The charge that the message which the prophet bore was of human, instead of heavenly, origin, is not new. Jeremiah, chapter 43, records an incident in which the prophet bore a solemn message to the people of God. As Jeremiah spoke words of warning, one of the rulers retaliated, “Thou speakest falsely: the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there: but Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us.” Jeremiah 43:2, 3. The reason for such a claim is obvious; for if the prophetic word can be degraded to a common level it loses its weight and significance. EGWMR 15.5
When Ellen Harmon first spoke for God in her youth, the cry went up, “Mesmerism! The visions have their origin in mesmerism.” This she answered with a statement that she had been shown that mesmerism was of the devil, and she submitted to an attempt on the part of a noted mesmerist to give her a “vision” by mesmerism. The attempt failed. If the visions were given to her when she was alone, the critics asserted that she mesmerized herself. This bore her down in deep despair and led her to question her own experience. One morning as she perceived that a vision was being given her, she yielded to doubt and resisted it. Immediately she was stricken dumb. In the vision that followed she was shown that she should never doubt the power of God, and that her tongue would be loosed within twenty—four hours. Not until the next day was she able to speak. From that time on she dared not doubt. For the full account, see Early Writings, 22 and 23. EGWMR 15.6