Ms 7, 1850

[August 24, 1850, Centerport, New York]¹

The heading of this manuscript tells us that the vision of which this is an account was given “at the house of Brother Harris” on “August 24, 1850.” That Brother Harris lived in Centerport, New York, is argued in note 2 below. Presumably this account of the vision was written in Centerport shortly after August 24, 1850.

1EGWLM 222.1

“A Vision the Lord Gave Me at Brother Harris's [William Harris],”²

Identity: In her published account of the dramatic events mentioned in the opening paragraphs, Ellen White adds the information that they stayed during this period with “Bro. Harris” at Centerport [New York]. This was no doubt the “William Harris” whose name appears in the Review under the address “Port Byron” [New York]. Port Byron, a mile or less from Centerport, had a post office and would therefore be used as the postal address for Centerport.

See: Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts [vol. 2], p. 136; Wm. Harris, “From Bro. Harris,” Review, Nov. 8, 1853, p. 142; idem, “From Bro. Harris,” Review, Feb. 5, 1857, p. 110; William Harris, “From Bro. Harris,” Review, Sept. 10, 1857, p. 151.

August 24, 1850.1EGWLM 222.2

See also Ms 7a, 1850. Portions of this manuscript are published in Ellen G. White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 6, pp. 250, 251; vol. 8, p. 220; Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White: The Early Years, pp. 183, 184.1EGWLM 222.3

Vision of Satan's attempts to hinder the work of God through sickness and affliction and through the deceptions of spiritualism.1EGWLM 222.4

I saw the cruel power of Satan that has afflicted us of late and bound us to keep the truth from coming out in the paper,³

“The paper” mentioned here and farther on in the letter refers to The Advent Review. Several issues were published in August, September, and November 1850. It mostly contained reprints of articles by prominent Millerite leaders such as William Miller and J. B. Cook, written in 1844 and 1845, supporting the prophetic significance of 1844. Articles on the Sabbath and sanctuary by Cook and O.R.L. Crosier also were included. The overall effect was to demonstrate that in several ways leading Millerites had departed from the faith they had held in the mid-1840s.

See: Advent Review, August-November 1850; Advent Review [Extra], September 1850.

that meant to have taken the life of little Edson [James Edson White], but our united prayer drove him back and weakened his powers; and when James [James Springer White] and myself went to Port Byron [New York] with Brother Rhodes [Samuel W. Rhodes],4

Identity: In another account of the events related here Ellen White adds the information that “Brother Rhodes” was on his way to Michigan and had stopped in Centerport in order to meet the Whites. A week later “S. W. Rhodes” wrote to the editor of The Advent Review about his travels and lectures in Michigan. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that the reference here is to the prominent itinerant preacher Samuel W. Rhodes. An additional argument is that the only “Rhodes” mentioned in the Review during this period is Samuel W. Rhodes.

See: Ellen G. White, Lt 12, 1850 (Aug. 15); S. W. Rhodes, “Extracts of Letters,” Advent Review, August 1850, p. 48; search term “Rhodes” in Words of the Pioneers.

Satan stepped in, because some of the strength of faith was gone, to take the life of the child; when we came back he was at the point of death.1EGWLM 222.5

I saw our acting out faith and sending for Brother Rhodes after he had started on his journey saved the life of the child, for God heard the prayers of Brother Rhodes and healed Edson.⁵

For a full account of the healing of Edson and James in early August 1850, see Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts [vol. 2], pp. 136-140; idem, Lt 12, 1850 (Aug. 15).

1EGWLM 223.1

I saw the child was not afflicted because I held him dear, as an idol, but Satan wanted to sadden our hearts and cause the nominal Adventists⁶

The expression “nominal Adventists,” or some variant thereof, was commonly used by early Sabbathkeeping Adventist writers to indicate those Adventist groups coming out of the Millerite movement that rejected the Sabbath, the prophetic significance of October 22, 1844, and the continuing gift of prophecy in the church.

to triumph and say, Where is their God, and to hinder the work of God in papers coming out.1EGWLM 223.2

When Satan saw his power was broken upon the child, he laid hold of James and afflicted his body, and he would have afflicted him unto death but God put bounds to his power and would not suffer it. The angels of God were hovering over us, and thus far could the enemy go and no farther. I saw his affliction had been the means of drawing us nearer to God to feel our dependence upon Him, and He heard our prayers for James although we were weak, and answered them, and the balm of Gilead was applied and the sick was made whole, and others who had been bound and oppressed were set free and James was raised up so that he could go on with the paper.1EGWLM 223.3

