Recognition of Faces in Audience

Elder and Mrs. White were at Bushnell, Michigan, on Sabbath, July 20, 1867. It was their first visit there and the announcement had reached the believers through the appointment list in the Review of July 16, 1867. Elder White had planned on conducting a baptism and then joining in the celebration of the ordinances, but when they arrived at Bushnell, they found a sad state of backsliding. Sabbath morning he spoke to about sixty who had gathered in the grove for the meeting. In the afternoon Mrs. White was the speaker. She had selected a text from which she intended to preach, and at the appointed time stood before the congregation. Let us turn to James White’s account of what took place:EGWMR 112.7

“Mrs. White arose, Bible in hand, and began to speak from a text of Scripture. She suddenly stopped speaking, laid aside her Bible, and began to address those who had embraced the Sabbath in that place. She had never before seen one of them with the natural eye, and, of course, could not call them by name. But she designated each brother and sister by his or her position, as the one by that tree, or the one sitting by that brother or sister of the Greenville or Orleans church, with whom she was personally acquainted, and whom she called by name.EGWMR 113.1

“She described each peculiar case, stating that the Lord had shown her their cases two years previous, and that, while she was just then speaking from the Bible, that view had flashed over her mind, like sudden lightning in a dark night distinctly revealing every object around.”—Signs of the Times, August 29, 1878.EGWMR 113.2

For about an hour she spoke, describing the experiences of those who were before her, and then the persons addressed arose, one by one, and “testified that their cases had been described better than they could have done it themselves.” Confessions were made, wrongs were righted, and a reformation ensued. The next week a strong church was organized from this company of believers who two weeks earlier had decided to disband.EGWMR 113.3

On several occasions Mrs. White was taken off in vision while she was addressing an audience. The “great controversy” vision was given to her one Sunday afternoon in 1858 at a funeral service, as she spoke a few words of comfort to those who mourned. Ten years later at the church in Battle Creek, while earnestly addressing the congregation at a Friday evening service, she was suddenly taken off in vision. For twenty minutes she continued in vision.EGWMR 113.4