath on those who have rejected His
truth. I saw that the anger of the nations, the wrath of God,
and the time to judge the dead were separate and distinct, one
following the other, also that Michael had not stood up, and that
the time of trouble, such as never was, had not yet commenced.
The nations are now getting angry, but when our High Priest has
finished His work in the sanctuary, He will stand up, put on the
garments of vengeance, and then the seven last plagues will be
poured out.
I saw that the four angels would hold the four winds until Jesus'
work was done in the sanctuary, and then will come the seven last
plagues. These plagues enraged the wicked against the righteous;
they thought that we had brought the judgments of God upon them,
and that if they could rid the earth of us, the plagues would
then be stayed. A decree went forth to slay the saints, which
caused them to cry day and night for deliverance. This was the
time of Jacob's trouble. Then all the saints cried out with anguish
of spirit, and were delivered by the voice of God. The 144,000
triumphed. Their faces were lighted up with the glory of God.
Then I was shown a company who were howling in agony. On their
garments was written in large characters, "Thou art weighed
in the balance, and found wanting." I asked who this company
were. The angel said, "These are they who have once kept
the Sabbath and have given it up." I heard them cry with
a loud voice, "We have believed in Thy coming, and taught
it with energy." And while they were speaking, their eyes
would fall upon their garments and see the writing, and then they
would wail aloud. I saw that they had drunk of the deep waters,
and fouled the residue with their feet--trodden the Sabbath underfoot--
and that was why they were weighed in the balance and found wanting.
Then my attending angel directed me to the city again, where I
saw four angels winging their way to the gate of the city. They
were just presenting the golden card to the angel at the gate
when I saw another angel flying swiftly from the direction of
the most excellent glory, and crying with a loud voice to the
other angels, and waving something up and down in his hand. I
asked my attending angel for an explanation of what I saw. He
told me that I could see no more then, but he would shortly show
me what those things that I then saw meant.
Sabbath afternoon one of our number was sick, and requested prayers
that he might be healed. We all united in applying to the Physician
who never lost a case, and while healing power came down, and
the sick was healed, the Spirit fell upon me, and I was taken
off in vision.
I saw four angels who had a work to do on the earth, and were
on their way to accomplish it. Jesus was clothed with priestly
garments. He gazed in pity on the remnant, then raised His hands,
and with a voice of deep pity cried, "My blood, Father, My
blood, My blood, My blood!" Then I saw an exceeding bright
light come from God, who sat upon the great white throne, and
was shed all about Jesus. Then I saw an angel with a commission
from Jesus, swiftly flying to the four angels who had a work to
do on the earth, and waving something up and down in his hand,
and crying with a loud voice, "Hold! Hold! Hold! Hold! until
the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads."
I asked my accompanying angel the meaning of what I heard, and
what the four angels were about to do. He said to me that it was
God that restrained the powers, and that He gave His angels charge
over things on the earth; that the four angels had power from
God to hold the four winds, and that they were about to let them
go; but while their hands were loosening, and the four winds were
about to blow, the merciful eye of Jesus gazed on the remnant
that were not sealed, and He raised His hands to the Father and
pleaded with Him that He had spilled His blood for them. Then
another angel was commissioned to fly swiftly to the four angels
and bid them hold, until the servants of God were sealed with
the seal of the living God in their foreheads.
I have seen the tender love that God has for His people, and it
is very great. I saw angels over the saints with their wings spread
about them. Each saint had an attending angel. If the saints wept
through discouragement, or were in danger, the angels that ever
attended them would fly quickly upward to carry the tidings, and
the angels in the city would cease to sing. Then Jesus would commission
another angel to descend to encourage, watch over, and try to
keep them from going out of the narrow path; but if they did not
take heed to the watchful care of these angels, and would not
be comforted by them, but continued to go astray, the angels would
look sad and weep. They would bear the tidings upward, and all
the angels in the city would weep, and then with a loud voice
say, "Amen." But if the saints fixed their eyes upon
the prize before them and glorified God by praising Him, then
the angels would bear the glad tidings to the city, and the angels
in the city would touch their golden harps and sing with a loud
voice, "Alleluia!" and the heavenly arches would ring
with their lovely songs.
There is perfect order and harmony in the Holy City. All the angels
that are commissioned to visit the earth hold a golden card, which
they present to the angels at the gates of the city as they pass
in and out. Heaven is a good place. I long to be there and behold
my lovely Jesus, who gave His life for me, and be changed into
His glorious image. Oh, for language to express the glory of the
bright world to come! I thirst for the living streams that make
glad the city of our God.
The Lord has given me a view of other worlds. Wings were given
me, and an angel attended me from the city to a place that was
bright and glorious. The grass of the place was living green,
and the birds there warbled a sweet song. The inhabitants of the
place were of all sizes; they were noble, majestic, and lovely.
They bore the express image of Jesus, and their countenances beamed
with holy joy, expressive of the freedom and happiness of the
place. I asked one of them why they were so much more lovely than
those on the earth. The reply was, "We have lived in strict
obedience to the commandments of God, and have not fallen by disobedience,
like those on the earth." Then I saw two trees, one looked
much like the tree of life in the city. The fruit of both looked
beautiful, but of one they could not eat. They had power to eat
of both, but were forbidden to eat of one. Then my attending angel
said to me, "None in this place have tasted of the forbidden
tree; but if they should eat, they would fall." Then I was
taken to a world which had seven moons. There I saw good old Enoch,
who had been translated. On his right arm he bore a glorious palm,
and on each leaf was written "Victory." Around his head
was a dazzling white wreath, and leaves on the wreath, and in
the middle of each leaf was written "Purity," and around
the wreath were stones of various colors, that shone brighter
than the stars, and cast a reflection upon the letters and magnified
them. On the back part of his head was a bow that confined the
wreath, and upon the bow was written "Holiness." Above
the wreath was a lovely crown that shone brighter than the sun.
I asked him if this was the place he was taken to from the earth.
He said, "It is not; the city is my home, and I have come
to visit this place." He moved about the place as if perfectly
at home. I begged of my attending angel to let me remain in that
place. I could not bear the thought of coming back to this dark
world again. Then the angel said, "You must go back, and
if you are faithful, you, with the 144,000, shall have the privilege
of visiting all the worlds and viewing the handiwork of God."
December 16, 1848, the Lord gave me a view of the shaking of the
powers of the heavens. I saw that when the Lord said "heaven,"
in giving the signs recorded by Matthew, Mark, and Luke, He meant
heaven, and when He said "earth" He meant earth. The
powers of heaven are the sun, moon, and stars. They rule in the
heavens. The powers of earth are those that rule on the earth.
The powers of heaven will be shaken at the voice of God. Then
the sun, moon, and stars will be moved out of their places. They
will not pass away, but be shaken by the voice of God.
Dark, heavy clouds came up and clashed against each other. The
atmosphere parted and rolled back; then we could look up through
the open space in Orion, whence came the voice of God. The Holy
City will come down through that open space. I saw that the powers
of earth are now being shaken and that events come in order. War,
and rumors of war, sword, famine, and pestilence are first to
shake the powers of earth, then the voice of God will shake the
sun, moon, and stars, and this earth also. I saw that the shaking
of the powers in Europe is not, as some teach, the shaking of
the powers of heaven, but it is the shaking of the angry nations.