Then I saw it was the work of the enemy as we were going from Oswego [New York] to Volney [New York] to destroy us on the way by our being thrown from the wagon. I saw the angels of Satan triumphed as they were carrying out their purposes, but I saw the angels of God were around, and, as we fell, their arms were put beneath us that we might not be injured. I saw the hands of one of the angels were busy at work and wrought for us or we should have been destroyed by Satan. I saw had we gone back to Oswego, we should have pleased the enemy; our going on gave us the perfect victory.1EGWLM 223.4

I saw these efforts of Satan were to hinder the paper from coming out, for the lines that were being published were written in the Spirit of God, and would rejoice the hearts of the trusting ones. Satan knew it would hurt his cause because it would be seen by these testimonies that most of the Advent people once believed as we do that there was a shut door in ’44,⁷

See: Introductory article “The ‘Shut Door’ and Ellen White's Visions”; EGWEnc, s.v. “Shut Door.”

and to have the plain, clean truth come out in the paper would cause many to decide for the truth and to take a firm and unyielding stand for God and His truth. I saw that the paper would strengthen the things that remain and would help build up God's people in the most holy faith.1EGWLM 223.5

I saw that Satan had entered the dwelling of Bro. Harris to take the life of some one of us, but God had through Jesus given us the victory, perfect and entire. Said the angel, Gird it about thee; buckle on every piece of the armor, but above all take the shield, for the shield of faith guards the heart, the very life, from the darts of the enemy.1EGWLM 224.1

I saw Satan would work more powerfully now than ever he has before. He knows that his time is short and that the sealing of the saints⁸

See: EGWEnc, s.v. “Seal of God.”

will place them beyond his power, and he will now work in every way that he can and will try his every insinuation to get the saints off from their guard and get them asleep upon the present truth or doubting it so as to prevent their being sealed with the seal of the living God; and that Satan will ere long come almost in human shape and that his angels were all around them seeking some way that they might devour them. But I saw that God had His angels and they were hovering around the saints and their wings were wafting over them to keep off the unhallowed influence and to protect them from the power of Satan and his angels.1EGWLM 224.2

I saw that God wanted His people to be separated from the world, for wicked persons were the lawful prey of the enemy and he would work through them in every way to perplex and destroy the saints, and if we were obliged to be in company with the wicked persons we must pray and watch every moment lest we should partake of their spirit, for they corrupted the atmosphere where they were and their very breath was darkness, and that the wicked would wax worse and worse, and we must cut loose from them and be free and free indeed, and God does not want His people to mingle with the wicked more than they are obliged to.1EGWLM 224.3

I saw that the rapping was the power of the devil.⁹

Warnings against spiritualism and predictions of its spread can be found in the visions of Ellen White as early as March 1849 when she saw that “the mysterious knocking in N. Y.” would increase and spread. This was a mere 12 months after the first rappings in the house of the Fox sisters in Hydesville, New York, and well before the first public demonstrations of spirit contact in November 1849, which launched the movement to spectacular popularity. Ellen White and other writers subsequently commented on the accurate fulfillment of these predictions.

See: Ellen G. White, Ms 1, 1849 (Mar. 24); Lt 5, 1849 (Apr. 21); idem, Supplement to the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. White, pp. 4-7; Herbert E. Douglass, Messenger of the Lord, p. 161; Rene Noorbergen, Ellen G. White: Prophet of Destiny, pp. 140-154; Roger W. Coon, The Great Visions of Ellen G. White, vol. 1, pp. 49-61; Herbert E. Douglass, Dramatic Prophecies of Ellen White, pp. 23-44.

Some of it was directly from him and some indirectly, but it all proceeded from Satan. It was his work that he accomplished in different ways and the nominal churches10

The term “nominal churches” was often used by early SDA writers to indicate Protestant and Roman Catholic churches that had experienced a moral fall through their rejection of the message of an imminent Second Coming.

See: P. Gerard Damsteegt, Foundations of the Seventh-day Adventist Message and Mission, pp. 179-192.

and world were so covered up in gross darkness that they thought and held forth that it was the power of God.11

In a study of nineteenth-century Spiritualism R. Laurence Moore notes that “many believers in the Spiritualist phenomena made a large point of calling themselves ‘Christian Spiritualists.’ … Without question many of those who attended Spiritualist Sunday meetings in the nineteenth century belonged to other churches,” albeit mainly theologically “liberal” churches, such as Quakers, Unitarians, and Universalists.

See: R. Laurence Moore, “Spiritualism,” in Edwin S. Gaustad, ed., The Rise of Adventism: Religion and Society in Mid-Nineteenth Century America, pp. 82, 83.

