Below is evidence that there were many visionaries who had already experienced near identical visionary encounters as the ones Ellen claimed to have. The reader can read the testimonies of others’ spiritual encounters in comparison to Ellen’s. Just as Ellen often claimed to experience, they too would claim that the “power of God” would come over them and they would “lose their strength,” falling to the floor and entering into trances and visions. They too would speak with angels. 

One should examine the testimonies of the other visionaries and ask whether these manifestations are in line with scriptural evidence of God’s Spirit, or whether they resemble demonic spirits. One should ask themselves whether they would have followed Ellen’s testimonies today if they witnessed her manifestations first hand. If so, one should then ask on what basis would they choose to trust Ellen’s testimonies to be from God and not the many other visionaries of her time.

 

Background

Well over a century before Ellen was born, Anglo-American Protestants were already beginning to separate from mainstream Protestantism both in Europe as well as the American Colonies. Movements developed in which physical manifestations of spiritual encounters became the norm and expectation for spiritual gatherings. These manifestations included disassociation, uncontrolled movements of the body, “fits”, losing one’s strength, falling to the floor, crawling, rolling, convulsions, spontaneous crying out, shouting, wailing, experiencing of trances, visions, hearing angelic voices, and expressing alternate personalities during spiritual encounters. These manifestations became so prevalent by the 1700’s, there were already individuals who were opposing, debating, and writing against these new religious movements. The manifestations became a regular part of spiritual revivals and became the norm for gatherings in certain religious sects. One of these sects which embraced these manifestations were the Methodists. It is worth noting that Ellen was a Shouting Methodist prior to the formation of Adventists, and she attended Methodist gatherings in which it was commonplace for multiple individuals to experience supernatural manifestations.  

 

French Prophets:

The French Prophets were a sect of the French Calvinist Huguenots who arrived in London in 1706 and were known for their involuntary physical manifestations as well as predicting the coming of Jesus. Their influence caused controversy and debates among believers who witnessed the revivals across Europe and the American colonies. Quote from an Englishman in the 1700’s regarding the French Prophets: 

• “...their Countenance changes, and is no longer Natural; their Eyes roll after a ghastly manner in their Heads, or they stand altogether fixed; all the Member of their Body seem displaced, their Hearts beat with extraordinary Efforts and Agitations; they become Swelled and Bloated, and look bigger than ordinary; they Beat themselves with their Hands with a vast Force, like the miserable Creature in the Gospel, cutting himself with Stones; the Tone of their Voice is stronger than what is could be Naturally; their Words are sometimes broken and interrupted; they speak without knowing what they speak, and without remembering what they have Prophesied.” Anne Taves, Fits, Trances, & Visions, pp. 15

 

Visionaries in New England:

Charles Chauncy, a Congregationalist minister in New England who opposed revivals and manifestations, wrote a letter in 1742: 

• “[T]o a Person in possession of himself, and capable of Observation, this surprising Scene of Things may be accounted for: The Speaker delivers himself, with the greatest Vehemence both of Voice and Gesture, and the most frightful language his Genius will allow of. If this has its intended Effect upon one or two weak Women, the Shrieks catch from one to another, till a great Part of the Congregation is affected; and some are in the Thought, that it may be too common for those zealous in the new Way to cry out themselves, on purpose to move others, and bring forward a general Scream. Visions now became common, and Trances also, the Subjects of which were in their own Conceit transported from earth to Heaven, where they saw and heard most glorious Things; conversed with Christ and Holy Angels; had opened to them the Book of Life, and were permitted to read the names of people there, and the like.” Anne Taves, Fits, Trances, & Visions, pp. 30

 

Emanuel Swedenborg:

Born in Sweden 1688-1772, received dreams and visions which he claimed were revelations of God, wrote 18 spiritual books which were considered inspired: 

• "But I regard all that I have mentioned as matters respectively of little moment; for, what far exceeds them, I have been called to a holy office by the Lord himself, who most graciously manifested himself in person to me, his servant, in the year 1743, when he opened my sight to the view of the spiritual world, and granted me the privilege of conversing with spirits and angels, which I enjoy to this day. From that time I began to print and to publish various arcana that have been seen by me or revealed to me as, respecting heaven and hell, the state of man after death, the true worship of God, the spiritual sense of the Word, with many other most important matters conducive to salvation and true wisdom.' The only reason of my later journeys to foreign countries has been the desire of being useful, by making known the arcana entrusted to me." Swedenborg, Emanuel - McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia  https://www.biblicalcyclopedia.com/S/swedenborgemanuel.html#:~:text='%20The%20only%20reason%20of%20my,that%20such%20is%20the%20fact. 
• "The Lord, our Savior, had foretold that he would come again into the world, and that he would establish there a new Church. He has given this prediction in the Apocalypse (Re 21; Re 22), and also in several places in the evangelists. But, as he cannot come into the world again in person, it was necessary that he should do it by means of a man, who should not only receive the doctrine of this new Church in his understanding, but also publish it by printing; and so the Lord had prepared me for this office from my infancy; he has manifested himself in person before me, his servant, and sent me to fill it. This took place in the year 1743. He afterwards opened the sight of my spirit, and thus introduced me into the spiritual world, and granted me to see the heavens and many of their wonders, and also the hells, and to speak with angels and spirits, and this continually for twenty-seven years. I declare, in all truth, that such is the fact. This favor of the Lord in regard to me has only taken place for the sake of the new Church which I have mentioned above, the doctrine of which is contained in my writings." Swedenborg, Emanuel - McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia  https://www.biblicalcyclopedia.com/S/swedenborgemanuel.html#:~:text='%20The%20only%20reason%20of%20my,that%20such%20is%20the%20fact. 

More on Swedenborg:

https://swedenborg.com/emanuel-swedenborg/ 

https://www.swedenborgstudy.com/articles/Swedenborgs-revelation/hlo61.htm 

 

John Wesley and the Methodists:

Methodists, Ellen’s denomination prior to Adventism, were particularly very open to supernatural manifestations. John Wesley (1703-1791) had formed a distinct movement within the Church of England to later become the Methodist Church, and he organized his followers into “societies,” “classes,” and “bands.” Supernatural and physical manifestations were commonplace in Methodist meetings, whether it be from God or Satan. Below are quotes from Wesley:

 

• “The truth is God suddenly and strongly convinced many that they were lost sinners, the natural consequences  whereof were sudden outcries, and strong bodily convulsions. To strengthen and encourage them that believed, and to make his work apparent, he favored several of them with divine dreams, others with trances and visions. In some of these instances, after a time, nature mixed with grace. Satan likewise mimicked this work of God in order to discredit the whole work.” Taves, A. (1999). Fits, trances, and visions: Experiencing religion and explaining experience from Wesley to James, pp. 57

• Wesley, diary entry dated January 1, 1739: “About three in the morning, as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground. As soon as we were recovered from shock and amazement at the presence of his majesty, we broke out with one voice, ‘We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.’”Bicentennial Edition of the Works of John Wesley, Vol 19, pp. 29 / Taves, A. (1999). Fits, trances, and visions: Experiencing religion and explaining experience from Wesley to James, pp. 72

• Wesley, letter to his brother in 1739: “While we were praying at a society here…, the power of God (for so I call it) came so mightily among us that one, and another, and another fell down as thunderstruck. In that hour many that were in deep anguish of spirit were all filled with peace and joy. Ten persons till then in sin, doubt, and fear, found such a change that sin had no more dominion over them; and instead of the spirit of fear they are now filled with that of love, and joy, and a sound mind.” Bicentennial Edition of the Works of John Wesley, Vol 25, pp. 646 / Taves, A. (1999). Fits, trances, and visions: Experiencing religion and explaining experience from Wesley to James, pp. 72

• “One…dropped down as dead, and presently a second and a third…five other sunk down… most of whom were in violent agonies.” Bicentennial Edition of the Works of John Wesley, Vol 19, pp. 73 / Taves, A. (1999). Fits, trances, and visions: Experiencing religion and explaining experience from Wesley to James, pp. 73

• “Today, Monday [May] 21, our Lord answered for himself. For while I was enforcing these words, ‘Be still, and know that I am God’, he began to make bare his arm, not in a close room, neither in private, but in the open air, and before more than two thousand witnesses. One and another and another was struck to the earth, exceedingly trembling at the presence of his power.” Anne Taves, Fits, Trances, & Visions, pp. 73

 

Visionaries Documented by Methodist Preacher, Peter Cartwright:

• "From 1801 for years a blessed revival of religion spread through almost the entire inhabited parts of the West, Kentucky, Tennessee, the Carolinas, and many other parts, especially through the Cumberland country, which was so called from the Cumberland River, which headed and mouthed in Kentucky, but in its great bend circled south through Tennessee, near Nashville. The Presbyterians and Methodists in a great measure united in this work, met togetlier, prayed together, and preached together. In this revival originated our camp-meetings, and in both these denominations they were held every year, and, indeed, have been ever since, more or less. They would erect their camps with logs or frame them, and cover them with clapboards or shingles. They would also erect a shed, sufficiently large to protect five thousand people from wind and rain, and cover it with boards or shingles; build a large stand, seat the shed, and here they would collect together from forty to fifty miles around, sometimes further than that. Ten, twenty, and sometimes thirty ministers, of different denominations, would come together and preach night and day, four or five days together; and, indeed, I have known these camp-meetings to last three or four weeks, and great good resulted from them. I have seen more than a hundred sinners fall like dead men under one powerful sermon, and I have seen and heard more than five hundred Christians all shouting aloud the high praises of God at once ; and I will venture to assert that many happy thousands were awakened and converted to God at these camp-meetings. Some sinners mocked, some of the old dry professors opposed, some of the old starched Presbyterian preachers preached against these exercises, but still the work went on and spread almost in every direction, gathering additional force, until our country seemed all coming home to God." ... "While I am on this subject I will relate a very serious circumstance which I knew to take place with a man who had the jerks at a camp meeting, on what was called the Ridge, in William Magee's congregation.There was a great work of religion in the encampment. The jerks were very prevalent. There was a company of drunken rowdies who came to interrupt the meeting. These rowdies were headed by a very large drinking man. They came with their bottles of whisky in their pockets. This large man cursed the jerks, and all religion. Shortly afterward he took the jerks, and he started to run, but he jerked so powerfully he could not get away. He halted among some saplings, and, although he was violently agitated, lie took out his bottle of whisky, and swore he would drink the damned jerks to death ; but he jerked at such a rate he could not get the bottle to his mouth, though he tried hard. At length he fetched a sudden jerk, and the bottle struck a sapling and was broken to pieces, and spilled his whisky on the ground. There was a great crowd gathered round him, and when he lost his whisky he became very much enraged, and cursed and swore very profanely, his jerks still in-creasing. At length he fetched a very violent jerk, snapped his neck, fell, and soon expired, with his mouth full of cursing and bitterness.  I always looked upon the jerks as a judgment sent from God, first, to bring sinners to repentance ; and, secondly, to show professors that God could work with or without means, and that he could work over and above means, and do whatsoever seemeth him good, to the glory of his grace and the salvation of the world.” … “There were many other strange and wild exercises into which the subjects of this revival fell; such, for instance, as what was called the running, jumping, barking exercise. The Methodist preachers generally preached against this extravagant wildness. I did it uniformly in my little ministrations, and sometimes gave great offense ; but I feared no con- sequences when I felt my awful responsibilities to God. From these wild exercises, another great evil arose from the heated and wild imaginations of some. They professed to fall into trances and see visions; they would fall at meetings and lay apparently powerless and motionless for days, sometimes for a week at a time, without food or drink; and when they came to, they professed to have seen heaven and hell, to have seen God, angels, the devil and the damned; they would prophesy, and, under the pretense of Divine inspiration, predict the time of the end of the world, and the ushering in of the great millennium.” Peter Cartwright and W. P. Strickland, Autobiography of Peter Cartwright, the Backwoods Preacher (New York: Carlton and Porter, 1857), pp. 45-46, 50-51 https://www.whdl.org/sites/default/files/resource/7387091/Cartwright_Autobiography.pdf?language=en 

 

Visionaries in Virginia Revivals:

Baptist member John Williams regarding Virginia revivals: 

• “The Christians [fell] to shouting, sinners trembling & falling convulsed.” Anne Taves, Fits, Trances, & Visions, pp. 86

Devereux Jarrat in his work “Brief Narrative of the Revival of Religion in Virginia”: 

• “Some of our assemblies resembled the congregation of the Jews at laying the foundation of the second temple in the days of Exra—some wept for grief; others shouted for joy; so that it was hard to distinguish one from the other. So it was here: the mourning and distress were so blended with the voice of joy and gladness, that it was hard to distinguish the one from the other, till the voice of joy prevailed—the people shouting with a great shout, so that it might be heard afar off.” Anne Taves, Fits, Trances, & Visions, pp. 86

 

Visionaries in New York:

Benjamin Abbott’s account of a love-feast held at a conference in New York, 1790: 

• “Bishop Asbury opened the love feast; then brother Whatcoat [a presiding elder and future bishop] spoke; and when he had done, I arose and told them my experience: the people gave great attention, and when I came to the account of my sanctification, down dropped one of the preachers, and did not rise until the Lord sanctified his soul. I then claimed the promises [of sanctification], and in a moment the house was filled with cries and screeches, and wonderful shouts! Several went among the people, to those whom they found in distress, to admonish, exhort, and pray with them. Afterwards, six told me, that God had sanctified them; and I think, seven, that God had justified them. Three had to be carried home that evening, who were not able to go of themselves.” Anne Taves, Fits, Trances, & Visions, pp. 93

