Ms 5, 1849

September 23, 1849, Topsham, Maine¹

Six weeks after their second son, James Edson White, was born on July 28, 1849, the Whites traveled from Connecticut to Paris, Maine, to attend a conference, held September 14-16. A conference followed in Topsham, Maine, probably on September 21-23. According to Joseph Bates, writing on September 25, “Ellen had a vision at each conference.” The presumption is therefore that Ellen White's public vision dated September 23, here recorded, was received during the Topsham conference.

See: Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts [vol. 2], p. 116; “Conferences,” Present Truth, August 1849, p. 24; Joseph Bates to Leonard and Elvira Hastings, Sept. 25, 1849.

1EGWLM 181.4

Remarks in Vision.1EGWLM 181.5

Previously unpublished.1EGWLM 181.6

An entreaty to live fully for God in view of the impending crisis. Carried in vision to another planet.1EGWLM 181.7

Beautiful and glorious, lovely, lovely, lovely.²

This manuscript is another rare example of a report of actual words uttered by Ellen White in public vision. For comments on the accuracy and limitations of such reports, see Ms 6, 1849 (June 30), note 2. Since, as far as we know, Ellen White never wrote out an account of this vision, our understanding of it remains partial.

Haughtiness must come down, pride must fall.3

The utterances in this vision include an unusually large number of biblical (KJV) expressions and allusions. The following two instances, all taken from the first paragraph, serve to illustrate the tenor of the whole manuscript:

• “Who shall be able to stand? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart” (par. 1). Cf. Ps. 24: 3, 4: “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart.”

• “Who hath directed the mind of the Lord, or being His counselor hath taught Him?” (par. 1). Cf. Isa. 40:13: “Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his cousellor hath taught him?”

Holy, holy, holy, holy. Who shall be able to stand? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart: to those who take Him for the Man of their counsel there is salvation. Who hath directed the mind of the Lord, or being His counselor hath taught Him? In infinite wisdom He hath established the Sabbath in Eden. Behold ye, be careful how ye treat the Sabbath of the Lord your God. It is holy, it is holy to the Lord.1EGWLM 181.8

Everything must be sacrificed this side of the (loosing) [of] the four winds.⁴

The loosing of the “four winds” indicates the time when Christ's intercession has ceased, general probation has closed and a “time of trouble” begins. “I saw that the four angels would hold the four winds until Jesus’ work was done in the sanctuary, then the seven last plagues will be poured out” (Ms 2, 1849 [Jan. 17]).

See: EGWEnc, s.v. “Plagues, Seven Last,” “Time of Trouble.”

Should anything be considered too dear to sacrifice for God? Behold ye, can ye not see them just ready to let go? Speed thee, hide, beneath the covering.5

The shortness of the time is a major emphasis of this vision. For Joseph Bates, who was present, it was the dominant theme. Two days later he wrote, “The cry from the holy City is speed the messengers, speed the messengers, the work is almost done. … The vision says spare neither money nor anything to do the work now. Soon it will be forever to [sic] late.” Ellen White was later accused of being a false prophet. In 1883 she responded: “The angels of God in their messages to men represent time as very short. Thus it has always been presented to me. It is true that time has continued longer than we expected in the early days of this message. … But has the word of the Lord failed? Never! It should be remembered that the promises and threatenings of God are alike conditional.”

See: Joseph Bates to Leonard and Elvira Hastings,” Sept. 25, 1849; Ellen G. White, Ms 4, 1883 (c. 1883) (Selected Messages, book 1, p. 67).

The mind is perplexed. The mind is troubled. Break away (her parents6

Ellen White recalled in 1860 that her mother had not attended the Paris conference but was present later in September 1849 for this conference at Topsham. The parentheses suggest that both parents were witnesses to their daughter's vision. There is evidence that as early as August 1848 Robert and Eunice Harmon were keeping the Sabbath. James White writes on August 26, 1848: “Call at Gorham where Ellen's parents live. They are with us in the faith.”

See: Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts [vol. 2], pp. 117, 118; James White to “Dear Brother and Sister,” Aug. 26, 1848; Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White: The Early Years, p. 119.

and others).1EGWLM 182.1

That seal⁷

See: EGWEnc, s.v. “Seal of God.”

must be implanted in a clear mind. It is so engrossed there is no place for the seal. Who hath the image of the lovely Jesus? Holy God have mercy, have mercy upon Thy Zion.8

“Zion” here used metaphorically to denote the people of God.

Heal them, heal them. Watch them carefully, have everything done this side of the standing up of Michael.9

An event that, according to Daniel 12:1, immediately precedes the “time of trouble, such as never was.”

See: SDAE, s.v. “Michael, the Archangel”; Questions on Doctrine, pp. 65-76; EGWEnc, s.v. “Time of Trouble.”