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? For 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.1EGWLM 224.4

I saw it would soon be considered blasphemy to speak against the rapping and it would spread more and more, and Satan's power would increase and some of his devoted followers would have power to work miracles, and to bring fire from heaven and they would claim to accomplish all the miracles that Jesus did when He was upon earth, by the power of spiritualism and mesmerism. I saw that time was soon to come in the future [when] we should have to keep hold of the strong arm of Jehovah, for I saw all these great signs and mighty wonders of the devil were to deceive God's people and to overthrow them, and our minds must be stayed upon God, and we must not fear the wicked, but be bold and valiant for the truth.1EGWLM 225.1

Could our eyes be opened, we should see forms of wicked angels around us, trying to invent some new and effectual way to annoy and destroy us, and we should also see angels of God guarding us from their power, for I saw that God's watchful eye was over Israel and that He would protect and save them if they would put their trust in Him, and when the enemy should come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord would lift up a standard against him.1EGWLM 225.2

I saw we must buckle on the whole armor and take the shield of faith and we should be enabled to stand and the fiery darts of the enemy could not move us, and should be mighty and terrible as an army with banners. I saw we are on the enchanted ground¹²

An allusion to the allegorical “Enchanted Ground” found in John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. Of all the dangers awaiting Christian pilgrims on their journey, none are greater than those facing them in the Enchanted Ground, where the very air makes travelers drowsy, inviting a sleep from which there will be no awakening.

See: John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress, p. 209.

and we must watch lest we should fall asleep. Said the angel, Remember, beware of the enchanted ground.1EGWLM 225.3

I then saw Brother Edson [Hiram Edson]¹³

Identity: In part “Bro. Edson” can be identified by the mention further on in the letter of his daughter “Ophelia.” We know from census and other records that Hiram Edson, of Port Gibson, New York, had a daughter named Viah Ophelia, aged about 6 in 1850. Another reason for concluding that Hiram Edson is referred to here is that there appears to have been no other Sabbatarian Adventist family by the name “Edson” appearing at this time in the Review.

See: 1860 U.S. Federal Census, “Hiram Edson,” New York, Oswego County, Palermo, p. 857; “Family Record” in Edson family Bible (DF 588, EGWE-GC); search word “Edson” in Words of the Pioneers.

that he must gird on the whole armor and stand in readiness to go, for a journey was before him,14

Whether or not a literal journey is meant, this passage suggests that Edson was being commissioned for a greater evangelistic task. Available reports in the Review indicate that Edson participated in several lengthy preaching itineraries in 1851. Most of January and early February he traveled and preached with George Holt, probably in New York State. In July and August he traveled for six weeks with J. N. Andrews in New York and Pennsylvania, and in November and December he accompanied Joseph Bates in Canada West.

See: Geo. W. Holt, in Review, February 1851, p. 48; Hiram Edson, in Review, February 1851, p. 48; idem, “Letters,” Sept. 2, 1851, p. 24; Joseph Bates, “From Bro. Bates,” Review, Jan. 13, 1852, p. 80.

and that souls needed help and that Jesus’ work was almost finished in the Sanctuary, and that we must work while the day lasts, and when Satan comes up with his power to oppress us we must have faith in God and beat him back, and if we could not get the victory, we should fast and pray and we should surely get the victory and triumph over Satan.1EGWLM 226.1

I saw that Bro. and Sister Edson would have to move soon from the place where they now live, for there was enmity enough in the hearts of the wicked there to take their lives, for they hated them for the truths they believed and have advocated, for it condemned them, and a number of times the wicked had it in their hearts to take the lives of Brother and Sister Edson [Esther Edson];¹⁵

At the time of writing the Edsons were living in Port Gibson, where Hiram Edson had farmed for many years. They moved from Port Gibson to Port Byron, New York, some time between February and July 1851, as is evidenced by the addresses Edson gives in his letters to the Review and other circumstantial evidence.

See: Hiram Edson, “Letter From Bro. Edson,” Review, March 1851, p. 51; idem, “Letters,” Sept. 2, 1851, p. 24.

but God had defeated the wicked, and guarded their lives. I saw the Lord wanted Sister Edson to be free before He leaves the sanctuary. I saw that their children had perplexed and troubled them, for they had none of God's grace to assist them to resist the devil and to overcome their evil tempers and dispositions; therefore they were lawful prey of the enemy and he could work through them as he chose to accomplish his purposes.1EGWLM 226.2

And as the hearts of the saints are the temples for the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, so when their hearts are temples for Satan's spirit and all evil to dwell in they would act worse and worse, for they could not help acting out what was in their hearts. I saw Ophelia [Viah Ophelia Edson]¹⁶

See: Note 13 above.

had partaken of the spirit of the wicked children, but if her parents watched over her carefully and would keep her from the influence of the wicked and would have strong and living faith for her, their faith would save her and the grace of God would operate upon her heart and she would go with them into the kingdom.1EGWLM 226.3