 

Visionaries Documented by La Roy Sunderland:

Former Shouting Methodist preacher La Roy Sunderland’s account of an experiment of phrenology and magnetism on a Methodist woman: 

• “A lady in A—, had been quite zealous in religion, a few years ago, and, during that time, she was known frequently to ‘lose her strength,’ as it is called, when she would appear exceedingly happy, and remain hours in a state of apparent catalepsy. But sometime since, she sunk into a state of mental despair, and supposed herself abandoned of God and doomed to perdition. On putting her to sleep, (she had been magnetized before) we not only removed her despair, but by exciting some of the organs, she declared herself perfectly happy, and what is remarkable, when we excited a particular organ she instantly lost her strength and her limbs became rigid, precisely as she was formerly affected, under religious excitement. Indeed, she declared the two states to be precisely the same.” Anne Taves, Fits, Trances, & Visions, pp. 142

Second account of experiment by La Roy Sunderland, stated by a witness:

• “The first experiment was on an intelligent Christian lady of about twenty six. Mr. Sunderland stood behind her chair, and placing one finger on each side of her head, her eyes closed in a few minutes; and to all appearance, she was in a sound sleep, with this exception, that she seemed partially conscious of what was said in her presence, but she manifested great unwillingness to talk. She described her state, as one of complete abstraction, her mind, she said, seemed elevated far above the body, and the things of this world. Her countenance assumed a most expressive and heavenly appearance, and she declared that her perceptions of the spiritual world, and the happiness of its inhabitants was as real as any thing she had ever seen with her eyes.” Anne Taves, Fits, Trances, & Visions, pp. 143

Sunderland account of a Christian woman in 1868:

• “I had visited two methodist friends, the Rev. C[harles] M[‘Reading] and his wife. I recognized her as one of my ‘converts’ who had been entranced under a sermon I had preached in 1842. Hence, when the opportunity came, I asked Mrs. M[‘Reading] if she had heard of M. Poiyen and the entrancement of Miss Gleason? ‘O, yes,’ she said; ‘and I have often been entranced in the same way by my husband.’ At this statement I was much surprised, and said to her that I would feel much obliged if she would allow me to see her in that state.” … “she appeared to be in a state of ecstatic joy, when she grasped my hand and said ‘O, Brother Sunderland, this is the happiest state I was ever in. it is heaven. And do you remember how I went into this state under that powerful sermon you preached in our church in Scituate Harbor years ago? I was then ‘caught up to Paradise,’ as St. Paul was, and where I saw Jesus and all the angels so happy. Yes, Brother Sunderland, and this is the same heaven—the same as when my soul was converted and filled with the love of God.” Anne Taves, Fits, Trances, & Visions, pp. 144

Sunderland’s account of a 16-year old girl:

• “She has, occasionally, a correct perception of the characters of different persons who enter he room, and will address them in reproofs, or exhortations to prayer and praise, according to their various characters, though she is said to have had no previous knowledge of them beforehand. When one enters her room who is pious, or is believed to be so by her, she clasps her hands into the form of what she calls ‘a crown,’ and places them upon his head; and the statements she makes about the characters, views, and feelings of those who have been to see her, are considered by her friends as the miraculous interpositions of the Divine Being.” Anne Taves, Fits, Trances, & Visions, pp. 145

 

The Shakers:

The Shakers were a religious sect from England who came to the American colonies and embraced charismatic worship, visions, and spiritual manifestations.

• "Shaker religion began with the early Believers in England who converted to this new Protestant Christian sect from several other religious traditions and groups, including the Quakers, the Methodists, and a charismatic, mystical group known as the Camisards (or French Prophets). After their emigration to America in 1774, the Shakers attracted converts from numerous other Protestant groups, including the New Light Baptists, Presbyterians, and others sprinkled throughout the land in the aftermath of The Great Awakening of the 1740s. The tumultuous early days of the Shakers in America were well documented in one of their first printed works, commonly called the Testimonies." Hancock Shaker Village - The Shakers - Religion https://hancockshakervillage.org/shakers/shaker-religion/ 

 

• "On an August day in 1837 a class of young girls, ten to fourteen years old, was meeting for instructions at the Gathering Order in Niskeyunna. Suddenly some of them began to shake and whirl. in the evening, after they had retired, the senses of three of the children appeared withdrawn from the sense of time, and absorbed as in a trance. they began to sing, talk about angels, and describe a journey they were making, under spiritual guidance, to heavenly places. The next morning their behavior was normal; but the experience was repeated several times, and when older classes, and finally adult members of the family were affected, it became apparent that the gifts received by Ann Maria Goff and her Shaker sisters were not an isolated phenomenon. Thus began a remarkable period in Shaker history, a decade or more of strange manifestations known as 'the new era,' 'Mother Ann's Second Appearing,' or 'Mother Ann's Work.'" ... "Finally, on a Sabbath afternoon in the early spring of 1838, the 'work' opened when Philemon Stewart, a member of the Church Order, came into meeting so agitated that he needed support of two brethren, and delivered the first direct communication from Jesus and Mother Ann, the 'sacred percentage' of the order. Thus, wrote the Shaker historian Isaac Youngs, were 'the windows of heaven and the avenues for the spirit world set open.' The seedsman Stewart was the first, and probably the most prominent of the Shaker 'instruments,' the term applied to those visionists or seers who seemingly were possessed by, and spoke, sang, or acted in the name of discarnate personalities. The 'great operations of divine powers' under which Brother Philemon delivered his message were characteristic. 'It was a common case,' Young relates, 'that those Instruments who spoke by Inspiration would be suddenly seized by that mysterious power or influence, with a trembling or shaking, and severely disciplined, apparently to compel them to yield and speak what was given by the spirit.' Often they would be struck to the floor, where they lay as dead, or struggling in distress, until someone near lifted them up, when they would begin to speak with great clearness and composure. Frequently the seizure was accompanied by a complete loss, for hours or days, of 'native speech': the subject would be able to only in an unknown tongue or ''mongrel English,' to sing but not be able to talk in English, or be able to talk only to the elders. The gift came unexpectedly, usually in meeting, but sometimes in the dining hall, in the shop or field, or on a journey. Suddenly, the records say, the instrument would be whirled like a top, perhaps for an hour or more, without experiencing any sensation of dizziness; or he would become prey to the jerks or fall in a trance for hours, and occasionally for days." The people called Shakers, pp. 152-154 https://archive.org/details/peoplecalledshak00andr/page/152/mode/1up 

 

• Ann Lee: Born in England in 1736, brought a sect of Shakers to the American Colonies. She became a religious leader among the Shakers, having visions and performing miracles. Encyclopedia Britannica article "Ann Lee: American Religious Leader" https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ann-Lee.

 

• Rebecca Cox Jackson: experienced dreams and visions, predicted the future, and and performed healings. Shaker Heritage Society - A Determined Voice: Mother Rebecca Cox Jackson https://home.shakerheritage.org/mother_rebecca/ 

 

Rachel Baker:

Rachel, born 1794, was a young baptist woman who would frequently fall to the floor, and while in a trance-like state she would speak of angelic and heavenly scenes.

• "The intermittent disorder which Miss Baker suffers, seized her in bed or in her chair it she sits up. After a few moments of torpor or somnoleney, at the usual hour she loses her consciousness and begins to speak in an audible and frequently a forcible tone. She is usually found lying in a supine posture and so free from all voluntary action save that of her organs of speech, and a little inclination of her neck, that she stirs neither hand nor foot from the beginning to the termination of the attack. Except the lips, throat, and neighbouring parts there is no more action discoverable in her than if she was totally disabled by palsy. She may be literally said to lie still. Thus this modest damsel falls into a devotional exercise as soon as she loses her consciousness. It would be improper to consider her asleep tho’ her body and limbs are so quiet and her eyes steadily closed. The exercise consists of three parts: the first an incipient or opening prayer to God, similar to those of our reformed preachers; the second an addres or exhortation as to a human audience present, and listening to her; and the third a closing supplication to the Supreme being resembling in its principal points the final offering of confession and thanksgiving from the pulpit. She neither sings nor selects a text, but occasionally recites verses from the hymns of Watts. It has been remarked that the topics of these exercises are strictly conformable to the Calvinistic faith. In them she manifests an extensive acquaintance with the doctrinal parts of the scriptures, and readily cites the several books. Some have supposed that she dwells more upon the Evangelists than upon the historical prophetical or epistolary writings. Others however are of a different opinion, observing that she quotes freely from all. Her language is usually plain but sometimes ornamental and figurative; her articulation distinct and occasionally earnest and impressive. Her sentiments are biblical and conformable to the orthodox protestantism of her sect. Her opinions delivered during the paroxism, and I meddle with no other, are as sensible, intelligent and indicative of thought as you generally hear. The purity of her expressions has been noticed as unexceptionable. She may be accosted during the performance. She hears the words addressed to her, and listens to catch them. But though her attention is thus roused she is not excited to ordinary wakefulness. The queries put to her always provoke replies. The answers are pious, discreet, and indicative of religious meditation. I doubt whether the waking persons present could have responded to the questions I put, more theologically right than this unconscious girl. Her words are poured forth in a fluent and rapid stream. She rarely appears at a loss for an expression, but proceeds with as much readiness as the greater part of those who pray and preach. At times she is remarkably animated, and gives point to her sentences by the most expressive emphasis. But when the current of her thought is interrupted by a query, the catenation of her discourse is also broken; the original or preceding subject is abandoned and a new train of ideas suggested by the interrogation is substituted. This she pursues as long as she has any thing to offer, and then relapses into her ordinary topics of exhortation. If now a different question be put it immediately gives a new direction to her thoughts, and in her reply she dwells upon it until she has nothing further to observe; after which she again returns to her customary tenor of discourse. In this way I have received from her, answers in terms devotionally appropriate to half a dozen successive questions on serious subjects. Her pulse during the exercise was full, equable, and flowing, without tremor, flatter, or intermission. Both, as to force and frequency it has a good healthy beat. The temperature of her hand, arm, face, and forehead, was so much like that of a person asleep that I could distinguish no preternatural heat or cold in them. There was neither dryness nor moisture upon the skin. However toward the end of the paroxism there was an evident diminution of the arterial pulsation at the wrist. On some occasions the frequency is increased eight strokes in a minute. Her features, which had in no instance indicated the smallest distortion, wore the look of languor and exhaustion. The eyes have been observed to be turned up-wards, and their muscles in a tremulous spasm. She is insensible to all the stimuli which it has been thought prudent to apply, for the purpose of rousing her. At the end of the exercise, she had a few small spasms of the arms and throat. The latter resembled an hysterical inflation of the pharaynx. She was agitated with an emotion between sighing and groaning: And after a turn of restlessness and moaning that lasted from two to fifteen minutes, but without waking, consciousness, or even opening her eyes, she passed from her state of purturbation to that of natural and tranquil sleep. This continues usually until morning, as is common to persons in good health, when she awakes invigorated and refreshed as if nothing uncommon had happened, and professes herself ignorant of every part of the transaction, with which she becomes acquainted only by information from others. After certain of her prolonged discourses, her hands have been violently clenched, and all the muscles of the trunk and limbs stiffened by spasm for a short time. During the intermission she is as well as other persons, and works diligently with her needle. She considers it as a heavy affliction that she should be the vehicle of devotional effusions which give her neither pleasure nor edification, and which expose her to the animadversion of all who are admitted to behold her. One of the curious particulars in her case is, the persuasion she possesses that she is wide awake. On one occasion I observed, during her sermon, that she ought to be silent and not talk so long and so loud in her sleep. She heard me and denied that she was asleep. Her eye lids were, as usual, accurately closed, and there was no sign of winking. She declared herself awake, and in the confirmation of her opinion, described in vivid and glowing strains the spectacle then bright in her view; consisting of the angels, saints, and souls of just men made perfect, ministering before the throne of the Almighty, clothed in robes white as snow, and without spot or blemish, and looking like fine linen wrought by skilful hands, and with curious and cunning workmanship. Another memorable particular is, that while she is in this paroxysm, she acts under the persuasion that it is the duty of those who are renewed by all merciful grace to direct poor wanderers to the strait way, while at the same time her waking belief is, that it is not apostolical for a woman to be a public teacher of holy things.” Charles Mais, The Suprising Case of Rachel Baker, Who Prays and Preaches in her Sleep, pp. 6-9 https://collections.nlm.nih.gov/catalog/nlm:nlmuid-2562021R-bk 

 

Joanna Southcott:

Southcott was a Methodist woman (1750-1814) in England who began to have trances and visions with physical manifestations, wrote out prophecies, predicted the second coming of Jesus, and published numerous books. She had a religious following due to her claim that God had chosen her as a messenger.

