- About the Author
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- Abbreviations
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- Here the Story Begins
- Harbingers of the Advent Awakening
- Carefree Childhood Days
- Early Experiences Recounted
- A “School Days” Experience
- The Family Moves to the City of Portland
- The Portland the Youthful Ellen Harmon Knew
- Hatmaking in the Harmon House
- Attending Brackett Street School
- The Textbooks She Read
- Robert Harmon's Trip to Georgia
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- The Question of the Immortality of the Soul
- The Time of Expectation Passes
- A Test of True Character
- The Second Angel's Message
- October 22, 1844, The Day of Expectation
- The Great Disappointment of October 22, 1844
- The Failing Health of Ellen Harmon
- Ellen Harmon Given a Vision—Her First
- The First Vision as Published in the Day-Star
- The Vision Answered Many Pressing Questions
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- The Otis Nichols Letter of April 20, 1846
- Ellen's Experience in Delivering the Message
- Early Arguments for the Spirit of Prophecy
- Some High Points of her Work in Eastern Maine
- Vision of Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary
- Some Fanatical Positions She Met
- Wrestling With the Views of the Spiritualizers
- Ellen Leaves Suddenly for Home
- The Healing of Frances Howland and William Hyde
- Preserved from Fanaticism
- Visit to New Hampshire
- Contending with Spiritual Magnetism
- Called Back to Portland
- Vision of the New Earth
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- Enabled to Write
- The Large Family Bible
- The Bible Held in Vision
- The Unenviable Position of the Prophet
- A Symbolic Warning
- “Another Angel, Father!”
- Who Could be Saved?
- The First Visit to Massachusetts
- The 1845 Expectancy of the Second Advent
- The Second Visit to Massachusetts
- Otis Nichols’ Eyewitness Account
- Meeting Joseph Bates at New Bedford
- The Publication of Her First Vision—January, 1846
- Publication of the Vision of the Heavenly Sanctuary
- The Place of the Vision in Confirming the Sanctuary Truth
- God's Leadings Clearly Manifest
- The Vision in a Sailboat
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- Writing for the Press
- Ellen White described its reception:
- The Proclamation of the Third Angel's Message
- The Content of the Paper
- Birth of a Second Son, James Edson White
- The Paris, Maine, Conference
- Among the Believers in Maine and New York State
- A Hymnbook for the Sabbathkeeping Adventists
- The Little Paper Almost Died
- Death Invades the Camp
- Fruitage of Public Ministry in Oswego
- Vision of Future Events
- The Visit to Vermont and Maine
- The Gift of a Horse and Carriage
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- Satan's Vicious Attacks
- Special Significance Disclosed by Vision
- The Third Angel's Message to be Made Plain by a Chart
- A Marked and Significant Change in the Tide
- Many Visions Giving Insights and Guidance
- A Summary of Other Important Visions
- A Time for Development of the Doctrinal Structure
- The Crucial Yet Productive Years of the “Scattering Time”
- Taking Up Residence in Maine
- Significant Conferences at Paris and Topsham
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- Concerted Plan to Publish the Visions
- Ellen White's First Book
- Settling in Saratoga Springs, New York
- Moves Toward Order and Organization
- The Conference at Washington, New Hampshire
- The Bethel, Vermont, Conference
- The Conference at Johnson, Vermont
- The Conference at Vergennes, Vermont
- Testimony Concerning Using Tobacco
- The Midwinter Tour in Western New York
- Back Home in Saratoga Springs
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- Ellen G. White Looks Back
- Positive Denial of the False Charge
- Explained Further as a Charge is Answered in 1883
- Developing Perception on Ellen White's Part
- A Term with a Changing Meaning
- Vision of the Open and Shut Door
- Labor for Sinners During the Shut-Door Period of 1845 to 1851
- Experience of Heman Churchill (July, 1850)
- J. H. Waggoner Recalls His Experience
- A Review of 1851 Developments
- Criticism of Deletions from the First Vision
- Why Were the Lines Omitted in 1851?