Sabbath, March 24, 1849, we had a sweet and very interesting meeting
with the brethren at Topsham, Maine. The Holy Ghost was poured
out upon us, and I was taken off in the Spirit to the city of
the living God. Then I was shown that the commandments of God
and the testimony of Jesus Christ relating to the shut door could
not be separated, and that the time for the commandments of God
to shine out with all their importance, and for God's people to
be tried on the Sabbath truth, was when the door was opened in
the most holy place in the heavenly sanctuary, where the ark is,
in which are contained the ten commandments. This door was not
opened until the mediation of Jesus was finished in the holy place
of the sanctuary in 1844. Then Jesus rose up and shut the door
of the holy place, and opened the door into the most holy, and
passed within the second veil, where He now stands by the ark,
and where the faith of Israel now reaches.
I saw that Jesus had shut the door of the holy place, and no man
can open it; and that He had opened the door into the most holy,
and no man can shut it (Rev. 3:7,8); and that since Jesus has
opened the door into the most holy place, which contains the ark,
the commandments have been shining out to God's people, and they
are being tested on the Sabbath question.
I saw that the present test on the Sabbath could not come until
the mediation of Jesus in the holy place was finished and He had
passed within the second veil; therefore Christians who fell asleep
before the door was opened into the most holy, when the midnight
cry was finished, at the seventh month, 1844, and who had not
kept the true Sabbath, now rest in hope; for they had not the
light and the test on the Sabbath which we now have since that
door was opened. I saw that Satan was tempting some of God's people
on this point. Because so many good Christians have fallen asleep
in the triumphs of faith and have not kept the true Sabbath, they
were doubting about its being a test for us now.
The enemies of the present truth have been trying to open the
door of the holy place, that Jesus has shut, and to close the
door of the most holy place, which He opened in 1844, where the
ark is, containing the two tables of stone on which are written
the ten commandments by the finger of Jehovah.
Satan is now using every device in this sealing time to keep the
minds of God's people from the present truth and to cause them
to waver. I saw a covering that God was drawing over His people
to protect them in the time of trouble; and every soul that was
decided on the truth and was pure in heart was to be covered with
the covering of the Almighty.
Satan knew this, and he was at work in mighty power to keep the
minds of as many people as he possibly could wavering and unsettled
on the truth. I saw that the mysterious knocking in New York and
other places was the power of Satan, and that such things would
be more and more common, clothed in a religious garb so as to
lull the deceived to greater security and to draw the minds of
God's people, if possible, to those things and cause them to doubt
the teachings and power of the Holy Ghost.
I saw that Satan was working through agents in a number of ways.
He was at work through ministers who have rejected the truth and
are given over to strong delusions to believe a lie that they
might be damned. While they were preaching or praying, some would
fall prostrate and helpless, not by the power of the Holy Ghost,
but by the power of Satan breathed upon these agents, and through
them to the people. While preaching, praying, or conversing, some
professed Adventists who had rejected present truth used mesmerism
to gain adherents, and the people would rejoice in this influence,
for they thought it was the Holy Ghost. Some even that used it
were so far in the darkness and deception of the devil that they
thought it was the power of God, given them to exercise. They
had made God altogether such a one as themselves and had valued
His power as a thing of nought.
Some of these agents of Satan were affecting the bodies of some
of the saints--those whom they could not deceive and draw away
from the truth by a Satanic influence. Oh, that all could get
a view of it as God revealed it to me, that they might know more
of the wiles of Satan and be on their guard! I saw that Satan
was at work in these ways to distract, deceive, and draw away
God's people, just now in this sealing time. I saw some who were
not standing stiffly for present truth. Their knees were trembling,
and their feet sliding, because they were not firmly planted on
the truth, and the covering of Almighty God could not be drawn
over them while they were thus trembling.
Satan was trying his every art to hold them where they were, until
the sealing was past, until the covering was drawn over God's
people, and they left without a shelter from the burning wrath
of God, in the seven last plagues. God has begun to draw this
covering over His people, and it will soon be drawn over all who
are to have a shelter in the day of slaughter. God will work in
power for His people; and Satan will be permitted to work also.
I saw that the mysterious signs and wonders and false reformations
would increase and spread. The reformations that were shown me
were not reformations from error to truth. My accompanying angel
bade me look for the travail of soul for sinners as used to be.
I looked, but could not see it; for the time for their salvation
is past.
In this time of trial we need to be encouraged and comforted by
one another. The temptations of Satan are greater now than ever
before, for he knows that his time is short and that very soon
every case will be decided, either for life or for death. It is
no time now to sink down beneath discouragement and trial; we
must bear up under all our afflictions and trust wholly in the
Almighty God of Jacob. The Lord has shown me that His grace is
sufficient for all our trials; and although they are greater than
ever before, yet if we trust wholly in God, we can overcome every
temptation and through His grace come off victorious.
If we overcome our trials and get victory over the temptations
of Satan, then we endure the trial of our faith, which is more
precious than gold, and are stronger and better prepared to meet
the next. But if we sink down and give way to the temptations
of Satan, we shall grow weaker and get no reward for the trial
and shall not be so well prepared for the next. In this way we
shall grow weaker and weaker, until we are led captive by Satan
at his will. We must have on the whole armor of God and be ready
at any moment for a conflict with the powers of darkness. When
temptations and trials rush in upon us, let us go to God and agonize
with Him in prayer. He will not turn us away empty, but will give
us grace and strength to overcome, and to break the power of the
enemy. Oh, that all could see these things in their true light
and endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus! Then would Israel
move forward, strong in God, and in the power of His might.
God has shown me that He gave His people a bitter cup to drink,
to purify and cleanse them. It is a bitter draught, and they can
make it still more bitter by murmuring, complaining, and repining.
But those who receive it thus must have another draught, for the
first does not have its designed effect upon the heart. And if
the second does not effect the work, then they must have another,
and another, until it does have its designed effect, or they will
be left filthy, impure in heart. I saw that this bitter cup can
be sweetened by patience, endurance, and prayer, and that it will
have its designed effect upon the hearts of those who thus receive
it, and God will be honored and glorified. It is no small thing
to be a Christian and to be owned and approved of God. The Lord
has shown me some who profess the present truth, whose lives do
not correspond with their profession. They have the standard of
piety altogether too low, and they come far short of Bible holiness.
Some engage in vain and unbecoming conversation, and others give
way to the risings of self. We must not expect to please ourselves,
live and act like the world, have its pleasures, and enjoy the
company of those who are of the world, and reign with Christ in
glory.
We must be partakers of Christ's sufferings here if we would share
in His glory hereafter. If we seek our own interest, how we can
best please ourselves, instead of seeking to please God and advance
His precious, suffering cause, we shall dishonor God and the holy
cause we profess to love. We have but a little space of time left
in which to work for God. Nothing should be too dear to sacrifice
for the salvation of the scattered and torn flock of Jesus. Those
who make a covenant with God by sacrifice now will soon be gathered
home to share a rich reward and possess the new kingdom forever
and ever.
Oh, let us live wholly for the Lord and show by a well-ordered
life and godly conversation that we have been with Jesus and are
His meek and lowly followers. We must work while the day lasts,
for when the dark night of trouble and anguish comes, it will
be too late to work for God. Jesus is in His holy temple and will
now accept our sacrifices, our prayers, and our confessions of
faults and sins and will pardon all the transgressions of Israel,
that they may be blotted out before He leaves the sanctuary. When
Jesus leaves the sanctuary, then they who are holy and righteous
will be holy and righteous still; for all their sins will then
be blotted out, and they will be sealed with the seal of the living
God. But those that are unjust and filthy will be unjust and filthy
still; for then there will be no Priest in the sanctuary to offer
their sacrifices, their confessions, and their prayers before
the Father's throne. Therefore what is done to rescue souls from
the coming storm of wrath must be done before Jesus leaves the
most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. -
The Lord gave me a view, January 26, 1850, which I will relate.