• "All of a sudden the Spirit entered in me with such power and fury, that my senses seemed lost; I felt as though I had power to shake the house down, and yet I felt as though I could walk in air, at the time the Spirit remained in me; but did not remember many words I said, as they were delivered with such fury that took my senses; but as soon as the Spirit had left me, I grew weak as before." Patrick Allitt. Southcott, Joanna (1750–1814). https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/southcott-joanna-1750-1814  

 

Joseph Smith:

Smith (1805-1844) was visited by an angel in 1823 and began receiving revelations regarding the second coming, a new dispensation in which his followers were the last day saints, and a health reform. He published the first 65 of his revelations in the Book of Commandments, which he added to the cannon of scripture. He became the founder of the Mormon church which today has tens of millions of global members. Bushman, R.L. (2026, April 17). Joseph Smith. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Smith-American-religious-leader-1805-1844  

 

Mary Baker Eddy:

Eddy (1821-1910) was a Christian woman who claimed divine inspiration, published books on health reform, and became the prophet and founder of the Christian Science Church. Gottschalk, S. (2025, November 29). Mary Baker Eddy. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-Baker-Eddy 

 

Jemima Wilkinson:

Wilkinson (1752-1819) was a woman who grew up as a Quaker and received visions ordering her to preach. She believed she was a spirit, was neither male nor female, and founded a religious sect called the Universal Friends while being regarded as a messiah by some of her followers. Britannica Editors (2025, November 25). Jemima Wilkinson. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jemima-Wilkinson 

 

John Alexander Dowie:

(1847-1907), claimed divine inspiration and healer. He founded a Christian Community called Zion City and Christian Catholic Church. Britannica Editors (2026, March 5). John Alexander Dowie. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Alexander-Dowie  

 

Catholic Visionaries of Garbanda, Spain:

Several young Catholic girls in Garabanda, Spain claimed to have encountered St. Michael the Archangel in 1961, then began receiving visions of the Virgin Mary over the following several years. Below is a quote from a long documentation of various Catholic Visionaries.

"When the vision appeared, the girls fell instantaneously on their knees, striking the  sharp rocks with a loud noise that was frightening, yet they showed no signs of injury. The expression on their faces was suddenly transformed. Their look became extraordinarily  beautiful, sweet, one of profound mysticism. There are no words that can properly describe the  change. They were completely absorbed in their rapture, unaware of anyone or any material  thing around them except for each other. They did not react to pricks, bums or blows. All  attempts to distract them failed. Powerful beams of strong light were focussed on them, yet  their eyes did not even flicker, blink or show any signs of discomfort. Quite the contrary, their  eyes remained wide open, expressing a look of intense joy." Medjugorje After 21 Years Michael Davies https://archive.org/stream/MedjugorjeAfter21YearsMichaelDavies/Medjugorje+After+21+years+Michael+Davies_djvu.txt 

Additional Sources Regarding the Garbanda Visionaries:

https://insidethevaticanpilgrimages.com/the-famous-apparitions-in-garabandal/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23567659651&gbraid=0AAAAADTJJIC7Mv6EKTX0pt4v0hbXgN-2D&gclid=CjwKCAjw5NvPBhAoEiwA_2egft-1Q9XHJGjLHX6tnrgXHz23ORArCrYPa0J2HnNSgNO42VITE0uQNhoCzCwQAvD_BwE 

https://ourladyofhopems.com/totus-tuus/our-lady-of-garabandal 

 

 

Millerite and Adventist Visionaries

 

William Foy: 

William was a Baptist who joined the Millerite Adventist movement and had multiple visions in 1842. Below is a portion of one of his visions as well as the testimonies of witnesses at the worship gathering, who report that he fell to the floor and lay in a trance state for over 12 hrs. 

• “On the 18th of January, 1842, I met with the people of God in Southark St., Boston, where the christians were engaged in solemn prayer and my soul was made happy in the love of God. I was immediately seized as in the agonies of death, and my breath left me; and it appeared to me that I was a spirit separate from this body. I then beheld one arrayed in white raiment, whose countenance shone beyond the brightness of the stars, and a crown was upon his head which shone above the brightness of the sun.  This shining one, took me by my right hand, and led me upon the bank of a river; in the midst was a mount of pure water. Upon the bank, I beheld a multitude, both great and small; they were the living inhabitants of the earth. Soon all moved towards the west, walking on the water, until we reached the mount. This became the separating line between the righteous and the wicked. The righteous crossed it, passed through three changes; 1st. their bodies were made glorious. 2nd, they received pure and shining garments. 3rd, bright crowns were given them. But when the wicked reached the spot where the righteous were changed, they cried for mercy, and sank beneath the mount. The saints then passed on to a boundless plain, having the appearance like pure silver. Our guide then spake and said, This is the plain of Paradise.” … “The duty to declare the things which had thus been shown me, to my fellow creatures, and warn them to flee from the wrath to come, rested with great weight upon my mind; but I was disobedient, settling upon this point for an excuse, that my guide did not command me so to do; and I thereby, brought darkness and death upon my soul. But I could find no peace or comfort. I began to doubt whether indeed my soul had ever been converted, and although I often met with the people of God, I obtained no relief but felt distressed and lonely. I could get no access in prayer. At last in order to escape the cross of going and personally declaring it to the world, I decided to have it printed. Yet, in this I could find no relief. Besides after having an account of it printed, it was a very imperfect sketch; and indeed I was unable to relate it for that purpose. But the Lord in his mercy spared me to behold the evening of the 4th of Feb. 1842, when I met with the people of God in May St. A large congregation was gathered together, and christians were engaged in exortation and prayer. But I enjoyed none of the sensible presence of God.   In the last part of the evening, the house being much crowded, I gave my seat to a friend who had been standing through the evening. While I was thus standing, I began to reflect on my disobedience; and while thus engaged, suddenly I heard a voice, as it were, in the spirit, speaking unto me. I immediately fell to the floor, and knew nothing about this body, until twelve hours and a half had passed away, as I was afterwards informed.” https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/1116.14#21 

 

• “We the undersigned, inhabitants of Boston were witnesses of the apparently inanimate conditions into which our brother, Wm. Ellis Foy, was thrown from some unknown cause, on the 18th of January 1842 when he laid two hours and a half; and again February 4th when he laid twelve hours and a half, during which, each time he testifies that he experienced extraordinary visions of the other world. Charles Tash. Francis Sanders George Williams John Thomas David Williams Andrew Lewis Edward Williams George Harris” 
• “Dr. Henry Cummings testifies: “I was present with our brother at the time of his visions. I examined him, but could not find any appearance of life, except around his heart.”   
• “Ann Foy testifies: ‘The first appearance of life I saw in him, was the raising of his right hand. He then arose upon his knee and made signs for water which was given him. He dipped his hand into it, and wet his forehead, and his speech immediately came to him. We then wished him to tell us, what things he had seen, and he answered, as soon as I receive strength, I will reveal unto you, that which the Lord has revealed unto me.’”   https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/1116.75#76

 

Hazen Foss:

Foss had multiple prophetic visions in 1844 in which the entity gave him insight to the last days and warnings for the people. At first he was afraid to relay his vision and refused. After a third vision in which he was told that the burden had been laid on someone else, he then attempted to tell his vision. He assembled a gathering, but when he tried to tell his vision, he could not remember it. He was overcome with anguish and came to the conclusion that he was damned after this eent. He became depressed, accepted himself as lost, and left religious life. One should examine what was told him in these visions, and ask the questions of whether He tested the spirit in the way commanded in scripture, and whether this is the way in which the Holy Spirit interacts with humans as demonstrated in scripture.

J.N. Loughborough, "Hazen Foss's Vision, 1844," in The Great Second Advent Movement (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1905) https://text.egwwritings.org/read/1140.1113 

Ramdin, A. (2025, February 2). Foy and Foss: Reluctance and rebellious. Adventist Review. https://adventistreview.org/experiences/heritage/foy-and-foss/  

 

Hirum Edson: 

Edson had a vision on the morning after the Great Disappointment while he was walking through a cornfield, in which he believed he was given the accurate interpretation for what occurred in the heavenly sanctuary on October 22, 1844. 

• "IT WAS the morning of October 23, 1844. A gray dawn for thousands and ten thousands of the followers of William Miller, who had confidently looked for the Lord to come on the tenth day of the seventh month, October 22. They had closed their earthly businesses; they had sought to set their hearts right with God and with their fellow men; they had taken farewell of earth. This day they hoped to be in glory.  The twenty-second had dawned a day of hope on a little company in the town of Port Gibson, New York, on the Erie Canal. Hiram Edson, a farmer and lay preacher, was their leader. Although sometimes their meetings had been held in a schoolhouse up the canal, often, as on this day, they congregated at Edson’s farmhouse, a mile south of town.  Through the bright shining day, until the sun went down, they watched and waited, strengthening one another in hope with a recital of the promises and the prophecies. Then with quaking hearts they watched on till midnight. The day was gone, and in apprehension they waited for the dawn. It came with clouds, but not the clouds of glory surrounding the King; they were the old drab wrappings of a desolate earth. “What can it mean?” They looked into one another’s anguished faces. “Is our Savior not coming? Are the prophecies false? Is the Bible untrue? Is there no God?”  “Not so, brethren,” said Hiram Edson. “Many, many times the Lord has sent us help and light when we needed it. There is a God, and He will hear us.”   Most of the friends left with the dawn, and went back to their homes. But Edson and the few remaining went, at his suggestion, out to his barn, and entering the empty granary, they shut the door and knelt to pray. They prayed until comfort came to their hearts, and assurance that in His good time Christ would explain to them their disappointment. One brother remained to breakfast; perhaps it was Owen Crozier. After breakfast Edson said to him, “Let us go out to comfort the brethren with the assurance we have received.”  So they started, not by the road, but across the field, not wishing, I suppose, to meet any of the neighbors, who might taunt them. The field was a cornfield, in which the corn had been cut, and stood in shocks. The two men went silently, each engrossed in his own thoughts.   As they neared the middle of the field, Edson felt as it were a hand upon his shoulder, stopping him; and looking up, he saw, as in a vision, the sanctuary in heaven, and Jesus, on that day which ended the 2300 years of the prophecy, leaving the holy place and entering into the most holy, for the “cleansing of the sanctuary.”  His friend had crossed to the other side, and, stopped by the fence, he looked back and saw Edson with face uplifted, looking and listening. “Brother Edson,” he called, “what are you stopping for?” And Edson replied, “He is answering our morning prayer.”  … “After this experience Edson and a friend, Dr. F. B. Hahn, along with Crozier (a younger man, and their protégé), began in earnest to study out the Scripture proof of Edson’s revelation. In a few months they felt they were ready. Edson and Hahn, before the Disappointment, had published a little paper in Canandaigua called The Day Dawn, which heralded the coming. Now Edson said to Hahn, “Let us get out another number of The Day Dawn, and publish this truth.” Hahn, who lived at Canandaigua, agreed, and he was named the publisher. Crozier, who had a facile pen, wrote the exposition, which was published in The Day Dawn. To help pay for the edition, Mrs. Edson sold a part of her silverware. The resurrected Day Dawn was published about five months after the Disappointment, in March or April, 1845.  Editor Enoch Jacobs, of The Day-Star, a Second Advent paper published in Cincinnati, then invited Crozier to write a full exposition, which he published in an Extra of The Day-Star, under date of February 7, 1846. The Day-Star, being then a well established paper, with a stable circulation, gave a wider publicity to the subject; but it was the little Day Dawn of Canandaigua that started it, nearly a year before. The common version of the story among us has been that Crozier’s exposition of the sanctuary question was not published until 1846; and that is mixed up with the, belief, earlier held, that it first appeared in The Day-Star. It had always been a mystery to me why Edson, Hahn, and Crozier required fifteen months to produce this. The discovery of the earlier date of publication of The Day Dawn solves the problem. Edson meanwhile had sent The Day Dawn to as many addresses as he could gather. One of these copies reached Joseph Bates; another, James White. At that time, in the spring of 1845, Bates had just accepted the seventh-day Sabbath, but White had not. They both, however, were interested in the new doctrine of the sanctuary, and at Edson’s invitation planned to attend a meeting at his place. James White was unable to go, but Joseph Bates made the journey and met the Port Gibson company. The exact date of this meeting is not known, but it was probably in the fall of 1845. When Bates came he listened to the exposition of the sanctuary truth from Edson and Crozier, and accepted it. Then he said, “Now I have another message for you.” And forthwith he presented to them the seventh-day Sabbath. Edson joyfully accepted it; for he had already been thinking along that line. But Crozier said, “Better go slowly, brethren, better go slowly. Don’t step on new planks until you know they will hold you up.”  “I have been studying the question for a long time,” answered Edson, “I have put my weight upon it, and I know it will hold us up.”  All three-Edson, Hahn, and Crozier-accepted the Sabbath; but Crozier kept it for only a year or two; then he turned against it and became a most vigorous opponent. Nevertheless, the truth went forward. James and Ellen White accepted the Sabbath in the fall of 1846. They had even before that received the sanctuary truth. And thus was formed the nucleus of the company that within a few years became known as Seventh-day Adventists. The little Day Dawn, in its very name, was prophetic.” Arthur Whitefield Spalding, Footprints of the Pioneers (Washington, DC.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1947), chap. 8, "The Day Dawn,"  https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/946.339#341  

 

John Starkweather:

• Millerite visionary opposed and confronted by Ellen White. The Ellen G. White Letters and Manuscripts, Vol 1, pp. 928 https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/12667.5968 , The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, Vol. 4, pp. 984 https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/1583.5600#5641 

 

Visionaries Documented by Josha Himes per James White:

• “The stand that some of the “shepherds” presumptuously took immediately after the Midnight cry was given, that the solemn melting power of the Holy Ghost that attended the seventh month movement was a mesmeric influence. George Storrs was among the first to take this stand. See his writings in the latter part of 1844, in the Midnight Cry, then published in New York city. J. V. Himes, at the Albany Conference in the spring of 1845, said that the seventh month movement produced mesmerism seven feet deep. This I am told by one who was present, and heard the remark. Others who took an active part in the seventh month cry have since pronounced that movement the work of the Devil. Attributing the work of Christ and the Holy Ghost to the Devil, was in the days of our Saviour, blasphemy, and it is blasphemy now.” The Shorter Works of James White, pp. 165

