Two Contrasting Views Presented

There were times also when two different or divergent views were presented to Mrs. White—one illustrating what would take place if certain plans or policies were followed, and in another view the outworking of other plans or policies. An interesting illustration of this point is found in Testimonies for the Church 9:28 and 29, where two maps were seemingly exhibited. To Mrs. White it seemed that she was attending a large gathering. “One of authority was addressing the company.” Before them was a large map which “pictured God’s vineyard.” Lights were seen to appear as the work was conducted on right lines. Then the map was taken away and another, with but few lights, was exhibited. The audience was told that this illustrated the results of men “following their own course.”EGWMR 11.6

Another excellent illustration of this may be cited in connection with the locating of the health food factory at Loma Linda in the year 1906. The manager and his associates were planning for the erection of a large building very near the main sanitarium building. While plans were developing, Mrs. White, at her home in northern California, was one night given two visions. Of the first of these she says:EGWMR 11.7

“I was shown a large building where many foods were made. There were also some smaller buildings near the bakery. As I stood by, I heard loud voices in dispute over the work that was being done. There was a lack of harmony among the workers, and confusion had come in.”—E. G. White Letter 140, 1906.EGWMR 11.8

She then saw J. A. Burden’s distress, and his attempts to reason with the disputants to bring them into harmony. She saw patients who overheard these disputes, and who were “expressing words of regret that a food factory should be established on these beautiful grounds,” so near the sanitarium. “Then One appeared on the scene, and said: ‘All this has been caused to pass before you as an object lesson, that you might see the result of carrying out certain plans.’”—Ibid.EGWMR 11.9

Then the scene changed, and she saw the bakery “at a distance from the sanitarium buildings, on the road toward the railway.” Here the work was being conducted in a humble way and in harmony with God’s plan. The narration of this to the Loma Linda workers quickly settled the question of the food factory site.EGWMR 11.10

This grouping of illustrations might be greatly enlarged, but sufficient is given here to form a good representation of the varied ways in which the light was imparted by God to the mind of Ellen White. In an illuminating statement made by her in 1860 we find this terse description of how matters were revealed to her:EGWMR 11.11

“As inquiries are frequently made as to my state in vision, and after I come out, I would say that when the Lord sees fit to give a vision, I am taken into the presence of Jesus and angels, and am entirely lost to earthly things. I can see no farther than the angel directs me. My attention is often directed to scenes transpiring upon earth.EGWMR 11.12

“At times I am carried far ahead into the future and shown what is to take place. Then again I am shown things as they have occurred in the past.”—Spiritual Gifts 2:292 (1860, Battle Creek).EGWMR 11.13

Thus it can be seen that in varied ways the messenger was informed and instructed through the visions by day or by night.EGWMR 11.14