I saw that some of the people of God are stupid and dormant and
but half awake; they do not realize the time we are now living
in, and that the man with the "dirt brush" has entered,
and that some are in danger of being swept away. I begged of Jesus
to save them, to spare them a little longer, and let them see
their awful danger, that they might get ready before it should
be forever too late. The angel said, "Destruction is coming
like a mighty whirlwind." I begged of the angel to pity and
to save those who loved this world, who were attached to their
possessions and were not willing to cut loose from them and sacrifice
to speed the messengers on their way to feed the hungry sheep
who were perishing for want of spiritual food.
As I viewed poor souls dying for want of the present truth, and
some who professed to believe the truth were letting them die
by withholding the necessary means to carry forward the work of
God, the sight was too painful, and I begged of the angel to remove
it from me. I saw that when the cause of God called for some of
their property, like the young man who came to Jesus (Matt. 19:16-22)
they went away sorrowful, and that soon the overflowing scourge
would pass over and sweep their possessions all away, and then
it would be too late to sacrifice earthly goods, and lay up a
treasure in heaven.
I then saw the glorious Redeemer, beautiful and lovely; that He
left the realms of glory and came to this dark and lonely world
to give His precious life and die, the just for the unjust. He
bore the cruel mocking and scourging, wore the plaited crown of
thorns, and sweat great drops of blood in the garden, while the
burden of the sins of the whole world was upon Him. The angel
asked, "What for?" Oh, I saw and knew that it was for
us; for our sins He suffered all this, that by His precious blood
He might redeem us unto God!
Then again was held up before me those who were not willing to
dispose of this world's goods to save perishing souls by sending
them the truth while Jesus stands before the Father pleading His
blood, His sufferings, and His death for them; and while God's
messengers are waiting, ready to carry them the saving truth that
they might be sealed with the seal of the living God. It is hard
for some who profess to believe the present truth to do even so
little as to hand the messengers God's own money that He has lent
them to be stewards over.
The suffering Jesus, His love so deep as to lead Him to give His
life for man, was again held up before me; also the lives of those
who professed to be His followers, who had this world's goods,
but considered it so great a thing to help the cause of salvation.
The angel said, "Can such enter heavens?" Another angel
answered, "No, never, never, never. Those who are not interested
in the cause of God on earth can never sing the song of redeeming
love above." I saw that the quick work that God was doing
on the earth would soon be cut short in righteousness and that
the messengers must speed swiftly on their way to search out the
scattered flock. An angel said, "Are all messengers?"
Another answered, "No, no; God's messengers have a message."
I saw that the cause of God had been hindered and dishonored by
some traveling who had no message from God. Such will have to
give an account to God for every dollar they have used in traveling
where it was not their duty to go, because that money might have
helped on the cause of God; and for the lack of the spiritual
food that might have been given them by God's called and chosen
messengers, had they had the means, souls have starved and died.
I saw that those who have strength to labor with their hands and
help sustain the cause were as accountable for their strength
as others were for their property.
The mighty shaking has commenced and will go on, and all will
be shaken out who are not willing to take a bold and unyielding
stand for the truth and to sacrifice for God and His cause. The
angel said, "Think ye that any will be compelled to sacrifice?
No, no. It must be a freewill offering. It will take all to buy
the field." I cried to God to spare His people, some of whom
were fainting and dying. Then I saw that the judgments of the
Almighty were speedily coming, and I begged of the angel to speak
in his language to the people. Said he, "All the thunders
and lightnings of Mount Sinai would not move those who will not
be moved by the plain truths of the Word of God, neither would
an angel's message awake them."
I then beheld the beauty and loveliness of Jesus. His robe was
whiter than the whitest white. No language can describe His glory
and exalted loveliness. All, all who keep the commandments of
God, will enter in through the gates into the city and have right
to the tree of life and ever be in the presence of the lovely
Jesus, whose countenance shines brighter than the sun at noonday.
I was pointed to Adam and Eve in Eden. They partook of the forbidden
tree and were driven from the garden, and then the flaming sword
was placed around the tree of life, lest they should partake of
its fruit and be immortal sinners. The tree of life was to perpetuate
immortality. I heard an angel ask, "Who of the family of
Adam have passed the flaming sword and have partaken of the tree
of life?" I heard another angel answer, "Not one of
Adam's family has passed that flaming sword and partaken of that
tree; therefore there is not an immortal sinner. The soul that
sinneth it shall die an everlasting death--a death that will last
forever, from which there will be no hope of a resurrection; and
then the wrath of God will be appeased.
"The saints will rest in the Holy City and reign as kings and priests one thousand years; then Jesus will descend with the saints upon the Mount of Olives, and the mount will part asunder and become a mighty plain for the Paradise of God to rest upon. The rest of the earth will not be cleansed until the end of the one thousand years, when the wicked dead are raised, and gather up around the city. The feet of the wicked will never desecrate the earth made n
them--burn them up root and branch. Satan is the root, and his
children are the branches. The same fire that will devour the
wicked will purify the earth." -
At the general conference of believers in the present truth, held
at Sutton, Vermont, September, 1850, I was shown that the seven
last plagues will be poured out after Jesus leaves the sanctuary.
Said the angel, "It is the wrath of God and the Lamb that
causes the destruction or death of the wicked. At the voice of
God the saints will be mighty and terrible as an army with banners,
but they will not then execute the judgment written. The execution
of the judgment will be at the close of the one thousand years."
After the saints are changed to immortality and caught up together
with Jesus, after they receive their harps, their robes, and their
crowns, and enter the city, Jesus and the saints sit in judgment.
The books are opened--the book of life and the book of death.
The book of life contains the good deeds of the saints; and the
book of death contains the evil deeds of the wicked. These books
are compared with the statute book, the Bible, and according to
that men are judged. The saints, in unison with Jesus, pass their
judgment upon the wicked dead. "Behold ye," said the
angel, "the saints, in unison with Jesus, sit in judgment,
and mete out to the wicked according to the deeds done in the
body, and that which they must receive at the execution of the
judgment is set off against their names." This, I saw, was
the work of the saints with Jesus through the one thousand years
in the Holy City before it descends to the earth. Then at the
close of the one thousand years, Jesus, with the angels and all
the saints, leaves the Holy City, and while He is descending to
the earth with them, the wicked dead are raised, and then the
very men that "pierced Him," being raised, will see
Him afar off in all His glory, the angels and saints with Him,
and will wail because of Him. They will see the prints of the
nails in His hands and in His feet, and where they thrust the
spear into His side. The prints of the nails and the spear will
then be His glory. It is at the close of the one thousand years
that Jesus stands upon the Mount of Olives, and the mount parts
asunder and becomes a mighty plain. Those who flee at that time
are the wicked, who have just been raised. Then the Holy City
comes down and settles on the plain. Satan then imbues the wicked
with his spirit. He flatters them that the army in the city is
small, and that his army is large, and that they can overcome
the saints and take the city.
While Satan was rallying his army, the saints were in the city,
beholding the beauty and glory of the Paradise of God. Jesus was
at their head, leading them. All at once the lovely Saviour was
gone from our company; but soon we heard His lovely voice, saying,
"Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world." We gathered about
Jesus, and just as He closed the gates of the city, the curse
was pronounced upon the wicked. The gates were shut. Then the
saints used their wings and mounted to the top of the wall of
the city. Jesus was also with them; His crown looked brilliant
and glorious. It was a crown within a crown, seven in number.