 

Dr. R. C. Gorgas:

• “I was led to the Cross on the Clock striking 3, after which I was prostrated to the floor by the Holy Spirit, when the above was represented to me, but could not understand it until it was shown me. For six mornings the Holy Ghost took me about the same time, and I had to praise the Lord when the above was gradually represented to my mind, and on the 6th day, in Baltimore, at meeting, in the presence of perhaps 2000 persons, the Lord said unto me, it is enough. I arose and shouted, and spoke to the People. And on the 7th the Lord gave me a clear view of the vision of Daniel, the 70 weeks cut off, and it was finished.” C. R. Gorgas, "In Honor of the King of Kings," a Broadside, (Oct. 16, 1844) [quoted in] Levterov, T.N. (2011). The Development of the Seventh-day Adventist Understanding of Ellen G. White's Prophetic Gift, 1844-1889, pp. 30 (Doctoral dissertation, Andrews University). Digital Commons @ Andrews University. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgiarticle=1082&context=dissertations&utm_source=chatgpt.com 

 

Mass Vision at Camp meeting and Visionary Sister Matthewson:

Letter from Brother Aaron Clapp to Brother Bliss in August 22, 1844, regarding a mass vision experienced by camp meeting attendees as well as visionary Sister Matthewson, published in “The Advent Herald” September 1844:

• “Dear Brother Bliss,—I have had the privilege of attending the Camp meeting at Newington; and it has truly been a refreshing season to the saints of God. A goodly number of lecturers were present, filled with the Holy Ghost; and their labors were greatly blessed. God poured out his Spirit gloriously, backsliders were reclaimed, and a goodly number of sinners hopefully converted. It was a very large meeting, and one of the best Camp meetings I ever attended; as many of the lecturers say, it was truly the Lord’s meeting.  A great concourse of people were present on the Sabbath, a great deal of truth was poured into their ears, and I pray that it may prove a savor of life to a large number of the multitude; good order prevailed through the meeting; excepting that the ungodly were exceedingly wicked,—holding mock meetings, having mock communions by themselves, and blaspheming the name of the great God, for which they will soon feel the hot thunderbolts of his wrath. Oh my God, have mercy on them. During the exercises on Monday, about eleven o’clock, A. M., the attention of the congregation was arrested by a singular phenomena in the heavens.  This wonderful sight made a deep impression on the people. Some were afraid, but many more were filled with unspeakable joy and full of glory, in believing it to be one of the signs spoken of by God, which speaks the coming of Christ very near, yes, glory to God, very near. The whole encampment was as solemn as eternity. Many sinners and backsliders at this very time were begging of God to have mercy on their souls, and Christians were praying and agonizing for them. Some found mercy, but O, the door of mercy will soon be closed. We see that God works mysteriously. Dr. Crary and brother Batchelor have just returned from a visit to sister Matthewson. They say she remains about the same; and takes no food. The doctor says she has no disease about her. Although she lays on her bed in her room, yet she speaks like one risen from the dead; and her voice goes through the land, louder than peals of thunder, saying, time is short. O reader prepare to meet thy God.” S. S. Snow, The True Midnight Cry, Vol. 1, No. 1 (August 22, 1844) https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/1648.2068#2149 

William Hutchinson letter to Brother Southard regarding visionary Sister Matthewson, August 28, 1844:

• "Brother Southard,—While at the Manchester campmeeting I had the pleasure of visiting sister Matthewson, and spending about three hours and a half with her. Your account of her in the Cry does not vary from what I received from her own lips, and from her mother and sister and the rest of the family. I found her perfectly rational: and although she has not eaten a particle of food for the last three weeks, she converses freely all day long, without any apparent fatigue. She does not appear to be susceptible of any sensation but that of joy, and she is all the time under its influence. The very mention of her Savior’s name, or of the bliss of the kingdom state, and the certainty of soon entering upon it, wakes up within her the liveliest emotions of joy; and it is expressed by her smiles, and her animated representations of what she has heard and seen. She says she will very soon enter upon the realities of it, without dying. When she revived from death, as she expresses it, she was perfectly ignorant of her former life, and remained so, until the Friday afternoon following, when her memory began to return to her, and all her former history revived in her mind. Her conversation is perfectly connected: no break, no faltering; nothing contradictory in what she utters—it is given in all the artless simplicity of angelic purity—and I am convinced that her joy is as pure as that of angels, by whom she says she is constantly surrounded. She seems to me to be a perfect pattern of what we all ought to be, who are professing to love God, and to be looking for his Son from heaven. Perfect meekness, patience, gentleness, love, peace, joy, all cluster around her, and leave the divine impress of one who is blessed in waiting for Christ—for that is all she is waiting for. She is very much emaciated, yet health is evidently depicted in her countenance; and the adoring expression of her eyes, which she says will never again shed tears, bespeaks almost the existence of an immortalized saint. But she cannot yet be changed, for blood courses through her veins. One thing abundantly comforted me in conversation with her; she loves to have those who are looking for the Lord, to come and converse, and sing, and pray with her; and as she presses their hands, though never having seen them before, she will fix her full, beaming eye upon them, which seems to search them through and through, and say, with a sweet smile, “Oh you are awake!! I need not wake you up!!” There are a great many circumstances connected with her case, which forbid the imputation of any deception. First, her narative is related to the multitudes who visit her, in such a manner, as that no contradictory statement escapes her lips; and while she gives it almost invariably in the same language, it is done with such an interest of feeling as to convince the most sceptical, that her whole being is entirely absorbed in the truth of what she says has happened to her, and what she has heard and seen. No rational person, therefore, can believe she is practising deception, for, in that case, some contradictions in her statements would doubtless be detected. Secondly. That there should be abundant evidence that no deception is practised in relation to her being sustained without food, seems to have been provided for in the wonderful providence of that same Being who is now showing forth his power in her: some of the members of the family being of a religious faith so far removed from the spirit of the commission she says she has received, that any attempt to deceive in this matter would meet with a prompt exposure by them. Besides which, every opportunity is willingly offered, by all the members of the family, to the most incredulous, to acquire, in any way, entire satisfaction on this point. Thirdly. Her message in relation to the speedy approach of the judgment, is so perfectly in accordance with our views, as to bring a feeling of distrust over some minds, that it may be a “Miller humbug.” Such a suspicion is swept away, however, from the fact, that she never heard of the doctrine until after her revival from death, as she expresses it; and even now, she is entirely ignorant of the doctrine, except so far as to know, from the frequent conversations of those Advent brethren and sisters who visit and converse with her, that we are expecting the Lord to come within a few weeks. Other than this, she has no knowledge of our doctrines; so that such an imputation cannot be brought against her case, without doing violence to the laws of evidence.   Upon the whole, I apprehend her case to be the most remarkable thing of the age in which we live; and as you perceive by what I have now said, He who has raised her up to show forth his power, has done it under such circumstances as to leave me no room to doubt that it is his work; without doing violence my own reason and conscience, I am bound to say, “it is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes!” God grant that all who see her, and that all under whose notice this imperfect sketch shall fall, may be influenced by her faithful warnings that “time is short,” and prepare to meet God in peace, William Hutchinson. New York, Aug 28, 1844.” Himes, The Advent Herald, and Signs of the Times Reporter, vol. 8 (September 18, 1844) https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/1648.1588#1764

 

Samuel S. Snow:

Snow, a millerite Adventist, believed he was Elijah the prophet. He issued “A Proclamation to All People, Nations, Tongues, and Kings” in 1845 stating:

• “By the special favor of God, through Jesus Christ my Father, I have been called and commissioned to go before the face of the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to prepare the way for his descent from heaven. And as his Prime Minister, I demand of all Kings, Presidents, Magistrates, and Rulers, civil or ecclesiastical, a full surrender of all power and authority, into my hands, on behalf of King Jesus the Coming One.” Those who did not obey would endure “WAR, PESTILENCE, and DESTRUCTION.”

His claims were also published in “The True Day Star” in which his followers attested:

• “Jesus is King, and Elijah, his messenger, is here” … “we believe that our brother has been raised up and consecrated by the Holy Ghost, as the minister of the law and the prophets: that the blessed Spirit of God, guides him in the hight an special work which is committed to him, of expounding the sacred Scriptures, for the infallible guidance of the household of faith.” … “If we reject him, we reject him [Christ] that sent him.”

Snow went on to publish a work in 1848 entitled "The Book of Judgment Delivered to Israel by Elijah the Messenger of the Everlasting Covenant" in which he presented end time judgments and warnings as delivered through the Elijah-type messenger, himself. 

Knite, G.R. (1993). Millennial fever and the end of the world: A study of Millerite Adventism. Pacific Press. pp. 255-256

https://archive.org/details/millennialfevere0000knig_l2n6/page/254/mode/2up 

 

Mrs. Parker:

Daniel T. Bourdeau was a sabbatarian Adventist (later a Seventh-day Adventist after the 1863 church formation) who wrote a letter in 1859 in which he described a meeting he attended where a woman named Mrs. Parker fell into a vision. There were two other visionaries in the room as well. His intention was to witness the visions that were "so much noised abroad in the land at the present time." This demonstrates just how common visionaries were during this time. 

• "BRO SMITH : A few days after my return from Jay, I attended a Spiritual meeting in this place, with the intention of being an eye-witness of the mysterious performances which are so much noised abroad in the land at the present time: and as my expectations were met, it may not be amiss for me to briefly relate what I saw and heard. The principal speaker and performer in this meeting, was Mrs. Parker, from Morristown, Vt. A short time before the meeting commenced, she came into the room where the people were assembled, and sat down at a small distance from the congregation, while certain of my acquaintances were interrogating me in regard to the hell spoken of in the Bible. Hardly had Mrs. P. been seated five minutes before she fell into a trance. The eyes of the whole assembly were at once fastened upon her, and 'she Commenced to perform. She rubbed her hands and face, twisted, and' made such gestures as were calculated to captivate the attention of the congregation ; and when she was perfectly under the control of the spirit of Doctor Franklin(?) she arose, with her eyes closed, drew near to me, and delivered me a lecture on the subject of universal salvation through Christ. And O, how she did extol Jesus; and how her remarks were calculated to charm and deceive the uninformed! Here I could not help noticing how her views of the merits of Christ clashed with the sentiments of other Spiritualists, who trample under foot the Son of God, and say that his blood has no more virtue than the blood of any other man, and that the doctrine of atonement has the same tendency as the doctrine of indulgences. I was also led to contrast what I saw and heard, with what I have been permitted to witness since I joined the humble company who ate keeping the commandments of God, and believe in the restoration of the gifts; and how plain it was to my mind that the spiritual manifestations of these last days are the spurious work. On one hand I saw an individual, pale as death, and associated with such as make no difference between the holy and the vile, between light and darkness, with hellish looks, performing in such a manner as to gratify the desires of those who were imbued with the spirit she possessed, and overwhelm the timid and fearful, and create laughter in those of a trifling spirit. On the other hand was presented before me an unassuming and humble person, ardently striving to follow the meek and lowly Jesus, and willing to submit to the judgment of her brethren, (who prefer light to darkness, and righteousness to unrighteousness,) calmly and quietly raising her eyes toward heaven, while pouring her heart in supplication to the God of heaven; and while the power and Spirit of God rested upon those who were with her, she was breathless. Her countenance was bright and heavenly, and none of her actions were indecent and calculated to create laughter or fear. She was wrapped up in a heavenly vision, and had no knowledge of what transpired around her, occasionally moving her hands and uttering a few significant words, to indicate the scenes that passed before her and the things that she heard. On one hand was a Spiritualist, purporting to be under the direct influence of the spirit of a dead man, (while the Bible says, "The dead know not anything,") striking at the very foundation of the christian religion, and stating that men cannot and should not believe alike, and that a man's heaven or hell is in his own bosom, and that there is no Devil, thus fostering all kinds of sin—helping to swell the cry of peace and safety, and binding the wicked in bundles against the day of judgment and perdition or ungodly men. On the other hand was a devoted christian, just out of vision, relating what the Lord had revealed unto her, reproving sin and sinners, strengthening and consoling the weak, teaching christians to love the Bible and live up to the doctrines therein contained, and to come up to the unity of the faith, that they might be strong in the Lord, fight the good fight, escape the wrath of God, and have a home in the kingdom soon to be ushered in. Blessed be God, we have a sure detector, by which we may try the spirits, and see the wide difference there is between the hateful and soul-withering work of the enemy, and the glorious and soul-reviving work of Jehovah! But I must continue my narration. When Mrs. P. had given her lecture, she remarked that those who had questions to ask might ask them; and as she had addressed her whole discourse to me, I thought it proper to propose her a few questions. I first asked her what she thought of the Bible. "The Bible!" said she, "it is the best of books." I then asked her if any parts of the Bible were spurious. " O yes," she replied. A prominent Spiritualist who stood by her, added, "There are many of the books of the Bible that are spurious. When the Bible was translated and compiled, many books were rejected, because it was said they were fictitious, and it is very evident that the spurious books were not all detected." Another still more prominent and influential Spiritualist added, "The books of Moses are spurious; they are the most imperfect production now extant. Moses was the greatest scoundrel that ever lived; any school boy of ten years old can write better than he did. He wrote under the influence of some of the meanest and dirtiest imps, [spirits, gods,] that occupy the lowest circle. His God was a wicked tyrant." All those who love God and his word can see at once that these individuals spoke as they were moved by their father the Devil, whom they worship; and that, generally speaking, such testimonies as the above should not be meddled with. But on account of some of my acquaintances who were present, I endeavored, with the help of God, to expose the fallacies of those testimonies, and summed up my remarks somewhat as follows: We see that the reason why the Apocraphy was not compiled with the Bible, was because they were not in accordance with the Bible and profane history, [I referred especially to the frivolous gospels and epistles that have been forged since the days of the apostles] and could not be traced back to the age in which they purport to have been written; and the fact that the prophecies of Moses have had their fulfillment, proves that he was a man of God, and that he spake as he was moved by the Holy Ghost. How can the Bible be " the best of books," and " a spurious book," leading the mind astray, at the same time? After this I requested the speaker to tell me her views in regard to the nature of man; and she spun me out just such a thread as any other Spiritualist would have spun in like circumstances. I endeavored to rein her up to the Bible view of that subject ; but when she was met with such declarations as "the dead know not anything," "no man bath yet ascended to heaven," "if the dead rise not, then they which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished," "God only bath immortality" etc., she tried to evade the point, and shrewdly accosted me with, " Where are the signs that follow you?" I remarked that she was digressing from the subject, and again endeavored to call her attention to the Bible; but all my efforts were vain. Benjamin Franklin [I should have said the Devil through Mrs. P,] wheeled about, thanked the congregation for their attention, and closed his remarks by saying, " She [the speaker] is very weak and much fatigued. She must have rest. Good night." And thus ended the dramatic and devilish scene. My spirit truly was stirred within me while I saw the Devil work with so much power and deceivableness” … “When I also consider the work of the adversary as brought to view in spirit manifestations, and compare it with his work, which I was permitted to witness six or seven years ago, when Spiritualism was in its infancy, I see that the dragon has come down with great wrath, knowing that his time is short.” Daniel Bourdeau, “From Bro. Bourdeau,” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 13, no. 14 (February 24, 1859): 110 https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/RH/RH18590224-V13-14.pdf 