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- Strict Economy Maintained
- Working in the Opening West
- First Visit of James and Ellen White to Michigan
- With the Believers in Jackson, Michigan
- The Strange Case of a Self-Appointed Woman Evangelist
- Lost on the Way to Vergennes
- The Vergennes Meeting and Mrs. Alcott
- Back Home in Rochester
- The Review and Herald to be Published Weekly
- The 1853 Eastern Tour
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- The Vital Need for Church Organization
- James White Joins in Calling for Gospel Order
- The Tour of Northeastern New York State
- Sins Tolerated in the Camp
- Early Light on Basic Health Principles
- Ellen White's Battle With Disease
- Continuing the Evangelistic Thrust
- The Trip to Wisconsin
- Establishing the First “Adventist Book Center”
- Eyes on the Evangelistic Tent
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- The Vision at Hillsdale, Michigan
- Visiting the Churches in Eastern Michigan
- The Concept of the Investigative Judgment Dawns
- A Power Press for the Review Office
- Plans for a Trip East
- Vision at Buck's Bridge, New York
- The August Vision at Monterey, Michigan
- The October Visit to Monterey and Another Important Vision
- The Battle Creek Conference
- The Vision of the Shaking
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- Meetings in Ohio
- The Great Controversy Vision
- Counsels for New Believers
- A View of the Agelong Controversy in its Broad Sweep
- Ellen White Tells the Story at the General Conference in May
- The Choice of Title for the Forthcoming Book
- A Startling and Thought-Provoking Object Lesson
- M. B. Czechowski, the Converted Catholic Priest
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- The Conference Address on Organizing Churches
- The Eight-Week Eastern Tour
- Vision at Roosevelt, New York
- The Battle Creek Church Sets the Pace in Organizing
- A Creed and the Spirit of Prophecy
- The Formation of the Michigan Conference
- Other States Organize
- Cautions Sounded
- M. E. Cornell to Go to Ohio
- Confessions of Negative Attitudes
- James White Surveys the Battle and Victory
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- Vision at Parkville, Michigan
- Ellen White Examined While in Vision
- At Home and Writing Personal Testimonies
- The Inroads of Prevailing Fashion
- Letters to the Wife of a Minister
- Another Intimate Glimpse of the White Home Life
- A Second Vision of Civil War Involvement
- The New Publishing House
- The Five-Week Western Tour
- The War and the Threatening Draft of Recruits
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- First Annual Session of the Michigan State Conference
- The Business Sessions of the Conference
- Matters for Conference Consideration
- Organization of the General Conference
- The Last Few Weeks of 1862
- A Burden for the Youth of the Church
- Victories at Wright and Orleans
- Triumphant Year-End Meetings at Battle Creek
- The Church Prepared for Development and Expansion
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Satan's Vicious Attacks
The great adversary did all within his power to block this move that would enlighten and inform perplexed Adventists who had not clearly seen their way since the October 22 disappointment. Correspondence of the time portrays the story vividly. First there were the warnings provided by the vision of July 29, 1850:1BIO 181.2
I saw the powers of darkness were rising. Satan has come down in great power knowing his time is short. Said the angel as he pointed to Israel, “Art thou rising? Thou art upon enchanted ground; dost thou not see it? Awake and arise and put on the strength of the Lord.” ...1BIO 181.3
I saw we must be constantly rising and keep the ascendancy above the powers of darkness. I saw singing to the glory of God often drove the enemy, and shouting would beat him back and give us the victory. I saw there was too little glorifying God in Israel and too little childlike simplicity.1BIO 181.4
I asked the angel why there was not more power in Israel. Said he, “Ye let go of the promises of God too quickly; press your petitions to the throne and hold on by faith. Believe ye receive the things ye ask for, and ye shall have them.”—Letter 8, 1850.1BIO 181.5
What took place in rather quick sequence as James began to publish again, although soul-rending and faith-testing, came as no surprise, for in addition to this general warning Ellen White was given specific advance warning. She wrote on August 15 to Stockbridge Howland and his wife:1BIO 181.6
The Lord showed me some weeks ago that as James would begin to republish what the leaders had written in ‘44 upon the truth, Satan would try to hinder us, but we must struggle for the victory and go on.—Letter 12, 1850.1BIO 181.7
Here is what the great adversary did in attempting to hinder the work he hated, as portrayed by Ellen White in the August 15 letter:1BIO 182.1
Tuesday p.m. [August 6] James and I went to Port Byron with Brother Rhodes; he was to take the canal boat and go on his way to Michigan. It seemed as though we could hardly let him go. We knew not why we felt so. On our way home it seemed to me that Satan had stepped in and was troubling Edson. We found it even so. We found the child at the point of death.1BIO 182.2
James took his horse and carriage and started to overtake Brother Rhodes. He went five miles, overtook him, and brought him back. That night they prayed for Edson, and he has come up very fast since. Satan wanted to hinder the work of the Lord, so he afflicted the child, but he was beaten back by faith in God, and His name shall have the glory.1BIO 182.3
When Satan found he could not take the life of the child he tempted me that God had left me or the child would have been healed when we first prayed for him. I sank under this temptation in despair and was so until last Sabbath evening August 10. My heart seemed within me like lead, but God delivered me that eve, and Satan's power was broken.1BIO 182.4
But Satan, in his efforts to thwart the work of publishing, was relentless in his attacks. The letter continued:1BIO 182.5
The next he got hold of was Clarissa; she was sunken and discouraged. At the same time James was taken with the cholera morbus; he failed very fast until yesterday P.M. Then he made a request for us to pray for him. Brother Harris was gone to his work, so that it left only Sister Harris, Clarissa, and Sarah and me. We all felt unworthy to engage in the work, but we felt that the work of the Lord was hindered by his lying on a sickbed, and we knew unless God should deliver him, he could not get well.... We knew something must be done.1BIO 182.6
I anointed his head and stomach and bowels in the name of the Lord, then we took hold of faith for him; our united prayers went up to God, and the answer came.... James was healed every whit, the great distress he had had in his head was every whit removed, and he looked as though he had got the holy anointing; the fever and all pain left him, and he ate and was strengthened. He walked out upon his faith, harnessed his horse, and he and I went to Port Byron, one mile and a half, and back. He gained strength very fast; he is quite strong today [August 15]. Praise the Lord.1BIO 182.7
Even so, Satan was not content to cease his buffetings. Continued Ellen White in her letter to the dear friends at Topsham:1BIO 183.1
When Satan found his power was completely broken upon him [James], he went to the child again; he woke us crying at the top of his voice. He seemed to have colic, and we went up to the chamber, anointed his stomach with oil and prayed over him, and rebuked Satan, and he had to flee. We heard no more from him till morning. He is quite well today, but rather weak.—Ibid. 1BIO 183.2
At this point in the narrative Ellen White referred to the warning mentioned earlier that Satan would hinder them, but they must struggle for the victory and go on. She commented:1BIO 183.3
It has been just so. He knows this work will hurt his cause and save some jewels. That is why he rages so, but he is driven back.—Ibid. 1BIO 183.4