The crowns of the saints were of the most pure gold, decked with
stars. Their faces shone with glory, for they were in the express
image of Jesus; and as they arose and moved all together to the
top of the city, I was enraptured with the sight.
Then the wicked saw what they had lost; and fire was breathed from God upon them and consumed them. This was the execution of the judgment. The wicked then received according as the saints, in unison with Jesus, had meted out to them during the one thousand years. The same fire from God that consumed the wicked purified the whole earth. The broken, ragged mountains melted with fervent heat, the atmosphere also, and all the stubble was consumed. Then our inheritance opened before us, glorious and beautiful, and we inherited the whole earth made new.
I saw a throne, and on it sat the Father and the Son. I gazed
on Jesus' countenance and admired His lovely person. The Father's
person I could not behold, for a cloud of glorious light covered
Him. I asked Jesus if His Father had a form like Himself. He said
He had, but I could not behold it, for said He, "If you should
once behold the glory of His person, you would cease to exist."
Before the throne I saw the Advent people--the church and the
world. I saw two companies, one bowed down before the throne,
deeply interested, while the other stood uninterested and careless.
Those who were bowed before the throne would offer up their prayers
and look to Jesus; then He would look to His Father, and appear
to be pleading with Him. A light would come from the Father to
the Son and from the Son to the praying company. Then I saw an
exceeding bright light come from the Father to the Son, and from
the Son it waved over the people before the throne. But few would
receive this great light. Many came out from under it and immediately
resisted it; others were careless and did not cherish the light,
and it moved off from them. Some cherished it, and went and bowed
down with the little praying company. This company all received
the light and rejoiced in it, and their countenances shone with
its glory.
I saw the Father rise from the throne, and in a flaming chariot
go into the holy of holies within the veil, and sit down. Then
Jesus rose up from the throne, and the most of those who were
bowed down arose with Him. I did not see one ray of light pass
from Jesus to the careless multitude after He arose, and they
were left in perfect darkness. Those who arose when Jesus did,
kept their eyes fixed on Him as He left the throne and led them
out a little way. Then He raised His right arm, and we heard His
lovely voice saying, "Wait here; I am going to My Father
to receive the kingdom; keep your garments spotless, and in a
little while I will return from the wedding and receive you to
Myself." Then a cloudy chariot, with wheels like flaming
fire, surrounded by angels, came to where Jesus was. He stepped
into the chariot and was borne to the holiest, where the Father
sat. There I beheld Jesus, a great High Priest, standing before
the Father. On the hem of His garment was a bell and a pomegranate,
a bell and a pomegranate. Those who rose up with Jesus would send
up their faith to Him in the holiest, and pray, "My Father,
give us Thy Spirit." Then Jesus would breathe upon them the
Holy Ghost. In that breath was light, power, and much love, joy,
and peace. 56
I turned to look at the company who were still bowed before the
throne; they did not know that Jesus had left it. Satan appeared
to be by the throne, trying to carry on the work of God. I saw
them look up to the throne, and pray, "Father, give us Thy
Spirit." Satan would then breathe upon them an unholy influence;
in it there was light and much power, but no sweet love, joy,
and peace. Satan's object was to keep them deceived and to draw
back and deceive God's children. -
The Lord has shown me repeatedly that it is contrary to the Bible
to make any provision for our temporal wants in the time of trouble.
I saw that if the saints had food laid up by them or in the field
in the time of trouble, when sword, famine, and pestilence are
in the land, it would be taken from them by violent hands and
strangers would reap their fields. Then will be the time for us
to trust wholly in God, and He will sustain us. I saw that our
bread and water will be sure at that time, and that we shall not
lack or suffer hunger; for God is able to spread a table for us
in the wilderness. If necessary He would send ravens to feed us,
as He did to feed Elijah, or rain manna from heaven, as He did
for the Israelites.
Houses and lands will be of no use to the saints in the time of
trouble, for they will then have to flee before infuriated mobs,
and at that time their possessions cannot be disposed of to advance
the cause of present truth. I was shown that it is the will of
God that the saints should cut loose from every encumbrance before
the time of trouble comes, and make a covenant with God through
sacrifice. If they have their property on the altar and earnestly
inquire of God for duty, He will teach them when to dispose of
these things. Then they will be free in the time of trouble and
have no clogs to weigh them down.
I saw that if any held on to their property and did not inquire
of the Lord as to their duty, He would not make duty known, and
they would be permitted to keep their property, and in the time
of trouble it would come up before them like a mountain to crush
them, and they would try to dispose of it, but would not be able.
I heard some mourn like this: "The cause was languishing,
God's people were starving for the truth, and we made no effort
to supply the lack; now our property is useless. Oh, that we had
let it go, and laid up treasure in heaven!" I saw that a
sacrifice did not increase, but it decreased and was consumed.
I also saw that God had not required all of His people to dispose
of their property at the same time; but if they desired to be
taught, He would teach them, in a time of need, when to sell and
how much to sell. Some have been required to dispose of their
property in times past to sustain the Advent cause, while others
have been permitted to keep theirs until a time of need. Then,
as the cause needs it, their duty is to sell.
I saw that the message, "Sell that ye have, and give alms,"
has not been given, by some, in its clear light, and the object
of the words of our Saviour has not been clearly presented. The
object of selling is not to give to those who are able to labor
and support themselves, but to spread the truth. It is a sin to
support and indulge in idleness those who are able to labor. Some
have been zealous to attend all the meetings, not to glorify God,
but for the "loaves and fishes." Such would much better
have been at home laboring with their hands, "the thing that
is good," to supply the wants of their families and to have
something to give to sustain the precious cause of present truth.
Now is the time to lay up treasure in heaven and to set our hearts
in order, ready for the time of trouble. Those only who have clean
hands and pure hearts will stand in that trying time. Now is the
time for the law of God to be in our minds, foreheads, and written
in our hearts.
The Lord has shown me the danger of letting our minds be filled
with worldly thoughts and cares. I saw that some minds are led
away from present truth and a love of the Holy Bible by reading
other exciting books; others are filled with perplexity and care
for what they shall eat, drink, and wear. Some are looking too
far off for the coming of the Lord. Time has continued a few years
longer than they expected; therefore they think it may continue
a few years more, and in this way their minds are being led from
present truth, out after the world. In these things I saw great
danger; for if the mind is filled with other things, present truth
is shut out, and there is no place in our foreheads for the seal
of the living God. I saw that the time for Jesus to be in the
most holy place was nearly finished and that time can last but
a very little longer. What leisure time we have should be spent
in searching the Bible, which is to judge us in the last day.
My dear brethren and sisters, let the commandments of God and
the testimony of Jesus Christ be in your minds continually and
let them crowd out worldly thoughts and cares. When you lie down
and when you rise up, let them be your meditation. Live and act
wholly in reference to the coming of the Son of man. The sealing
time is very short, and will soon be over. Now is the time, while
the four angels are holding the four winds, to make our calling
and election sure.
August 24, 1850, I saw that the "mysterious rapping"
was the power of Satan; some of it was directly from him, and
some indirectly, through his agents, but it all proceeded from
Satan. It was his work that he accomplished in different ways;
yet many in the churches and the world were so enveloped in gross
darkness that they thought and held forth that it was the power
of God. Said the angel, "Should not a people seek unto their
God? for the living to the dead?" Should the living go to
the dead for knowledge? The dead know not anything. For the living
God do ye go to the dead? They have departed from the living God
to converse with the dead who know not anything. (See Isa. 8:19,
20.)