 

Phoebe Knapp:

Ellen White testified of rebuking another visionary women:

• “At one house in Orrington, the door was closed upon me as they saw me coming, but in the name of the Lord I opened it. They said Phebe Knapp was in vision. She was crying out in a most pitiful manner, warning against me. I knelt by her side and asked my heavenly Father to rebuke the spirit which was upon her. She immediately arose, her agony and burden ended. I then addressed those who were present in the name of the Lord. I reasoned with them, and rebuked their fanatical spirit, and showed them the inconsistency of their course. I told them they refused to speak with me, and feared if they looked upon me I should so affect them with darkness that God would be displeased with them.” Letters and Manuscripts, Vol. 2, Letter 2, 1874 https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/14052.3301001#3301023 

 

Myrta E. Steward:

• “Myrta Steward, among others, made spurious claims about receiving visions. When Ellen White criticized the Stewards and their supporters, they turned against her prophetic authority and James White’s leadership.” Theodore N. Levterov, “Steward.Thaddeus Moore (1827-1907) and Myrta Elizabeth (Wells) (1832-1928), “Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Published January 29, 2020 https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=BA8C

 

In this portion of the Review and Herald, a man named C. W. Stanley confirmed that Steward was known for having visions, and makes an apology for writing a letter leading some to think that he believed the visions:

• “BRO. WHITE: Dec. 22, 1860, I wrote to Bro. Russell Russellin relation to the Mauston fanaticism. In the letter I intended that Bro. and sister Steward and others should understand that I was in partial sympathy with fanaticism, and that the testimony of Brn. White, Ingraham, and Sanborn was not in our full confidence. In the above I grossly misrepresented my own feelings and faith, and the faith of' those mentioned in the letter. My object in writing as I did was to get from some one in the deception a full account of the visions.” Advent Review and Herald. (1863, January 13). 21(7), 54. Adventist Archives collection https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/RH/RH18630113-V21-07.pdf

 

Anna Phillips:

A man named W. M. Adams recalls a woman, Anna Phillips, who presented herself as a visionary. The reader should note that while Anna had people who believed she was a prophetess, the individuals in this record came to regard Anna as a false prophetess not because they tested her spirit against scripture, but only because Ellen White had a vision herself and told them Anna was a false prophetess. They relied on Ellen's spirit, and not scripture, to test another spirit.

• “During 1893 and 1894 there was a maiden lady at Battle Creek by the name of Anna Phillips, sometimes called Anna “Rice-Phillips,” who claimed to have the gift of prophecy. She wrote her visions and sent them to the leading elders. Her claims were whispered around among some of the lay members, and naturally they caused concern and comments.   It was on a Sabbath morning in the middle of April, 1894, that Elder A. T. Jones in the Dime Tabernacle, which seated about four thousand people, presented Anna Phillips’s testimonies as a genuine manifestation of the spirit of prophecy.   I will never forget the scene as he stood in the pulpit and read her testimonies. He spoke of the sheep following the True Shepherd, for “they know His voice.” John 10:4. Then he read some of Ellen White’s testimonies, and said, “Do you hear the voice?” (He referred to the voice of God through the Holy Spirit.) “Yes,” said he, “we hear the voice.” Then he read some of Anna Phillips’s testimonies and said, “Do you hear the voice?” “Yes,” he said, “it is the same voice.” He then argued the genuineness of Miss Phillips’s testimonies simply because he could hear the voice, as he claimed. Some of the rest of us, for some reason, did not hear the voice. When the meeting closed, the people quietly left the building; but instead of going to their homes, they gathered in groups and began to discuss the new prophetess. “Can it be so?” some said. Others said, “Do you think Elder Jones is right, or may he be mistaken?” “Will she and Sister White work together?” some inquired. “I should like to know what Sister White has to say about it,” remarked others. Finally the crowd dispersed and went to their homes, musing on the way.   I was a young man attending Battle Creek College, and knew not what position to take. I had confidence in Elder Jones, yet I wanted more evidence of the genuineness of Anna Phillips’s testimonies. The Sabbath was passing and the shades of another night drew on.   On Sunday morning I went to the Review and Herald office and purchased a postal card. I had just stepped to the writing board when Elder Jones came in.   “Any mail?” he inquired in his characteristic way. I watched, and saw a long envelope bearing the return address of “Mrs. E.G. White.” I was immediately interested, for I recalled his sermon the day before concerning Anna Phillips. I stood and closely watched him as he sat down on a bench and began to read. I saw that he was deeply affected, for tears began to flow freely. He read on.   Presently, Elder A. O. Tait came in, and Elder Jones said, “Oscar, come here. Sit down. You heard me preach that sermon yesterday?”   “Yes,” replied Elder Tait.   “Well, read this,” he said, as he handed him the testimony he had just received from Sister White.   Here is a part of what Elder Tait read: “Elder A. T. Jones, Dear Brother:   “I have a message for you. Did you suppose that God has commissioned you to take the burden of presenting the visions of Anna Phillips, reading them in public, and uniting them with the testimonies the Lord has been pleased to give me? No, the Lord has not laid upon you this burden. He has not given you this work to do....   “My dear brother, I wish to present before you some things concerning the dangers that threaten the work at the present time. The work of Anna Phillips does not bear the signature of heaven. I know what I am talking about....  "How is it, my brother, that you have taken up these communications, and presented them before the people, weaving them in with the testimonies God has given Sister White? Where is your evidence that these are of God? You cannot be too careful how you hear, how you receive, how you believe. “Who told Sister White a month ago,” said Elder Jones, “that I was going to preach that sermon about Anna Phillips as a prophetess?” “Ah, you know, Alonzo,” declared Elder Tait, in his calm, yet firm, way.   “Yes, I do know. God knew what I would do, and He impressed Sister White a month before I preached the sermon to send the testimony that I am wrong. Look at that date, ‘March 15, 1894.’ I am wrong.” The two men left the post office.   The next Sabbath Elder Jones read part of the testimony sent him thirty days prior to the date he preached his sermon, mailed from Melbourne, Australia. It reproved him for his position taken concerning Anna Phillips’s testimonies. He said, “I am wrong, and I confess it. Now I am right.” That ended the matter and saved the church from the pitfall of Satan.   Anna Phillips repudiated her experience and became a trusted Bible worker. She died a loyal Seventh-day Adventist.   —W. M. Adams (the young man in the post office).” White A. L. (1964). A prophet among you (Appendix A. “An experience with a false prophetess”). Review and Herald Publishing Association. https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/660.3025#3028

 

Sister Ogden:

Ellen White condemned the visions of Sister Ogden, who was even said to look very much like Ellen White when in vision:

• “Satan saw that the influence of the visions was affecting some, and by controlling Sister Ogden and making her think she had a vision while under a satanic influence confirmed the opinions of many that Brother White controls his wife and gives her visions; therefore the visions are only Brother White’s mind. God had nothing to do with that exercise. It was a human and satanic influence to counterfeit the work of God. If any of the young Sabbathkeepers in that section are reproved in vision, it will not have much weight. The first thing in their mind will be, Why it is just like Sister Ogden’s. Brother Hull said she looked just like Sister White when she was in vision. And that is all the influence the reproof would have. I saw, Brother Hull, that had your heart and mind been where it should you would never have been brought into that difficult spot.” White, E. G. (1862). Testimony Concerning Moses Hull and Wife, Also Brother Whitney. (Ms 6, 1862) In Letters and Manuscripts - Volume 1 (1844-1868). Ellen White Estate. https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/13961.3007001#3007011 

 

Annie Garmire:

Ellen White condemned the visions of Annie Garmire:

"Bro. and Sr. Garmire, (for thus I shall call you), Since visiting your house Sabbath afternoon, August 23, some things have rested on my mind to say to you. I have no hesitancy in saying that Annie’s visions are not of God. The dreams that the members of your family have had are a deception of Satan. Will the Lord give light through an impure, corrupt channel? No. This wonderful interpretation of Scripture which you have accepted, came from a man who was wholly deceived. Such ideas as he advanced, such interpretation of the third angel’s message and other Bible truths, such corrupting, sensual things, could only come from a mind defiled. My pen refuses to trace his blasphemous pretensions. Here is where you received your light. Annie’s visions have no higher source than the ideas you accepted from the blind man Jones. Can an impure fountain send forth pure water? Never. The imagination of the man was wholly defiled, and yet he presented his error as solemn, sacred truth. Think you the Lord would pass by His people, who are striving to do His work, and impart light to one corrupt in heart, whose theories would lead to moral pollution and defilement of soul and body? No, indeed no." White, E. G. (1890). Letter 11, 1890: Garmire, Brother and Sister. Ellen G. White Estate https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/5205.1#7 

 

Ralph and Mary Mackin:

The Mackins were receiving prophetic messages and asked Ellen whether they were from God. Ellen did not test their spirit utilizing scripture, but instead relied on her own visions given to her by her night guide to answer them.

“The setting for Ellen White’s 1908 statement above is her interaction with Ralph and Mary Mackin, Adventist church members from Ohio. The Mackins had requested an interview with Ellen White to describe their spiritual experiences, which included prophetic messages, speaking in tongues, “extemporaneous” singing, and casting out demons.” … “Not long after her interview Ellen White wrote to the Mackins about instruction she received in ‘visions of the night,’ making clear that their exhibitions were “not in accordance with the genuine work of the Holy Spirit.” White, E. G. (1908/compiled edition). The Ellen G. White Letters and Manuscripts: Volume . In The Ellen G. White letters and manuscripts: volume 1. Ellen G. White Estate. https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/12667.5996#5997 

 

Emily Clemons:

"Some historians, such as George R. Knight, estimate that there were some 200 prophetic seers operating in New England alone during the 1840s.  M. F. Whittier, a non-Adventist observer and brother to John Greenleaf Whittier, noted that in Portland “nothing was more common than visions.”  Merlin Burt highlights that such radical visionary activity was on the “periphery” of Millerite Adventism,  but research by Ann Taves suggests that they were much more central to the Adventist narrative.  Fred Hoyt and Ron Graybill highlight at least five prominent visionaries who operated in and around Portland, Maine, around 1844: Dorinda Baker,  Emily C. Clemons (later Pearson),  Mary Hamlin, Phoebe Knapp, and William Foy.  Extensive research has revealed very little about their lives with the exception of Clemons, who later went on to have a substantial literary career." Pfandl, G. (2008). The Gift of Prophecy. Biblical Research Institute. https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/13965.1486#1488 

 

Mary Hamlin:

• “Lewis and Laura Stowell were among the first Adventists in Maine to become Sabbathkeepers. Lewis Stowell had served as a corporal in the War of 1812 and later became a merchant in Paris, Maine.” … “In later reminiscences Marion Stowell strongly suggested that her parents, along with some other Paris Sabbatarians, were for a while caught up in some of the fanaticism and theological confusion that followed the disappointment of October 1844. She recalled that short-term visionaries such as Dorinda Baker and Mary Hamlin stayed in their house for two or three months, probably in 1845.” White, E. G. Estate. (Compiled edition). STOWELL, Lewis Barnard (1793-1886) and Laura B. (1805-1868). In The Ellen G. White Letters and Manuscripts: Volume 1 https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/12667.5724#5726 

 

Israel Dammon, Dorinda Baker, and Ellen Harmon (White):

The Piscataquis Farmer newspaper issued March 7, 1845, published a detailed report of the trial of Israel Dammon, a lay preacher associated with the post-1844 Millerite movement in Maine. Dammon was arrested after a religious meeting in Atkinson, Maine, where local authorities claimed the gathering had become disorderly and fanatical participants were engaging in extreme religious behavior. He was charged with what appeared to be disturbance of the town peace and unlawful assembly. The newspaper article is a summary of courtroom testimony, including sworn witness statements describing what occurred at the meeting. Observations reveal that there were people falling, shouting, and praying intensely. There were also two vision women who were acting as mediums between the spiritual realm and the people gathered, telling individuals their specific cases. These two vision women were Dorinda Baker as well as Ellen Harmon (Ellen's Maiden name before she married James White). Witnesses describe Ellen lying on the floor during visions with messages being delivered to attendees in an emotionally charged, chaotic atmosphere, as well as James White being very involved with both vision women. The report is based on notes taken during the trial and court minutes intended to accurately represent testimony. It is the only surviving contemporary account of the trial testimony, but filtered through a newspaper reporter. 

