A Sketch of the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. White (1851)
At this time there was fanaticism in Maine. Some refrained wholly
from labor, and disfellowshipped 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 do away. Different times
were repeatedly set for the Lord to come, and were urged upon the
brethren. -- But the Lord shewed 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. And 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 should be loosed in less
than twenty-four hours. A card was held up before me, on which was
written in gold letters 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, Mass., my sister, (who usually accompanied me
at that time,) sister A. and 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 sudden storm 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.
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