I saw that soon it would be considered blasphemy to speak against
the rapping, and that it would spread more and more, that Satan's
power would increase and some of his devoted followers would have
power to work miracles and even to bring down fire from heaven
in the sight of men. I was shown that by the rapping and mesmerism
these modern magicians would yet account for all the miracles
wrought by our Lord Jesus Christ, and that many would believe
that all the mighty works of the Son of God when on earth were
accomplished by this same power. I was pointed back to the time
of Moses and saw the signs and wonders which God wrought through
him before Pharaoh, most of which were imitated by the magicians
of Egypt; and that just before the final deliverance of the saints,
God would work powerfully for His people, and these modern magicians
would be permitted to imitate the work of God.
That time will soon come, and we shall have to keep hold of the
strong arm of Jehovah; for all these great signs and mighty wonders
of the devil are designed to deceive God's people and overthrow
them. Our minds must be stayed upon God, and we must not fear
the fear of the wicked, that is, fear what they fear, and reverence
what they reverence, but be bold and valiant for the truth. Could
our eyes be opened, we should see forms of evil angels around
us, trying to invent some new way to annoy and destroy us. And
we should also see angels of God guarding us from their power;
for God's watchful eye is ever over Israel for good, and He will
protect and save His people, if they put their trust in Him. When
the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will
lift up a standard against him.
Said the angel, "Remember, thou art on the enchanted ground."
I saw that we must watch and have on the whole armor and take
the shield of faith, and then we shall be able to stand, and the
fiery darts of the wicked cannot harm us.
The Lord has often given me a view of the situation and wants
of the scattered jewels who have not yet come to the light of
the present truth, and has shown that the messengers should speed
their way to them as fast as possible, to give them the light.
Many all around us only need to have their prejudices removed
and the evidences of our present position spread out before them
from the Word, and they will joyfully receive the present truth.
The messengers should watch for souls as they that must give account.
Theirs must be a life of toil and anguish of spirit, while the
weight of the precious but often-wounded cause of Christ rests
upon them. They will have to lay aside worldly interests and comforts
and make it their first object to do all in their power to advance
the cause of present truth and save perishing souls.
They will also have a rich reward. In their crowns of rejoicing
those who are rescued by them and finally saved will shine as
stars forever and ever. And to all eternity they will enjoy the
satisfaction of having done what they could in presenting the
truth in its purity and beauty, so that souls fell in love with
it, were sanctified through it, and availed themselves of the
inestimable privilege of being made rich, and being washed in
the blood of the Lamb and redeemed unto God.
I saw that the shepherds should consult those in whom they have
reason to have confidence, those who have been in all the messages,
and are firm in all the present truth, before they advocate new
points of importance, which they may think the Bible sustains.
Then the shepherds will be perfectly united and the union of the
shepherds will be felt by the church. Such a course I saw would
prevent unhappy divisions, and then there would be no danger of
the precious flock being divided and the sheep scattered without
a shepherd.
I also saw that God had messengers that He would use in His cause,
but they were not ready. They were too light and trifling to exert
a good influence over the flock and did not feel the weight of
the cause and the worth of souls as God's messengers must feel
in order to effect good. Said the angel, "Be ye clean that
bear the vessels of the Lord. Be ye clean that bear the vessels
of the Lord." They can accomplish but little good unless
they are wholly given up to God and feel the importance and solemnity
of the last message of mercy that is now being given to the scattered
flock. Some who are not called of God are very willing to go with
the message. But if they felt the weight of the cause and the
responsibilities of such a station, they would feel to shrink
back and say with the apostle, "Who is sufficient for these
things?" One reason why they are so willing to go is that
God has not laid upon them the weight of the cause. Not all who
proclaimed the first and the second angel's message are to give
the third, even after they fully embrace it, for some have been
in so many errors and delusions that they can but just save their
own souls, and if they undertake to guide others, they will be
the means of overthrowing them. But I saw that some who have formerly
run deep into fanaticism would be the first now to run before
God sends them, before they are purified from their past errors;
having error mixed with the truth, they would feed the flock of
God with it, and if they were suffered to go on, the flock would
become sickly, and distraction and death would follow. I saw that
they would have to be sifted and sifted, until they were freed
from all their errors, or they could never enter the kingdom.
The messengers could not have that confidence in the judgment
and discernment of those who have been in errors and fanaticism
that they could have in those who have been in the truth and not
in extravagant errors. Many, also, are too apt to urge out into
the field some who have but just professed the present truth,
who have much to learn and much to do before they can be right
in the sight of God themselves, much less point out the way to
others.
I saw the necessity of the messengers, especially, watching and
checking all fanaticism wherever they might see it rise. Satan
is pressing in on every side, and unless we watch for him, and
have our eyes open to his devices and snares, and have on the
whole armor of God, the fiery darts of the wicked will hit us.
There are many precious truths contained in the Word of God, but
it is "present truth" that the flock needs now. I have
seen the danger of the messengers running off from the important
points of present truth, to dwell upon subjects that are not calculated
to unite the flock and sanctify the soul. Satan will here take
every possible advantage to injure the cause.
But such subjects as the sanctuary, in connection with the 2300
days, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, are perfectly
calculated to explain the past Advent movement and show what our
present position is, establish the faith of the doubting, and
give certainty to the glorious future. These, I have frequently
seen, were the principal subjects on which the messengers should
dwell.
If the chosen messengers of the Lord should wait for every obstacle
to be moved out of their way, many never would go to search for
the scattered sheep. Satan will present many objections in order
to keep them from duty. But they will have to go out by faith,
trusting in Him who has called them to His work, and He will open
the way before them, as far as it will be for their good and His
glory. Jesus, the great teacher and pattern, had not where to
lay His head. His life was one of toil, sorrow, and suffering;
He then gave Himself for us. Those who, in Christ's stead, beseech
souls to be reconciled to God, and who hope to reign with Christ
in glory, must expect to be partakers of His sufferings here.
"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth
forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come
again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Ps.
126:5, 6.
In a view given June 27, 1850, my accompanying angel said, "Time
is almost finished. Do you reflect the lovely image of Jesus as
you should?" Then I was pointed to the earth and saw that
there would have to be a getting ready among those who have of
late embraced the third angel's message. Said the angel, "Get
ready, get ready, get ready. Ye will have to die a greater death
to the world than ye have ever yet died." I saw that there
was a great work to do for them and but little time in which to
do it.
Then I saw that the seven last plagues were soon to be poured
out upon those who have no shelter; yet the world regarded them
no more than they would so many drops of water that were about
to fall. I was then made capable of enduring the awful sight of
the seven last plagues, the wrath of God. I saw that His anger
was dreadful and terrible, and if He should stretch forth His
hand, or lift it in anger, the inhabitants of the world would
be as though they had never been, or would suffer from incurable
sores and withering plagues that would come upon them, and they
would find no deliverance, but be destroyed by them. Terror seized
me, and I fell upon my face before the angel and begged of him
to cause the sight to be removed, to hide it from me, for it was
too dreadful. Then I realized, as never before, the importance
of searching the Word of God carefully, to know how to escape
the plagues which that Word declares shall come on all the ungodly
who shall worship the beast and his image and receive his mark
in their foreheads or in their hands. It was a great wonder for
me that any could transgress the law of God and tread down His
holy Sabbath, when such awful threatenings and denunciations were
against them.