It should be noted that Ellen was not the only visionary present, both women claimed and were believed to be speaking directly for God, and there were clear manifestations of spiritual entities in the room which were directly interacting with people's physical bodies. 

It should also be noted that after this event, Ellen defended Dammon and wrote that the presence of the Lord was in the place and on the people. After she married James, who wa also present the night of Dammon's arrest, noth James and Ellen continued to travel closely with Dammon as evidenced in the previous quote above regarding the supernatural taming of the horse. Her actions and written testimony reveal that Ellen was approving of Dammon's ministry and convinced that what took place in the gathering on the night of his arrest was from God. 

Bruce Weaver was an independent Adventist historian who wrote an article in 1988 and republished the 1845 Piscataquis Farmer report of the trial of Israel Dammon. Below are portions of Weaver's article in which testimonies from the courtroom are quoted, followed by Ellen's account of the event. There is no question that Ellen was present at the event in support of Dammon and involved as a visionary. One should examine these testimonies and ask the question of whether these manifestations are biblical, were the reports being given through the two visionary women in accordance to scripture, and if not, what kind of spirit was speaking though these women? 

 

The Piscataquis Farmer (March 7, 1845), as republished by Bruce Weaver (1988): 

“It may be useful to say about the full report from the Piscataquis  Farmer which follows that its publisher, George V. Edes, was a fifty- eight-year-old justice of the peace.'' His civil appointment may explain  why he assigned a volunteering layman to abridge the trial transcript for  the Farmer's, readers.

‘TRIAL OF ELDER I. DAMMON  

REPORTED FOR THE  PISCATAQUIS FARMER   

In offering the public the following report  I feel it due to them as well as myself, to make  a few remarks. When I volunteered to do it, I  had no doubt but that the examination would  have been gone through with in the course of a  few hours. Judge then, what must be my surprise on finding the Court House filled to  overflowing, and having it occupy such a  length of time. To the witnesses I will say, I  have abridged your testimony as much as possible, and have omitted much of the most  unimportant part, in order to shorten the  work, but have endeavored in no case to mis-  represent you, and if you find an error, I beg  you to impute it to my head, instead of  heart.— To the reader I will remark, that  much of the testimony was drawn out by questions, and I have omitted the questions in all  cases where it could be dispensed with and  shorten the work. To all, I offer it as an imperfect and impartial report. In consequence of  my total inexperience, being but a laboring  man, I should shrink from publishing it, but  from the urgent solicitation of others. Thank-  ing the Court for the favor of a seat, by them,  and the Court and Counsel for the use of their  minutes, I sign myself this once THE  REPORTER. 

N.B. I have preserved the language of the witnesses as much as possible.   

Monday, Feb. 17, 1845.  

STATE OF MAINE, 

ISRAEL DAMMON.   

Prisoner arraigned before Moses Swett,  Esq. of Foxcroft, associated by Seth Lee,  Esq. of Atkinson, on the following com-  plaint, to wit.   

To Charles P. Chandler, Esq. one of the  Justices of the Peace within and for the  County of Piscataquis.    

HARTFORD J. ROWE, of Dover, in the  Co. of Piscataquis, Yeoman, upon his oath  complains, that Israel Dammon, Commorant  of Atkinson, in said County, Idler, is, and for  several days last past, has been a vagabond  and idle person, going about in the town of  Atkinson, aforesaid, in the county aforesaid,  from place to place, begging:— that he the  said Israel Dammon is a common railer or  brawler, neglecting his calling, or employ-  ment, misspending his earnings, and does not  provide for the support of himself family, &  against the peace of the State of Maine, and  contrary to form of Statute in such cases made  and provided. 

He therefore prays that the said I. Dammon, may be apprehended and held to answer  to said complaint and dealt with relative to the  same as law and justice may require." 

Sworn Court Testimonies: 

• Ebenezer Blethen:
  • “Elder Dammon presided and took the lead of the meetings that I attended.”

• J.W.E. Harvey:
  • “Have attended  their meetings two days and four evenings.  First meeting lasted eight days— have known  Dammon six weeks— Dammon, White and Hall were leaders. Dammon said the sinners were going to hell in two days. They were  hugging and kissing each other — Dammon  would lay on the floor, then jump up — they  would frequently go into another room. Dam-  mon has no means to support himself that I  know of. The meeting appeared very  irreligious— have seen him sit on the floor  with a woman between his legs and his arms  around her.” … “The room they went into  was a back room; don't know what was in it— I  was in two rooms where there was a fire. In  the back room they said the world's people  must not go. Dammon said the meeting was to  be a private meeting and they wanted no one to  come unless they believed as he did in the  Advent doctrine. I did go considerably— if the  meetings were religious ones I thought I had a  right to go to them— I went to satisfy myself  what was done. I had no hostile feeling  against them. I think they held the first meet-  ing a fortnight [two weeks before] . Dammon  said he wanted no one to attend their meetings  unless they believed in the advent doctrine.” … “I have attended the meetings a number of times— I have seen  prisoner on the floor with a woman between  his legs— I have seen them in groups hugging  and kissing one another. I went there once on  an errand — Dam[mon] halloed out "Good  God Almighty, drive the Devil away. " I once  saw Elder Hall with his boots off, and the  women would go and kiss his feet. One girl  made a smack, but did not hit his foot with her  lips. Hall said "he that is ashamed of me  before men, him will I be ashamed of before  my Father and the holy angels." She then  gave his feet a number of kisses.”

• Wm. C. Crosby, Esq.:
  • “I was at the  meeting last Saturday night, from about 7  o'clock to 9. There was a woman on the floor  who lay on her back with a pillow under her  head; she would occasionally arouse up and  tell a vision which she said was revealed to  her. They would at times all be talking at  once, halloing at the top of their voices; some  of them said there was too much sin there.  After the cessation of the noise, Dammon got  up and was more coherent — he complained of  those that came there who did not believe in  the advent doctrine. At one time Dammon  said there was hogs there not belonging to the band, and pointed at me, and said, I mean  you, Sir. Subsequently he addressed me  again— said, you can't drive us out of town; he  stared me in the face and said, I am an honest  man, or I could not look you in the face, and  you have hell's brass or you could not look me  in the face. Dammon said if he was owner of  the house he would compel all unbelievers to  leave it— they were setting and laying on the  floor promiscuously and were exceedingly noisy.” … “I saw no  kissing, but heard about it. I did not stay late,  went about 7, left about 9 o'clock. After the  visionist called them up she told them they  doubted. Her object seemed to be to convince  them they must not doubt.— Dammon called  the churches whoremasters, liars, thieves,  scoundrels, wolves in sheep's clothing, murderers, &c. He said read the Star. By spells it  was the most noisy assembly I ever attended-  there was no order or regularity, nor anything  that resembled any other meeting I ever  attended— Dammon seemed to have the lead  and the most art. I don't say Dammon shouted  the loudest; I think some others stronger in  the lungs than he.”

• Loton Lambert:
  • “They were sing-  ing when I arrived— after singing they sat  down on the floor— Dammon said a sister had  a vision to relate — a woman on the floor then  related her vision. Dammon said all other  denominations were wicked— they were liars,  whoremasters, murderers, &c— he also run  upon all such as were not believers with him.  He ordered us off— we did not go. The  woman that lay on the floor relating visions,  was called by Elder Dammon and others, Imi-  tation of Christ. Dammon called us hogs and  devils, and said if he was the owner of the  house he would drive us off— the one that they  called imitation of Christ, told Mrs. Wood-  bury and others, that they must forsake all  their friends or go to hell. Imitation of Christ,  as they called her, would lay on the floor a  while, then rise up and call upon some one  and say she had a vision to relate to them,  which she would relate; there was one girl that  they said must be baptized that night or she  must go to hell; she wept bitterly and wanted  to see her mother first; they told her she must  leave her mother or go to hell — one voice  said, let her go to hell. She finally concluded  to be baptized. Imitation of Christ told her  vision to a cousin of mine, that she must be  baptized that night or go to hell — she  objected, because she had once been baptized. Imitation of Christ was said to be a  woman from Portland. A woman that they  called Miss Baker, said the devil was here,  and she wanted to see him— she selected me  and said, you are the devil, and will go to hell.  I told her she want [was not] my judge. Mr.  [James) Ayer [,Jr., owner of the house] then  clinched me and tried to put me out door. I  told him we had not come to disturb the meet-  ing. The vision woman called [to] Joel Doorc,  said he had doubted, and would not be baptized again— she said Br. Doore don't go to  hell. Doore kneeled to her feet and prayed. Miss Baker and a man went into the  bedroom— subsequently heard a voice in the  room hallo Oh! The door was opened— I saw  into the room— she was on the bed— he was  hold of her; they came out of the bedroom  hugging each other, she jumping up and  would throw her legs between his. Miss Baker  went to Mr. Doore and said, you have refused  me before, he said he had— they then kissed  each other— she said "that feels good'— just  before they went to the water to baptize, Miss  Baker went into the bedroom with a man they  called Elder White— saw him help her on to  the bed— the light was brought out and door  closed. I did not see either of them after-  wards. Once I was in the other room talking  with my cousin. Dammon and others came  into the room and stopped our discourse, and  called her sister and me the devil. Imitation of  Christ lay on the floor during the time they  went down to the water to baptize, and she  continued on the floor until I left, which was  between the hours of 12 and 1 o'clock at night.” … “The visionist  lay down on the floor I should think about 7  o'clock— she lay there from that time until I  left. Dammon and others called her Imitation  of Christ. Part of the time Dammon was down  on the floor on his back— can't say certainly  who first said she was Imitation of Christ, but  can say Dammon repeatedly said so—  Dammon said Christ revealed to her and she  to others. I am not acquainted with Elder  White. They called him Eld. White. They  said if the Almighty had anything to say he  revealed it to her, and she acted as mediator.” 
• Loton Lambert, reexamined:
  • "He  affirmed all his former testimony— does not  know Elder White, but Joel Doore told me it  was White that was in the bedroom with Miss  Baker.  Cross-examined: 'There was nothing to  obstruct my views— the man had on a dark  colored short jacket, and I think light  pantaloons.'"  

• Leonard Dowries:
  • “Did see  Miss Baker come out of the bedroom with a  man he had his arm around her— see her go in  with a man and shut the door. He had on a  short jacket, dark colored, and light colored  panataloons— saw her kiss Mr. Doore— she  said "that feels good." 

• Wm. Ricker: 
  • “Know Elder  Dammon— I went to attend their meeting  once: they told me there would be none— I  asked them where it would be on the next Sabbath? They told me they know not where; but  they did not admit any but the advent band. I  asked Dammon if that was Christ's religion?  He said it is ours.”

• Leonard Dowries: 
  • “Went to  meeting with Loten Lambert, and kept with  him; heard him testify, and know what he has  related to be true. He omitted one thing. I saw  Dammon kiss other people's wives.”

• Deacon James Rowe:
  • “I was at  Ayer's a short time last Saturday evening-  Elder Dammon found fault with us for com-  ing to his meeting— he spoke of other denomi-  nations as Esq. Crosby has just testified— said  the church members were the worst people in  the world. I have been young, and now am  old, and of all the places I ever was in, I never  saw such a confusion, not even in a drunken  frolic. Dammon stood up on the floor and  said, I am going to stand here— and while I  stand here, they can't hurt you, neither men  nor devils can't hurt you.” … “He said all churches,  made no distinction. I put no meaning to what  he said, I only state what he did say. I have  been acquainted with the prisoner twenty or  thirty years; his character was good until  recently.”

• Jeremiah B. Green:
  • “I attended  an afternoon meeting a fortnight ago  yesterday— they had an exhortation and  prayer in the evening— I saw men wash men's  feet, and women wash women's feet— they  had dishes of water— Elder Dammon was the  presiding elder— I saw Dammon kiss Mrs. Osborn.”

• Ebenezer Trundy:
  • “I was at meet-  ing week before last,— I heard Dammon say,  "God's a coming! God's a coming!!" Mr.  Boobar was telling of going into the woods to  labor— Dammon said he ought not to go.  Boobar said he had a family to support and  was poor. Dammon told him he must live on  them that had property, and if God did not  come then we must all go to work together.”

• Joseph Moulton:
  • “When I went  to arrest prisoner, they shut the door against  me. Finding I could not gain access to him  without, I burst open the door. I went to the  prisoner and took him by the hand and told     him my business. A number of women  jumped on to him— he clung to them, and they  to him. So great was the resistance, that I with  three assistants, could not get him out. I  remained in the house and sent for more help;  after they arrived we made a second attempt  with the same result— I again sent for more  help— after they arrived we overpowered  them and got him out door in custody. We  were resisted by both men and women. Can't  describe the place— it was one continued  shout. Imitation of Christ told her vision to a cousin  of mine, that she must be baptized that night  or go to hell.”

