J. N. Andrews and the Visions

Andrews, who had done considerable work in Maine, observed:2BIO 214.6

The labors of Brother and Sister White in Maine during the past two months have been productive of great good to many of the people of God. Plainness of speech, faithful reproof for wrongs, words of compassion and encouragement for the trembling souls who feel their need of the Saviour, and for the erring who seek in humility to put away their faults—these are things that have entered largely into their labors.

The testimony of Sister White, reproving wrongs in the case of many individuals that she had seen in vision, has been borne with great faithfulness, and with the most excellent effect.—Ibid., December 24, 18672BIO 215.1

Andrews described the experience of those who had not been acquainted with Ellen White and her special gift. He stated that “even those who have felt the greatest opposition to the reproofs they received have, with scarcely an exception, on calm and serious reflection, acknowledged that they were justly reproved,” and accepted her messages to them. Andrews observed thoughtfully:2BIO 215.2

I have had great opportunity to judge of the truthfulness of these testimonies by witnessing their faithful and exact delineations of character in a very large number of cases, presenting very widely dissimilar features. I have every reason to know that these things were almost entirely unknown to Sister White, and in some cases absolutely unknown, only as given her by the Spirit of God. Yet a most perfect and exact representation of the faults, as well as the virtues, of many persons has thus been given, so that even those who know them best have said they could not so well have described them.—Ibid.2BIO 215.3

It was this type of evidence that convinced many of the integrity of the visions given to Ellen White.2BIO 215.4