The pope has changed the day of rest from the seventh to the first
day. He has thought to change the very commandment that was given
to cause man to remember his Creator. He has thought to change
the greatest commandment in the decalogue and thus make himself
equal with God, or even exalt himself above God. The Lord is unchangeable,
therefore His law is immutable; but the pope has exalted himself
above God, in seeking to change His immutable precepts of holiness,
justice, and goodness. He has trampled underfoot God's sanctified
day, and, on his own authority, put in its place one of the six
laboring days. The whole nation has followed after the beast,
and every week they rob God of His holy time. The pope has made
a breach in the holy law of God, but I saw that the time had fully
come for this breach to be made up by the people of God and the
waste places built up.
I pleaded before the angel for God to save His people who had
gone astray, to save them for His mercy's sake. When the plagues
begin to fall, those who continue to break the holy Sabbath will
not open their mouths to plead those excuses that they now make
to get rid of keeping it. Their mouths will be closed while the
plagues are falling, and the great Lawgiver is requiring justice
of those who have had His holy law in derision and have called
it "a curse to man," "miserable," and "rickety."
When such feel the iron grasp of this law taking hold of them,
these expressions will appear before them in living characters,
and they will then realize the sin of having that law in derision
which the Word of God calls "holy, just, and good."
Then I was pointed to the glory of heaven, to the treasure laid
up for the faithful. Everything was lovely and glorious. The angels
would sing a lovely song, then they would cease singing and take
their crowns from their heads and cast them glittering at the
feet of the lovely Jesus, and with melodious voices cry, "Glory,
Alleluia!" I joined with them in their songs of praise and
honor to the Lamb, and every time I opened my mouth to praise
Him, I felt an unutterable sense of the glory that surrounded
me. It was a far more, an exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
Said the angel, "The little remnant who love God and keep
His commandments and are faithful to the end will enjoy this glory
and ever be in the presence of Jesus and sing with the holy angels."
Then my eyes were taken from the glory, and I was pointed to the
remnant on the earth. The angel said to them, "Will ye shun
the seven last plagues? Will ye go to glory and enjoy all that
God has prepared for those who love Him and are willing to suffer
for His sake? If so, ye must die that ye may live. Get ready,
get ready, get ready. Ye must have a greater preparation than
ye now have, for the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath
and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate and to destroy the
sinners thereof out of it. Sacrifice all to God. Lay all upon
His altar--self, property, and all, a living sacrifice. It will
take all to enter glory. Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven,
where no thief can approach or rust corrupt. Ye must be partakers
of Christ's sufferings here if ye would be partakers with Him
of His glory hereafter."
Heaven will be cheap enough, if we obtain it through suffering. We must deny self all along the way, die to self daily, let Jesus alone appear, and keep His glory continually in vi
have embraced the truth would have to know what it is to suffer
for Christ's sake, that they would have trials to pass through
that would be keen and cutting, in order that they may be purified
and fitted through suffering to receive the seal of the living
God, pass through the time of trouble, see the King in His beauty,
and dwell in the presence of God and of pure, holy angels.
As I saw what we must be in order to inherit glory, and then saw
how much Jesus had suffered to obtain for us so rich an inheritance,
I prayed that we might be baptized into Christ's sufferings, that
we might not shrink at trials, but bear them with patience and
joy, knowing what Jesus had suffered that we through His poverty
and sufferings might be made rich. Said the angel, "Deny
self; ye must step fast." Some of us have had time to get
the truth and to advance step by step, and every step we have
taken has given us strength to take the next. But now time is
almost finished, and what we have been years learning, they will
have to learn in a few months. They will also have much to unlearn
and much to learn again. Those who would not receive the mark
of the beast and his image when the decree goes forth, must have
decision now to say, Nay, we will not regard the institution of
the beast.
I have seen how the blind guides were laboring to make souls as
blind as themselves, little realizing what is coming upon them.
They are exalting themselves against the truth, and as it triumphs,
many who have looked on these teachers as men of God and have
looked to them for light, are troubled. They inquire of these
leaders relative to the Sabbath, and they, with the object of
getting rid of the fourth commandment, will answer them thereto.
I saw that real honesty was not regarded in taking the many positions
that were taken against the Sabbath. The main object is to get
around the Sabbath of the Lord and observe another day than that
sanctified and hallowed by Jehovah. If they are driven from one
position, they take an opposite one, even a position that they
had but just before condemned as unsound.
God's people are coming into the unity of the faith. Those who
observe the Sabbath of the Bible are united in their views of
Bible truth. But those who oppose the Sabbath among the Advent
people are disunited and strangely divided. One comes forward
in opposition to the Sabbath and declares it to be thus and so,
and at the conclusion calls it settled. But as his effort does
not put the question to rest, and as the Sabbath cause progresses
and the children of the Lord still embrace it, another comes forward
to overthrow it. But in presenting his views to get around the
Sabbath, he entirely tears down the arguments of him who made
the first effort against the truth, and presents a theory as opposite
to his as to ours. So with the third and the fourth; but none
of them will have it as it stands in the Word of God: "The
seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God."
Such, I saw, have the carnal mind, therefore are not subject to
the holy law of God. They are not agreed among themselves, yet
labor hard with their inferences to wrest the Scriptures to make
a breach in God's law, to change, abolish, or do anything with
the fourth commandment rather than to observe it. They wish to
silence the flock upon this question; therefore they get up something
with the hope that it will quiet them and that many of their followers
will search their Bibles so little that their leaders can easily
make error appear like truth, and they receive it as such, not
looking higher than their leaders. -
At Oswego, New York, September 7, 1850, the Lord showed me that
a great work must be done for His people before they could stand
in the battle in the day of the Lord. I was pointed to those who
claim to be Adventists, but who reject the present truth, and
saw that they were crumbling and that the hand of the Lord was
in their midst to divide and scatter them now in the gathering
time, so that the precious jewels among them, who have formerly
been deceived, may have their eyes opened to see their true state.
And now when the truth is presented to them by the Lord's messengers,
they are prepared to listen, and see its beauty and harmony, and
to leave their former associates and errors, embrace the precious
truth and stand where they can define their position.
I saw that those who oppose the Sabbath of the Lord could not
take the Bible and show that our position is incorrect; therefore
they would slander those who believe and teach the truth and would
attack their characters. Many who were once conscientious and
loved God and His Word have become so hardened by rejecting the
light of truth that they do not hesitate to wickedly misrepresent
and falsely accuse those who love the holy Sabbath, if by so doing
they can injure the influence of those who fearlessly declare
the truth. But these things will not hinder the work of God. In
fact, this course pursued by those who hate the truth will be
the very means of opening the eyes of some. Every jewel will be
brought out and gathered, for the hand of the Lord is set to recover
the remnant of His people, and He will accomplish the work gloriously.
We who believe the truth should be very careful to give no occasion
for our good to be evil spoken of. We should know that every step
we take is in accordance with the Bible; for those who hate the
commandments of God will triumph over our missteps and faults,
as the wicked did in 1843.
May 14, 1851, I saw the beauty and loveliness of Jesus. As I beheld
His glory, the thought did not occur to me that I should ever
be separated from His presence. I saw a light coming from the
glory that encircled the Father, and as it approached near to
me, my body trembled and shook like a leaf. I thought that if
it should come near me I would be struck out of existence, but
the light passed me. Then could I have some sense of the great
and terrible God with whom we have to do. I saw then what faint
views some have of the holiness of God, and how much they take
His holy and reverend name in vain, without realizing that it
is God, the great and terrible God, of whom they are speaking.
While praying, many use careless and irreverent expressions, which
grieve the tender Spirit of the Lord and cause their petitions
to be shut out of heaven.