• Benjamin Smith, Esq., Selectman of  Atkinson:
  • “I have been called upon by  the citizens of Atkinson to interfere and put a  stop to these meetings— they gave as a reason,  that the defendant and others were living upon  certain citizens of said town— and that they  were liable to become town charge. I started  today to go there, but learned that the prisoner  had been arrested and that the others had  dispersed.”

Defense Witnesses:

• James Ayer, Jr.:
  • “The most of  the meetings were at my house. I have gener-  ally attended them— sometimes I was out. I  have heard the testimony on the part of the  State. Some things stated I do not recollect. I  was there last Saturday evening — saw no kiss-  ing. I agree with Crosby and Lambert sub-  stantially. I understood prisoner to say there  were members of the churches who he  referred to instead of the whole. Saw the  woman with a pillow under her head— her  name is Miss Ellen Harmon, of Portland. I  heard nothing said by her or others about imi-  tation of Christ. I saw Miss Baker laying on  the floor. I saw her fall. Saw Miss Baker and  Sister Osborn go into the bedroom— Sister  Osborn helped her on to the bed, came out  and shut the door. There was no man in the  bedroom that evening. I heard the noise in the  bedroom— Brother Wood of Orrington and I  went in; asked her what was the matter, she  made no reply, and I went out. Brother Wood  assisted her off of the bed, and helped her  out— she appeared in distress. She told  brother Doore she was distressed on his  account— was afraid he would loose his soul,  and advised him to be baptized. Did not see  them kiss each other. It is a part of our faith to  kiss each other— brothers kiss sisters and sis-  ters kiss brothers, I think we have Bible  authority for that. I understood the prisoner to  say, there was an account in the Star of a dea-  con who had killed seven men. The reason of  our kneeling, I consider an object of  humiliation.” … “I know nothing about  Miss Harmon's character. I did not say there  was no kissing— I saw none. Did not hear her  called Imitation of Christ. Elder Dammon     has had no other business, but to attend meet-  ings. He and another man from Exeter, came  with a young girl . Dammon said he had a spir-  itual wife and he was glad of it. I went to Mr.  Lambert and said if he disturbed the meeting,  he must go out door. We went to the water  after 11 o'clock— Brother Dammon baptized  two. I know nothing about Sister Baker's  character— seen her at meeting in Orrington.  I understood Sister Harmon had a vision at  Portland, and was travelling through the  country relating it.”

• Job Moody:
  • “I was at meeting  Saturday evening. Brother Dammon said in  relation to other churches they were bad  enough; said they were corrupt; he spoke of     the Star— he did not say they were thieves,  &c. I am not certain, but think he said that  evening there was exceptions. Sister Harmon  would lay on the floor in a trance, and the  Lord would reveal their cases to her, and she  to them.” … “Mr. Dammon repeatedly urged  upon us the necessity of quitting all labor.  Kissing is a salutation of love; I greet them  so— we have got positive scripture for it— I  reside in Exeter.”

• Isley Osborn:
  • “I know nothing  bad in Brother Dammon's character. He  believes there is good, bad, and indifferent in  all churches— he thinks it best to come out  from them, because there is so many that has  fallen from their holy position.— Do not rec-  ollect hearing him use the expressions about  churches they have sworn to, but have heard  him use as strong language against them. Do  not call Sister Harmon Imitation of Christ.  They lose their strength and fall on the floor.  The Lord communicates to them through a  vision, so we call it the Lord. Brother White  did not go into the bedroom, nor any other  man.” … “She told them their cases  had been made known to her by the Lord, and  if they were not baptized that evening, they  would go to hell. We believed her, and  Brother Dammon and I advised them to be  baptized. Brother Dammon thought it best to  keep the meetings secret, so they would not  crowd in. Hold to kissing— have scripture     exhortation for that. Sister Baker has a good  character— the wickedest man in Orrington  says she has a good character, and that's  enough to establish any character, when the  worst man admits it. (roar of laughter) We  wish to go through the ordinance of washing  feet in secret. Did not see any kissing, but pre-  sume their was, as it is a part of our faith.  Think Esq. Crosby's testimony correct.” … “Elder Dammon does advise us to  quit all work.”

• Jacob Mason:
  • “Reside in Gar-  land. Brother Dammon said the churches  were of that description— said they were  lyers, rogues, &c. I did not understand him to  include all, but individuals. Sister Baker's  character is good. Do not recollect of Brother  Gallison using any compulsion, to make his  daughter go forward in baptism. I saw Elder  White after Sister Baker went into the bed-  room, near Sister Harmon in a trance— some  of the time he held her head. She was in a  vision, part of the time insensible. Saw noth-  ing improper in Brother Dammon that eve-  ning. I never knew him [to be] a begger, or  wasting his time.” … “Do not know who it was  that went into the bedroom with Sister  Baker— he was a stranger to me; he soon  came out. Can't say how soon he went in  again. I have heard Crosby testify, and think  him correct. I thought her visions were from  God— she would describe out their cases cor-  rect. She described mine correct. I saw kiss-  ing out door, but not in the house. A part of  the time we sat on the floor— both men and  women promiscuously. I saw no man go into  the bedroom. They wash feet in the evening. It  is a practice in our order to kiss, on our meet-  ing each other. Sister Harmon was not called  Imitation of Christ to my knowledge. I think I  should have heard it if she was. I believe in  visions. Sister Harmon is eighteen or nine-  teen years of age; she is from Portland.”

• Joel Doore:
  • “Reside in  Atkinson— Elder Dammon said there was bad  characters in the churches; I did not under- stand him to say all. He preaches louder than  most people; no more noisy than common  preachers of this faith. The vision woman  would lay looking up when she came out of  her trance— she would point to someone, and  tell them their cases, which she said was from  the Lord. She told a number of visions that  evening. Brother Gallison's daughter wanted  to see her mother before she was baptized, but  finally concluded to be baptized without see-  ing her. Sister Baker got up off the floor, and  went to Lambert to talk with him. I saw no  more of her, until I heard a noise in the  bedroom— they went and got her out, as the  other witnesses have stated. After she came  out, she said she had a message to me. She  said I had thought hard of her, (I acknowl-  edged I had) but I became satisfied of my  error, and fellowshiped her. We kissed each  other with the holy kiss— I think Elder White  was not in the bedroom that evening; but I  don't know how many, nor who were there.  The girls that was baptized were seventeen  years old, one of them had been baptized  before. We have Scripture enough for every-  thing that was done. There was not one tenth  part of the noise Saturday evening, that there  generally is at the meetings I attend. As far as  I am acquainted with Elder Dammon, 1 con-  sider him a moral good man.” … “When she kissed me,  she said there was light ahead. We believe her  (Miss Baker's) visions genuine. We believe  Miss Harmon's genuine— t'was our under-  standing that their visions were from God.  Miss Hammond [Harmon] told five visions  Saturday night. I did not tell any person yes-  terday that it was necessary to have anyone in  the room with her to bring out her trances. I  did engage counsel in this case to defend the  prisoner.” … “I have heard Brother Dammon preach that the  day of grace was over with sinners. Respondent said "that is my belief." 

• John H. Doore:
  • “I was not at  meeting Saturday evening. I belong to the  society, and have seen nothing out of charac-  ter in anyone. Don't consider Elder Dammon  a bad man— he a man I highly esteem. My     daughter was baptized Saturday evening— she  has been baptized before. I have seen both  men and women crawl across the floor on  their hands and knees.”

• George S. Woodbury: 
  • “I am a  believer in the Advent doctrine — I have  attended every one of the meetings in  Atkinson.” … “We don't acknowledge any leaders, but speak according to the  impulse. The elders baptize. I believe in Miss  Harmon's visions, because she told my wife's  feelings correctly. It is my impression that  prisoner kissed my wife. I believe the world  will come to an end within two months-  prisoner preaches so. I believe this is the faith  of the band. It was said, and I believe, that Sis-  ters Harmon and Baker's revelations as much  as though they came from God. Sister Har-  mon said to my wife and the girls if they did  not do as she said, they would go to hell. My  wife and Dammon passed across the floor on  their hands and knees. Some man did go into  the bedroom. Heard Brother Dammon say the  gift of healing the sick lay in the church.” … “Elder Dammon advises us not to  work, because there is enough to live on until  the end of the world.”

• John Gallison:
  • “I have been acquainted with Elder Dam-  mon as a Freewill elder a number of years. He  asked Dammon how long it was. D. answered  six years. I have been at his house  frequently — everything was in order and in its  proper place. I have attended every meeting. I  have seen some laying on the floor, two or  more at a time— have seen nothing bad in the  meetings. (Witness here described the posi-  tion Miss Harmon lay in on the floor, when  she was in a trance, and offered to lay down  and show the Court if they wished to see.  Court waived it.) Did not hear her called Imitation of  Christ. I know she won't [was not], for we  don't worship idols.” … “I believe in visions, and  perfectly understand that, but suppose we are     not before an Ecclesiastical Council.— Elder  Dammon does not believe as he used to. (Wit-  ness read from the Bible.) We do wash each  other's feet— do creep on the floor very  decently. I think he has baptized about eleven,  but can't say certain how many — I have the  privilege of knowing how they behave as well  as anyone else. I have no doubt Sister Har-  mon's visions were from God — she told my  daughter so. I was in favor of my daughter  being baptized — I could not see ahead to see  the devil's rabble coming, but since they have  come, I am certain we did just right.”

• Abel S. Boobar:
  • “I did not see White go into the bedroom  with Miss Baker— heard the noise in the bed-  room. Others did go in. Elder D[ammon] said  the churches were in a fallen state, and he had  rather risk himself in the hands of the  Almighty as a non-professor, than to be in the  place of some of the churches. I believe fully  in the faith. (Witness affirmed the story of  kissing, rolling on the floor, and washing of  feet.)”

• Joshua Burnham: 
  • “I have known  Miss Dorinda Baker from five years of age—  her character is good— she is now twenty  three or twenty- four years of age. She is a  sickly girl, her father has expended $1,000 in  doctoring her. I was at the meeting Saturday  night— it was appointed for the lady to tell her  visions.”

Witnesses for the State:

• Ebenezer Lambert, Esq.: 
  • “Last  Sunday evening Loton Lambert told me the  story of the meeting the evening before— he  related as he testified yesterday almost  verbatim.”

• John Bartlett, of Garland: 
  • “I have  heard the respondent say that one of their band was as near to him as another— he con-  sidered them all alike. It is the general opin-  ion in our town that the prisoner is a disturber  of the peace, and ought to be taken care of. I  have been acquainted with Elder Dammon  seven years— his character was always good  until within about six weeks.”

• Thomas Proctor:
  • “Prisoner  stated to me that Miss Baker had an exercise  in the bedroom, and he went in and helped her  out.   Cross-examined. I have said I wished they  were broken up, and wished somebody would  go and do it. I have said Elder Hall ought to be  tarred and feathered if he was such a character  as I heard he was. I was at one meeting, but as  to divine worship there was none. They told  us they allowed none there but believers.” 

• A.S. Bartlett, Esq.:
  • “Yesterday I  saw Mr. Joel Doore and Loton Lambert con-  versing together. I went to them— I heard  Doore say to him, it was Elder White that was  in the bedroom with Miss Baker— Lambert  said that was what I wanted to know. I so  understood, and think I am not mistaken. I  also heard Doore say there was a noise in the  bedroom.”

• Joseph Knights of Garland:
  • “I attended one of Dammon's meetings in Gar-  land, he behaved well until meeting was over.  After meeting was over I saw him hugging  and kissing a girl. It is the common report in  Garland, that he is a disturber of the peace.”

Israel Dammon's Defense: 

“Prisoner opened his defense and cited  Luke 7 chapter 36 verse— John 13 chapter-  Last chapter in Romans— Phillipians 4th  chapter— 1st Thessalonians 5th chapter.  Holmes followed with the defense. 

Court  adjourned one hour. (Holmes closed the  defense with signal ability. Chandler commenced in behalf of the State. Cited 178 chap-  ter 9th and 10th sections Revised Statutes; he  dwelt upon the law; after which   Morison summoned up the testimony  and closed with a few brief and appropriate  remarks.   

Elder Dammon again rose for further  defense. Court indulged him to speak. He  read 126th Psalm, and the 50th Psalm. He  argued that the day of grace had gone by, that the believers were reduced; but that there was  too many yet, and that the end of the world  would come within a week.   

The Court after consultation sentenced the  prisoner to the House of Correction for the  space of Ten Days, From this judgment  Respondent appealed.   

Tuesday morning the prisoner having  taken his seat, rose just as the Court came in,  and shouted Glory to the strength of his lungs. 

Tuesday afternoon, after the Court had  came in and were waiting for the counsel, the  prisoner and his witnesses asked permission,  and sung as follows:   "COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE."

The prisoner having taken his seat, rose just  as the Court came in, and shouted Glory to the  strength of his lungs.”