Those that now get established get fully established not to falter.1EGWLM 182.2

Do ye see those men?—1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (pointing to angels who were waiting to write on their rolls the names of those established, and those separated from us). Do you not see those bloody men with their weapons coming on as soon as the last name is enrolled?¹⁰

The appeal to escape the coming destruction is here repeated, this time using the imagery of Ezekiel 9. Ezekiel there sees “six men … every man a slaughter weapon in his hand” charged to smite all except those marked in the forehead by one of the men “clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side.”

Do ye not see the pestilence wasting at noonday? Look ye, look ye, some have been leaning, and they have leaned too long, presumed when the commandments of God were plain in His Word they have leaned on something else. Beware, they have presumed on the mercy of God. God save, closing up, closing up, closing up, closing up. But two things—heaven or hell, life or death, now, now.1EGWLM 182.3

Behold ye, pleading that blood and after that work is finished. He will hold out no longer. Girds His sword upon His thigh and rides forth for the deliverance of the captive, the destroying angels! Then there will be no buying or selling. He will spread a table in the wilderness faithful just and true. It's the life of the saints they are after, they have not got the seal, it is something else, it's the mark of the beast,¹¹

See: EGWEnc, s.v. “Mark of the Beast.”

and his image. They cry, they agonize. (Who? those who were right once, then they all join with the others, the wicked.) It's too late, too late. Every idle word put a watch before thee.1EGWLM 183.1

(Putting the Bible on Augusta Stowell [Harriet Augusta Stowell]): Study it, study it, take it, believe it, walk out on it, the Word of God, faith, the Book of books, the all-seeing eye! Tremble before the Lord of hosts. Look ye, the mind has been filled, it has been engrossed with trash. Cast it off, bear it away. Walk carefully before thy God. Keep thine eye steady upon thy God, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith. Take it as the man of thy counsel, take it as a hammer, a fire it will consume the dross, it will consume the tin, too much trash, cast it out.1EGWLM 183.2

(Taking the large Bible containing the apocrypha¹²

Even Protestant Bibles commonly included the Apocrypha as a separate section between Old and New Testaments, until the British and Foreign Bible Society decided to exclude it from all its Bibles in 1826. See S. L. Greenslade, ed., The Cambridge History of the Bible, vol. 3, p. 391.

): Pure and undefiled, a part of it is consumed, holy, holy, walk carefully, tempted. The Word of God, take it (Marion Stowell [Marion Concordia Stowell]13

Second name “Concordia” found in William Berry Lapham, History of Paris, Maine, p. 738.

), bind it long upon thine heart, pure and unadulterated. How lovely, how lovely, how lovely. My blood, My blood, My blood. O the children of disobedience, reproved, reproved. Thy word, Thy word, Thy word, a part of it is burned unadulterated, a part of the hidden book, a part of it is burned (the apocrypha).1EGWLM 183.3

Those that shall despitefully tread [treat?] that remnant would think that they are doing God service. Why? because they are led captive by Satan at his will. Hidden book, it is cast out. Bind it to the heart (4 times) bind it, bind it, bind it, (laying the Bible on Oswell Stowell [Lewis Oswald Stowell]¹⁴

The three Stowells mentioned in this manuscript, Oswald (21), Marion (20), and Harriet Augusta (18), were children of Lewis B. and Laura Stowell, of Paris, Maine.

) let not its pages be closed, read it carefully. Snares will beset on every side, take the strait truth, bind it to the heart (3 times), let everything be cast out.15

The intent of the utterances regarding the Apocrypha in the preceding three paragraphs is not clear. What is the significance of its being “consumed,” “burned,” and “cast out”? Does it constitute a positive evaluation of the Apocrypha—that it has value but has been “despitefully” treated? Or do the words “burned,” etc., imply a negative evaluation? Or is, perhaps, no judgment intended at all? Unfortunately, no account of this vision, written by Ellen White, is available to answer some of these questions.

There has been little published comment on this passage. More attention has been given to Ellen White's vision a few months later, in January 1850 (Ms 4, 1850), also dealing with the Bible and the Apocrypha. See the following articles for two somewhat different perspectives. Denis Fortin, “Sixty-six Books—or Eighty-one? Did Ellen White Recommend the Apocrypha?” Review, Mar. 28, 2002, p. 9; Ron Graybill, “Under the Triple Eagle. Early Adventist Use of the Apocrypha,” Adventist Heritage, Winter 1987, pp. 25-32; EGWEnc, s.v. “Apocrypha.”