I also saw that many do not realize what they must be in order
to live in the sight of the Lord without a high priest in the
sanctuary through the time of trouble. Those who receive the seal
of the living God and are protected in the time of trouble must
reflect the image of Jesus fully.
I saw that many were neglecting the preparation so needful and
were looking to the time of "refreshing" and the "latter
rain" to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord and to
live in His sight. Oh, how many I saw in the time of trouble without
a shelter! They had neglected the needful preparation; therefore
they could not receive the refreshing that all must have to fit
them to live in the sight of a holy God. Those who refuse to be
hewed by the prophets and fail to purify their souls in obeying
the whole truth, and who are willing to believe that their condition
is far better than it really is, will come up to the time of the
falling of the plagues, and then see that they needed to be hewed
and squared for the building. But there will be no time then to
do it and no Mediator to plead their cause before the Father.
Before this time the awfully solemn declaration has gone forth,
"He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which
is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous,
let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy
still." I saw that none could share the "refreshing"
unless they obtain the victory over every besetment, over pride,
selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and
action. We should, therefore, be drawing nearer and nearer to
the Lord and be earnestly seeking that preparation necessary to
enable us to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. Let all
remember that God is holy and that none but holy beings can ever
dwell in His presence.
I have frequently seen that the children of the Lord neglect prayer,
especially secret prayer, altogether too much; that many do not
exercise that faith which it is their privilege and duty to exercise,
often waiting for that feeling which faith alone can bring. Feeling
is not faith; the two are distinct. Faith is ours to exercise,
but joyful feeling and the blessing are God's to give. The grace
of God comes to the soul through the channel of living faith,
and that faith it is in our power to exercise.
True faith lays hold of and claims the promised blessing before
it is realized and felt. We must send up our petitions in faith
within the second veil and let our faith take hold of the promised
blessing and claim it as ours. We are then to believe that we
receive the blessing, because our faith has hold of it, and according
to the Word it is ours. "What things soever ye desire, when
ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."
Mark 11:24. Here is faith, naked faith, to believe that we receive
the blessing, even before we realize it. When the promised blessing
is realized and enjoyed, faith is swallowed up. But many suppose
they have much faith when sharing largely of the Holy Spirit and
that they cannot have faith unless they feel the power of the
Spirit. Such confound faith with the blessing that comes through
faith. The very time to exercise faith is when we feel destitute
of the Spirit. When thick clouds of darkness seem to hover over
the mind, then is the time to let living faith pierce the darkness
and scatter the clouds. True faith rests on the promises contained
in the Word of God, and those only who obey that Word can claim
its glorious promises. "If ye abide in Me, and My words abide
in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."
John 15:7. "Whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because
we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing
in His sight." 1 John 3:22.
We should be much in secret prayer. Christ is the vine, ye are
the branches. And if we would grow and flourish, we must continually
draw sap and nourishment from the Living Vine; for separated from
the Vine we have no strength.
I asked the angel why there was no more faith and power in Israel.
He said, "Ye let go of the arm of the Lord too soon. Press
your petitions to the throne, and hold on by strong faith. The
promises are sure. Believe ye receive the things ye ask for, and
ye shall have them." I was then pointed to Elijah. He was
subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly. His
faith endured the trial. Seven times he prayed before the Lord,
and at last the cloud was seen. I saw that we had doubted the
sure promises, and wounded the Saviour by our lack of faith. Said
the angel, "Gird the armor about thee, and above all take
the shield of faith; for that will guard the heart, the very life,
from the fiery darts of the wicked." If the enemy can lead
the desponding to take their eyes off from Jesus, and look to
themselves, and dwell upon their own unworthiness, instead of
dwelling upon the worthiness of Jesus, His love, His merits, and
His great mercy, he will get away their shield of faith and gain
his object; they will be exposed to his fiery temptations. The
weak should therefore look to Jesus, and believe in Him; they
then exercise faith.
September 23, the Lord showed me that He had stretched out His
hand the second time to recover the remnant of His people, and
that efforts must be redoubled in this gathering time. In the
scattering, Israel was smitten and torn, but now in the gathering
time God will heal and bind up His people. In the scattering,
efforts made to spread the truth had but little effect, accomplished
but little or nothing; but in the gathering, when God has set
His hand to gather His people, efforts to spread the truth will
have their designed effect. All should be united and zealous in
the work. I saw that it was wrong for any to refer to the scattering
for examples to govern us now in the gathering; for if God should
do no more for us now than He did then, Israel would never be
gathered. I have seen that the 1843 chart was directed by the
hand of the Lord, and that it should not be altered; that the
figures were as He wanted them; that His hand was over and hid
a mistake in some of the figures, so that none could see it, until
His hand was removed.
Then I saw in relation to the "daily" (Dan. 8:12) that
the word "sacrifice" was supplied by man's wisdom, and
does not belong to the text, and that the Lord gave the correct
view of it to those who gave the judgment hour cry. When union
existed, before 1844, nearly all were united on the correct view
of the "daily"; but in the confusion since 1844, other
views have been embraced, and darkness and confusion have followed.
Time has not been a test since 1844, and it will never again be
a test.
The Lord has shown me that the message of the third angel must
go, and be proclaimed to the scattered children of the Lord, but
it must not be hung on time. I saw that some were getting a false
excitement, arising from preaching time; but the third angels
message is stronger than time can be. I saw that this message
can stand on its own foundation and needs not time to strengthen
it; and that it will go in mighty power, and do its work, and
will be cut short in righteousness.
Then I was pointed to some who are in the great error of believing
that it is their duty to go to Old Jerusalem, and think they have
a work to do there before the Lord comes. Such a view is calculated
to take the mind and interest from the present work of the Lord,
under the message of the third angel; for those who think that
they are yet to go to Jerusalem will have their minds there, and
their means will be withheld from the cause of present truth to
get themselves and others there. I saw that such a mission would
accomplish no real good, that it would take a long while to make
a very few of the Jews believe even in the first advent of Christ,
much more to believe in His second advent. I saw that Satan had
greatly deceived some in this thing and that souls all around
them in this land could be helped by them and led to keep the
commandments of God, but they were leaving them to perish. I also
saw that Old Jerusalem never would be built up; and that Satan
was doing his utmost to lead the minds of the children of the
Lord into these things now, in the gathering time, to keep them
from throwing their whole interest into the present work of the
Lord, and to cause them to neglect the necessary preparation for
the day of the Lord. -
A sense of duty to my brethren and sisters and a desire that the
blood of souls might not be found on my garments have governed
me in writing this little work. I am aware of the unbelief that
exists in the minds of the multitude relative to visions, also
that many who profess to be looking for Christ and teach that
we are in the "last days" call them all of Satan. I
expect much opposition from such, and had I not felt that the
Lord required it of me, I should not have made my views thus public,
as they will probably call forth the hatred and derision of some.
But I fear God more than man.
When the Lord first gave me messages to deliver to His people,
it was hard for me to declare them, and I often softened them
down and made them as mild as possible for fear of grieving some.
It was a great trial to declare the messages as the Lord gave
them to me. I did not realize that I was so unfaithful and did
not see the sin and danger of such a course until in vision I
was taken into the presence of Jesus. He looked upon me with a
frown and turned His face from me. It is not possible to describe
the terror and agony I then felt. I fell upon my face before Him,
but had no power to utter a word. Oh, how I longed to be covered
and hid from that dreadful frown! Then could I realize, in some
degree, what the feeling of the lost will be when they cry, "Mountains
and rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth
on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb."
