An Impressive Dream

Through it all, Ellen White worked as she was able, writing The Spirit of Prophecy, volume 2, dealing with the life and ministry of Christ. Much of the time through February, March, and April she was not at all well, having not yet passed that critical period in her life of which she had written to Edson some weeks before. She related her experience:2BIO 317.1

On the night of April 30, 1871, I retired to rest much depressed in spirits. For three months I had been in a state of great discouragement. I had frequently prayed in anguish of spirit for relief. I had implored help and strength from God, that I might rise above the heavy discouragements that were paralyzing my faith and hope, and unfitting me for usefulness. That night I had a dream which made a very happy impression upon my mind.2BIO 317.2

I dreamed that I was attending an important meeting, at which a large company were assembled. Many were bowed before God in earnest prayer, and they seemed to be burdened. They were importuning the Lord for special light.... Our most prominent brethren were engaged in this most impressive scene....2BIO 317.3

I dreamed that the Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and I arose amid cries and prayers, and said: The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me. I feel urged to say to you that you must commence to work individually for yourselves. You are looking to God and desiring Him to do the work for you which He has left for you to do. If you will do the work for yourselves which you know that you ought to do, then God will help you when you need help. You have left undone the very things which God has left for you to do. You have been calling upon God to do your work. Had you followed the light which He had given you, then He would cause more light to shine upon you; but while you neglect the counsels, warnings, and reproofs that have been given, how can you expect God to give you more light and blessings to neglect and despise? God is not as man; He will not be trifled with.”—Testimonies for the Church, 2:604, 605.2BIO 317.4

It was a dramatic presentation, in which she seemingly participated. She continued the account:2BIO 318.1

I took the precious Bible and surrounded it with the several Testimonies for the Church, given for the people of God. Here, said I, the cases of nearly all are met. The sins they are to shun are pointed out. The counsel that they desire can be found here, given for other cases situated similarly to themselves.2BIO 318.2

God has been pleased to give you line upon line and precept upon precept. But there are not many of you that really know what is contained in the Testimonies. You are not familiar with the Scriptures. If you had made God's Word your study, with a desire to reach the Bible standard and attain to Christian perfection, you would not have needed the Testimonies.2BIO 318.3

It is because you have neglected to acquaint yourselves with God's inspired Book that He has sought to reach you by simple, direct testimonies, calling your attention to the words of inspiration which you had neglected to obey, and urging you to fashion your lives in accordance with its pure and elevated teachings.—Ibid., 2:605.2BIO 318.4

As she, in her dream, continued to address the crowd, she spoke more of the purpose of the Testimonies and their relation to God's Word. As she held her Bible, with Testimony pamphlets, it seemed to her that she declared:2BIO 318.5

As the Word of God is walled in with these books and pamphlets, so has God walled you in with reproofs, counsel, warnings, and encouragements.... The Lord has walled you about with light; but you have not appreciated the light; you have trampled upon it. While some have despised the light, others have neglected it, or followed it but indifferently. A few have set their hearts to obey the light which God has been pleased to give them.”—Ibid., 2:606.2BIO 318.6

Perhaps this dream led her to draw together a number of important messages she had recently given, orally or in writing, and publish them in Testimony No. 20, which came from the press in late May. It was a paperbound volume of some two hundred pages, selling for 25 cents. James White noted concerning it: “No preceding number of the series of pamphlets, bearing the above title, has been of greater importance to the church.”—The Review and Herald, May 23, 1871. (See Testimonies for the Church, 2:577-712.)2BIO 318.7