1EGWLM 183.4

It is the youth (here and other places). Critical place. Satan is tempting them, if they go back, if they give up there is, will be no more hope. They have received the knowledge of the truth. Souls hither and thither are hungry, Oh how they would eat the truth. Fly swiftly. It is of God, lay aside the idols, can ye not see it? He is well pleased in giving up the idols (tobacco &c) and calling upon Him. Cut loose from everything that hinders thy progress, too late to be entangled, the Jubilee¹⁶

See: Siegfried H. Horn, ed., Seventh-day Adventist Bible Dictionary, s.v. “Jubilee.”

is coming.1EGWLM 184.1

God's people are a tried people. Been trials, large blocks to get over. He is frowning; that's why the wheels could not go.¹⁷

Ellen White occasionally uses the expression “blocking the wheels of progress” or the like (e.g., Ms 15, 1885 [July 17]). This would fit into the present context, since two sentences earlier she speaks of cutting loose “from everything that hinders thy progress.”

Some are breaking the holy commandments. Since the door was shut18

See: Introductory article “The ‘Shut Door’ and Ellen White's Visions”; EGWEnc, s.v. “Shut Door.”

those that broke them are in an awful place. After the light shone upon the Sabbath those that have received it and cast it away, there is no hope for them. The condemnation was great for breaking the nine commandments.1EGWLM 184.2

(Out of vision she said, But when the light comes on the fourth it would be greater if rejected.)1EGWLM 184.3

Press together, press together, how much? to lay down thy life for one another. Money nor nothing should be spared, live for God. Keep the mouth, keep the mouth, light, trifling, wicked conversation. Satan tempts thee, need much grace to stand. Keep thy finger on thy mouth, too apt to speak, lacking in faith, He loves thee (Sister Curtis [Mercy A. Curtis]¹⁹

Identity: Since “Sister Curtis” witnessed the vision in Topsham it is likely that she belongs to the same Curtis family mentioned by J. N. Loughborough and Ellen White as living in Topsham during the 1840s. Loughborough and White, however, supply only the family name—Curtis. Evidence of her full identity comes from an obituary in the Review of Mercy A. Curtis, which tells us that she died in Topsham in 1907 and that she and her husband “had accepted the Adventist faith in 1843” and “were among the first to embrace the Sabbath.” Census data reveals that Mercy Curtis had been married to Robert G. Curtis, who was listed as a Topsham resident as early as the census of 1840. “R. G. Curtis” is mentioned regularly in the subscriber lists of the Review. In summary it is likely that “Sister Curtis” in this manuscript is Mercy A. Curtis, since she was a Sabbatarian Adventist who lived in Topsham during the 1840s.

See: J. N. Loughborough, The Great Second Advent Movement, pp. 238, 257, 258; James White and Ellen G. White, Life Sketches (1880), p. 199; Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts [vol. 2], p. 199; obituary: “Mercy A. Curtis,” Review, Dec. 12, 1907, p. 37; 1840 U.S. Federal Census, “Robert G. Curtis,” Maine, Lincoln County, Topsham, p. 13; 1880 U.S. Federal Census, “Mercy A. Curtis,” Maine, Sagadahoc County, Topsham, p. 191; search term “R. G. Curtis” in Words of the Pioneers.

). Take it as the man of thy counsel, let not thy mouth be closed (Henry Nichols [Henry O. Nichols]). (Not in vision said, He believes the promises are for every one else but for him.) Glory, the rich reward, the rich reward, glory.1EGWLM 184.4

Going to another place or planet.1EGWLM 185.1

Majestic, lovely and beautiful, they know the redeemed in that dark spot (this earth) that they shall soon behold them. Hallelujah, lovely as in the garden of Eden of all sizes, as they pass around by the gates they behold their image.²⁰

Cf.: “The Lord has given me a view of other worlds … a place that was bright and glorious. … The inhabitants of the place were of all sizes, they were noble, majestic and lovely” (Ellen G. White, “To Those Who Are Receiving the Seal of the Living God,” broadside, Jan. 31, 1849).

They meet every Sabbath holy unto the Lord. It was not there they had never changed it. How could it be? The Pope changed it.1EGWLM 185.2

Lovely and majestic person (Christ) comes unto this place. How holy, how holy, holy, how beautiful is His countenance. They can embrace Him. Hallelujah, hallelujah. Beautiful and lovely, brighter than the sun at noonday. Behold put it in the most holy place, in heaven those two lovely angels looking down into the commandments and the golden pot of manna. If Israel had kept them there they would have been as strong as an army with banners. Jerusalem would have stood until now if they had not broken them. Oh, let me remain;²¹

Cf.: “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” (ibid.).

go forth quickly. When the law is sealed up and closed with His disciples then He will let go. Drop the curtain, I cannot see it. I cannot behold it, save, save, save, O God have pity, have mercy, save, O save.1EGWLM 185.3