Chapter 3—Delivering the Messages

To the youthful Ellen Harmon, about a week after her first vision, the commission was given, “Make known to others what I have revealed to you.”—Early Writings, 20. Although at that time she saw in it a weighty responsibility and heavy burden, she little realized that it presaged seven decades of ministry as God’s special messenger to the remnant church. The visions might be given within the compass of a few minutes, or they might extend over a period of an hour or more. Usually, however, the period was a relatively brief one. But during this time vast fields of instruction and information were opened up to her.EGWMR 12.1

With the receiving of the vision, Mrs. White’s work was just begun. The task of delivering the messages was a large and, many times, a distressing one. Weeks and even months were often devoted to presenting to others what had been revealed to her in one brief vision. The nature of the message determined to a large extent the manner in which it could be presented. This was done in three ways: (1) orally, (2) in personal communications, or (3) through the printed page.EGWMR 12.2