A Second Vision of Civil War Involvement

At Roosevelt, New York, on the weekend of August 3 and 4, James White, spoke on sanctification. He wrote of the meetings as a refreshing season. It was on this occasion, as noted earlier, that a very comprehensive vision was given to Ellen White. Willie White was with his parents on this trip, and witnessed such an experience for the first time. He spoke of it in an address on visions to a group in Takoma Park in 1905.1BIO 471.3

The first one I witnessed as a little boy in the meetinghouse at Roosevelt, New York. Father had given a short talk. Mother had given a short talk. Father prayed, Mother prayed, and as she was praying, I heard that shout, “Glory.” There is nothing like it—that musical, deep shout of “Glory.” She fell backward. My father put his arm under her.1BIO 471.4

In a little while her strength came to her. She stood up in an attitude of one seeing wonderful things in the distance, her face illuminated, sometimes bright and joyous. She would speak with that musical voice, making short comments upon what she saw. Then as she saw darkness in the world, there were sad expressions as she spoke of what she saw.1BIO 471.5

This continued ten or fifteen minutes. Then she caught her breath, and breathed several times deeply, and then, after a little season of rest, probably five or ten minutes, during which time Father spoke to the people, she arose, and related to the congregation some of the things that had been presented to her.—DF 105b, “The Visions of Ellen White.”1BIO 471.6

Of this vision she wrote:1BIO 472.1

At the conference at Roosevelt, New York, August 3, 1861 ... I was taken off in vision and shown the sin of slavery, which has so long been a curse to this nation.... The North and the South were presented before me.—Testimonies for the Church, 1:264-266.

She seemed to be taken to the very scenes of the war and witnessed the disastrous and disheartening battle of Manassas.1BIO 472.2

The war fever was to worsen until it became a serious, disruptive element distracting the work of the church in the years 1862 to the early part of 1865.1BIO 472.3

Of other features of the vision at Roosevelt, Ellen White later wrote “Different churches and families were presented before me.”—Ibid., 1:326. The broad diversification of subject matter and the grave import of what was shown to her is revealed by such article titles in volume 1 of the Testimonies between pages 264 and 302 as “Perilous Times,” “Organization,” and “Duty to the Poor.”1BIO 472.4

The eastern tour, of which the weekend at Roosevelt was a part, terminated September 17 (The Review and Herald, September 24, 1861). This was followed by the conference held in Battle Creek in early October.1BIO 472.5