Presently an angel bade me rise, and the sight that met my eyes
can hardly be described. A company was presented before me whose
hair and garments were torn and whose countenances were the very
picture of despair and horror. They came close to me and took
their garments and rubbed them on mine. I looked upon my garments
and saw that they were stained with blood, and that blood was
eating holes in them. Again I fell like one dead at the feet of
my accompanying angel. I could not plead one excuse. My tongue
refused all utterance, and I longed to be away from such a holy
place. Again the angel stood me upon my feet and said, "This
is not your case now, but this scene has passed before you to
let you know what your situation must be if you neglect to declare
to others what the Lord has revealed to you. But if you are faithful
to the end, you shall eat of the tree of life and shall drink
of the river of the water of life. You will have to suffer much,
but the grace of God is sufficient." I then felt willing
to do all that the Lord might require me to do that I might have
His approbation and not feel His dreadful frown.
I have frequently been falsely charged with teaching views peculiar
to Spiritualism. But before the editor of the Day-Star ran into
that delusion, the Lord gave me a view of the sad and desolating
effects that would be produced upon the flock by him and others
in teaching the spiritual views. I have often seen the lovely
Jesus, that He is a person . I asked Him if His Father was a person
and had a form like Himself. Said Jesus, "I am in the express
image of My Father's person."
I have often seen that the spiritual view took away all the glory
of heaven, and that in many minds the throne of David and the
lovely person of Jesus have been burned up in the fire of Spiritualism.
I have seen that some who have been deceived and led into this
error will be brought out into the light of truth, but it will
be almost impossible for them to get entirely rid of the deceptive
power of Spiritualism. Such should make thorough work in confessing
their errors and leaving them forever.
I recommend to you, dear reader, the Word of God as the rule of
your faith and practice. By that Word we are to be judged. God
has, in that Word, promised to give visions in the "last
days"; not for a new rule of faith, but for the comfort of
His people, and to correct those who err from Bible truth. Thus
God dealt with Peter when He was about to send him to preach to
the Gentiles. (Acts 10.)
To those who may circulate this little work, I would say that
it is designed for the sincere only and not for those who would
ridicule the things of the Spirit of God. -
I dreamed of seeing a temple to which many people were flocking.
Only those who took refuge in that temple would be saved when
time should close. All who remained outside would be forever lost.
The multitudes without, who were going their various ways, were
deriding and ridiculing those who were entering the temple, and
told them that this plan of safety was a cunning deception, that,
in fact, there was no danger whatever to avoid. They even laid
hold of some to prevent them from hastening within the walls.
Fearing to be laughed at and ridiculed, I thought best to wait
until the multitude were dispersed, or until I could enter unobserved
by them. But the numbers increased instead of diminishing, and
fearful of being too late, I hastily left my home and pressed
through the crowd. In my anxiety to reach the temple I did not
notice or care for the throng that surrounded me. On entering
the building, I saw that the vast temple was supported by one
immense pillar, and to this was tied a Lamb all mangled and bleeding.
We who were present seemed to know that this Lamb had been torn
and bruised on our account. All who entered the temple must come
before it and confess their sins.
Just before the Lamb were elevated seats upon which sat a company
of people looking very happy. The light of heaven seemed to shine
upon their faces, and they praised God and sang songs of glad
thanksgiving that seemed to be like the music of angels. These
were they who had come before the Lamb, confessed their sins,
been pardoned, and were now waiting in glad expectation of some
joyful event.
Even after having entered the building a fear came over me and
a sense of shame that I must humiliate myself before these people.
But I seemed compelled to move forward, and was slowly making
my way around the pillar in order to face the Lamb, when a trumpet
sounded, the temple shook, shouts of triumph arose from the assembled
saints, an awful brightness illuminated the building, then all
was intense darkness. The happy people had all disappeared with
the brightness, and I was left alone in the silent horror of night.
I awoke in agony of mind and could hardly convince myself that
I had been dreaming. It seemed to me that my doom was fixed, that
the Spirit of the Lord had left me, never to return. My despondency
deepened, if that were possible.
Soon after this I had another dream. I seemed to be sitting in
abject despair, with my face in my hands, reflecting like this:
If Jesus were upon earth, I would go to Him, throw myself at His
feet, and tell Him all my sufferings. He would not turn away from
me, He would have mercy upon me, and I should love and serve Him
always. Just then the door opened, and a person of beautiful form
and countenance entered. He looked upon me pityingly and said:
"Do you wish to see Jesus? He is here and you can see Him
if you desire to do so. Take everything you possess and follow
me."
I heard this with unspeakable joy, and gladly gathered up all
my little possessions, every treasured trinket, and followed my
guide. He led me to a steep and apparently frail stairway. As
I commenced to ascend the steps, he cautioned me to keep my eyes
fixed upward, lest I should grow dizzy and fall. Many others who
were climbing up the steep ascent fell before gaining the top.
Finally we reached the last step and stood before the door. Here
my guide directed me to leave all the things that I had brought
with me. I cheerfully laid them down; he then opened the door
and bade me enter. In a moment I stood before Jesus. There was
no mistaking that beautiful countenance. Such a radiant expression
of benevolence and majesty could belong to no other. As His gaze
rested upon me, I knew at once that He was acquainted with every
circumstance of my life and all my inner thoughts and feelings.
I tried to shield myself from His gaze, feeling unable to endure
His searching eyes, but He drew near with a smile, and, laying
His hand upon my head, said: "Fear not." The sound of
His sweet voice thrilled my heart with a happiness it had never
before experienced. I was too joyful to utter a word, but, overcome
with ineffable happiness, sank prostrate at His feet. While I
was lying helpless there, scenes of beauty and glory passed before
me, and I seemed to have reached the safety and peace of heaven.
At length my strength returned, and I arose. The loving eyes of
Jesus were still upon me, and His smile filled my soul with gladness.
His presence filled me with holy reverence and an inexpressible
love.
My guide now opened the door, and we both passed out. He bade
me take up again all the things I had left without. This done,
he handed me a green cord coiled up closely. This he directed
me to place next my heart, and when I wished to see Jesus, take
from my bosom and stretch it to the utmost. He cautioned me not
to let it remain coiled for any length of time, lest it should
become knotted and difficult to straighten. I placed the cord
near my heart and joyfully descended the narrow stairs, praising
the Lord and joyfully telling all whom I met where they could
find Jesus. This dream gave me hope. The green cord represented
faith to my mind, and the beauty and simplicity of trusting in
God began to dawn upon my benighted soul. -
I dreamed that God, by an unseen hand, sent me a curiously wrought
casket about ten inches long by six square, made of ebony and
pearls curiously inlaid. To the casket there was a key attached.
I immediately took the key and opened the casket, when, to my
wonder and surprise, I found it filled with all sorts and sizes
of jewels, diamonds, precious stones, and gold and silver coin
of every dimension and value, beautifully arranged in their several
places in the casket; and thus arranged they reflected a light
and glory equaled only to the sun.
I thought it was not my duty to enjoy this wonderful sight alone,
although my heart was overjoyed at the brilliancy, beauty, and
value of its contents. I therefore placed it on a center table
in my room and gave out word that all who had a desire might come
and see the most glorious and brilliant sight ever seen by man
in this life.
The people began to come in, at first few in number, but increasing
to a crowd. When they first looked into the casket, they would
wonder and shout for joy. But when the spectators increased, everyone
would begin to trouble the jewels, taking them out of the casket
and scattering them on the table.
I began to think that the ow