 

Sources:

Trial of Elder I. Dammon. Reported for the Piscataquis Farmer. - Piscataquis Farmer (1845): https://archive.org/details/TrialOfElderI.Dammon.ReportedForThePiscataquisFarmer.-In 

Bruce Weaver, Incident in Atkinson: The Arrest and Trial of Israel Dammon (1988):

https://archive.org/stream/BruceWeaverIncidentInAtkinsonTheArrestAndTrialOfIsraelDammon1988/1988_weaver_incidentInAtkinson_theArrestAndTrialOfIsraelDammon_advCurr_v3_n1_p16-36_djvu.txt?utm_source=chatgpt.com 

(Alternative format):

https://archive.org/details/BruceWeaverIncidentInAtkinsonTheArrestAndTrialOfIsraelDammon1988/mode/2up 

 

Ellen G. White’s Account of the Night of Dammon's Arrest:

“From Exeter we went to Atkinson. One night [February 15] I was  shown something that I did not understand. It was to this effect, that  we were to have a trial of our faith. The next day, which was the first  day of the week, while I was speaking, two men looked into the win-  dow. We were satisfied of their object. They entered and rushed past  me to Eld. Damman [sic]. The Spirit of the Lord rested upon him,  and his strength was taken away, and he fell to the floor helpless. The  officer cried out, "In the name of the State of Maine, lay hold of this  man. " Two seized his arms, and two his feet, and attempted to drag  him from the room. They would move him a few inches only, and  then rush out of the house. The power of God was in that room, and  the servants of God with their countenances lighted up with his glory, made no resistance. The efforts to take Eld. D. were often repeated with the same effect. The men could not endure the power of God, and it was a relief to them to rush out of the house. Their number increased to twelve, still Eld. D. was held by the power of God about forty minutes, and not all the strength of those men could move him from the floor where he lay helpless. At the same moment we ail felt that Eld. D. must go; that God had manifested his power for his glory, and that the name of the Lord would be further glorified in suffering him to be taken from our midst. And those men  took him up as easily as they would take up a child, and carried him out.  After Eld. D. was taken from our midst he was kept in a hotel, and guarded by a man who did not like his office. He said that Eld.  D. was singing, and praying, and praising the Lord all night, so that  he could not sleep, and he would not watch over such a man. No one  wished the office of guarding him, and he was left to go about the  village as he pleased, after promising that he would appear for trial. Kind friends invited him to share their hospitalities. At the hour of  trial Eld. D. was present. A lawyer offered his services. The charge  brought against Eld. D. was, that he was a disturber of the peace. Many witnesses were brought to sustain the charge, but they were at once broken down by the testimony of Eld. D. 's acquaintances  present, who were called to the stand. There was much curiosity to  know what Eld. D. and his friends believed, and he was asked to give them a synopsis of his faith. He then told them in a clear manner his  belief from the Scriptures. It was also suggested that they sung curious hymns, and he was asked to sing one. There were quite a number of strong brethren present who had stood by him in the trial, and  they joined with him in singing,  "When I was down in Egypt's land, I heard my Saviour was at hand," &c. Eld. D. was asked if he had a spiritual wife. He told them he had a lawful wife, and he could thank God that she had been a very spiritual woman ever since his acquaintance with her. The cost of court, I think, was thrown upon him, and he was released.” Spiritual Gifts, Vol 2, pp.40-42 https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/105.128#145  

 

 

Bizarre Visions of Ellen G. White

With the context above showing Ellen was one of many visionaries of her day, it is relevant for the reader to read some of Ellen's most bizarre visions, very much like some of the other visionaries. 

Angels holding Golden Cards, Enoch on another planet, Jerusalem and Orion Nebula: 

Ellen claimed that angels hold a “golden card” to enter Heaven, had a vision of Enoch on another planet, and claimed the New Jerusalem will come to earth through the Orion nebula:

• “Then my attending angel directed me to the City again, where I saw four angels winging their way to the gate of the City, and were just presenting the golden card to the angel at the gate. ...All the angels that are commissioned to visit the earth, hold a golden card which they present to the angels at the gates of the City, as they pass in and out. Heaven is a good place. …The Lord has given me a view of other worlds. Wings were given me, and an angel attended me from the City to a place that was bright and glorious. The grass of the place was living green, and the birds there warbled a sweet song. The inhabitants of the place were of all sizes, they were noble, majestic and lovely. They bore the express image of Jesus, and their countenances beamed with holy joy, expressive of the freedom and happiness of the place. I asked one of them why they were so much more lovely than those on the earth. The reply was—“we have lived in strict obedience to the commandments of God and have not fallen by disobedience, like those on the earth. There I saw two trees, one looked much like the tree of life in the City. The fruit of both looked beautiful; but of one they could not eat. They had power to eat of both, but were forbidden to eat of one. Then my attending angel said to me—“none in this place have tasted of the forbidden tree; but if they should eat they would fall.” Then I was taken to a world which had seven moons. Then I saw good old Enoch, who had been translated…I asked him if this was the place he was taken to from the earth. He said “it is not; but the City is my home, and I have come to visit this place.” He moved about the place as if perfectly at home. I begged of my attending angel to let me remain in that place. I could not bear the thought of coming back to this dark world again. Then the angel said—“you must go back, and if you are faithful, you, with the 144,000 shall have the privilege of visiting all the worlds and viewing the handy work of God…December 16, 1848, the Lord gave me a view of the shaking of the powers of the heavens. I saw that when the Lord said “heaven” (in giving the signs recorded by Matthew, Mark and Luke,) he meant heaven, and when he said “earth” he meant earth…Dark, heavy clouds came up, and clashed against each other. The atmosphere parted and rolled back, then we could look up through the open space in Orion, from whence came the voice of God. The Holy City will come down through that open space.” Present Truth, August 1 (1849) https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/517.1#18 

 

Vision of Outer Space:

Ellen appeared to have a vision of outer space in front of Joseph Bates, a retired Sea Captain who was extensively interested and knowledgeable in astronomy, but at the time was not yet convinced in Ellen's visions being God-given. It is noteworthy that Ellen herself wrote that she had already known Bates was extensively interested in astronomy, described having the vision in front of him, and then immediately reported that he put faith in her visions. The concern lies in her report of seeing Jupiter having four moons and Saturn having seven. What Ellen reported seeing in vision happened to match the best scientific knowledge available in her time. Consequently, this would have have been the same knowledge Joseph Bates, a sea-captain familiar with astronomy, would have known. It has been since discovered that Jupiter has at least 95 moons and Saturn has at least 146 moons. This illustrates that what she claimed to see in vision from God was not aligned with reality. Although SDA defenders of Ellen have argued that she did not herself name the planets, and if she was actually speaking of Jupiter and Saturn, God does not always reveal things all at once and may have only given her a limited view of the moons. However, it cannot be excluded that Ellen could have easily obtained specific knowledge of a few astronomical findings of her day in order to present a "vision" for Bates, knowing that he might be impressed with the "accuracy" of her visions and believe in her. If this is true, then this is a significant and serious issue of speaking falsely in God's name in order to obtain followers for herself. Readers can pray for discernment, and then determine what they believe may have truly happened here. 

Joseph Bates: 

• “The following statement, abridged from Life Sketches, will show how the gift of prophecy and the Sabbath reform were united:—   While on a visit to New Bedford, Mass., in 1846, Miss Harmon became acquainted with Elder Joseph Bates. He had early embraced the advent faith, and was an active laborer in the cause. He was a true Christian gentleman, courteous and kind. He treated Miss Harmon as tenderly as though she were his own child. The first time he heard her speak, he manifested deep interest, and after she had ceased, he arose and said, “I am a doubting Thomas. I do not believe in visions. But if I could believe that the testimony the sister has related to-night was indeed the voice of God to us, I should be the happiest man alive. My heart is deeply moved. I believe the speaker to be sincere, but I cannot explain in regard to her being shown the wonderful things she has related to us.” The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress, p. 255 https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/1140.1578#1580 

 

Eye Witnesses to Planet Vision / Bate's conversion to faith in Ellen's visions:

• “In the month of November, 1846, a conference was held in Topsham, Maine, at which Elder Bates was present. At that meeting Mrs. White had a vision which was the cause of Elder Bates’s becoming fully satisfied as to their divine origin. He was a man who had followed the sea for fifty years, filling all positions from cabin-boy up to master and owner of vessels. His understanding of astronomy was such that, as he told me, he could tell very nearly where he was upon the sea, as to latitude and longitude, by his observation of the celestial bodies. Such a one would naturally be interested in talking about astronomy. In conversation with him, he told me how he became convinced of the divine origin of the visions. He said he tried to talk with Mrs. White one day about the stars, but he soon found she knew nothing about astronomy; in fact, as she told him, she did not know as she had ever looked into a book treating on that subject. She had no inclination to converse upon that topic, and turned the conversation by talking about the new earth, and what had been shown her in vision respecting it.” The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress, p. 257 https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/1140.1592#1592   

 

• “Sister White was in very feeble health, and while prayers were offered in her behalf, the Spirit of God rested upon us. We soon noticed that she was insensible to earthly things. This was her first view of the planetary world. After counting aloud the moons of Jupiter, and soon after those of Saturn, she gave a beautiful description of the rings of the latter. She then said, 'The inhabitants are a tall, majestic people, so unlike the inhabitants of earth. Sin has never entered here.'" Mrs. Truesdail's letter, Jan 27 (1891) - letter was published in J.N. Loughborough's The Great Second Advent Movement, p. 260-261 https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/756.640#644  

 

• At our conference in Topsham, Maine, last Nov., Ellen had a vision of the handy works of God. She was guided to the planets Jupiter, Saturn, and I think one more. After she came out of vision, she could give a clear description of their Moons, etc. It is well known, that she knew nothing of astronomy, and could not answer one question in relation to the planets, before she had this vision.” James White, A Word to the Little Flock (1847) https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/756.640#642  

 

• “In the previous year, April 19, 1845, the Illustrated London News had published something of great interest to astronomers from Lord Rosse, respecting the wonderful discoveries he had made through his monster telescope, especially a view of what astronomers call “the gap in the sky.” One evening, at the conference above mentioned, at the house of Mr. Curtiss and in the presence of Elder Bates, who was yet undecided in regard to these manifestations, Mrs. White, while in vision, began to talk about the stars, giving a glowing description of rosy-tinted belts which she saw across the surface of some planet, and added, “I see four moons.” “Oh,” said Elder Bates, “she is viewing Jupiter!” Then having made motions as though traveling through space, she began giving a description of belts and rings in their ever-varying beauty, and said, “I see seven moons.”Elder Bates exclaimed, “She is describing Saturn.” Next she said, “I see six moons,” and at once began a description of the “opening heavens,” with its glory, calling it an opening into a region more enlightened. Elder Bates said that her description far surpassed any account of the opening heavens he had ever read from any author.  While she was talking and still in vision, he arose to his feet, and exclaimed, “O how I wish Lord John Rosse was here to-night!” Elder White inquired, “Who is Lord John Rosse?” “Oh,” said Elder Bates, “he is the great English astronomer. I wish he was here to hear that woman talk astronomy, and to hear that description of the ‘opening heavens.’ It is ahead of anything I ever read on the subject.” From that evening Elder Bates became fully satisfied that the visions of Mrs. White were outside of her knowledge and control. This and the character of the reproof and instruction given, satisfied him that they were from God.” The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress, p. 258 https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/1140.1597#1598 

 

• “One evening, at the conference above mentioned, at the house of Mr. Curtiss and in the presence of Elder Bates, who was yet undecided in regard to these manifestations, Mrs. White, while in vision, began to talk about the stars, giving a glowing description of rosy-tinted belts which she saw across the surface of some planet, and added, 'I see four moons.' 'Oh,' said Elder Bates, 'she is viewing Jupiter!' Then having made motions as though traveling through space, she began giving a description of belts and rings in their ever-varying beauty, and said, 'I see seven moons.' Elder Bates exclaimed, 'She is describing Saturn.' Next she said, 'I see six moons,' and at once began a description of the 'opening heavens,' with its glory, calling it an opening into a region more enlightened.” J.N. Loughborough, Great Second Advent Movement, p. 258 (1909)

 

Ellen Speaks to Deceased Husband in a Dream:

Ellen reported having a dream that her deceased husband came to her. She then interpreted the words of her deceased husband in her dream as a message from God. Since God explicitly commanded human beings not to interact with the dead, would the same God then communicate with people in dreams using the image of people deceased? Do demons not have a history of appearing to people as loved ones? How many other dreams did she attribute to God when they were only dreams?

• “A few days since I was pleading with the Lord for light in regard to my duty. In the night I dreamed I was in the carriage, driving, sitting at the right hand. Father was in the carriage, seated at my left hand. He was very pale, but calm and composed. “Why Father,” I exclaimed, “I am so happy to have you by my side once more! I have felt that half of me was gone. Father, I saw you die; I saw you buried. Has the Lord pitied me and let you come back to me again, and we work together as we used to?” He looked very sad. He said, “The Lord knows what is best for you and for me. My work was very dear to me. We have made a mistake. We have responded to urgent invitations of our brethren to attend important meetings. We had not the heart to refuse. These meetings have worn us both more than we were aware…Now, Ellen, calls will be made as they have been, desiring you to attend important meetings, as has been the case in the past. But lay this matter before God and make no response to the most earnest invitations. Your life hangs as it were upon a thread. You must have quiet rest, freedom from all excitement and from all disagreeable cares…He looked at me appealingly and said, “You will not neglect these cautions, will you, Ellen?...I awoke. But this dream seemed so real. Now you can see and understand why I feel no duty to go to Battle Creek for the purpose of shouldering the responsibilities in General Conference. I have no duty to stand in General Conference. The Lord forbids me. That is enough.” Letter 17, p. 2-4 (1881) https://m.egwwritings.org/es/book/14053.4397001#4397012