The Length of the Visions

While some of the visions were very extended in their nature, at times lasting more than an hour, and on one occasion four hours, there were other times when the visions were very brief in duration—only a few minutes, or in some cases, seconds. There were times when there was an almost instantaneous flashlight view given of certain situations or conditions. At such times the vision usually related to only one subject or one phase of a subject, while the longer views might take in many, many subjects, or deal with events occurring over a long period of time. The visions of the early years were more comprehensive in their content, longer in duration, and less frequent. In later years, they were more frequent but often limited in scope.EGWMR 8.8

Thus it may be seen that “at sundry times and in divers manners” God spoke to Ellen White as He did to the prophets in “time past.”EGWMR 8.9