SATAN’S PLANS DEFEATED
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
IN the sixth chapter of the second book of Kings is found a narration of an interesting incident: “The king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp. And the man of God [Elisha] sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down. And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.” Verses 8-10. It is evident from this account that Satan was working through the Syrians to destroy the Israelites, but the word of the Lord by the prophet exposed his satanic work.HEVI 35.1
The character of the revelations given to Mrs. White has been, from the first, to warn the church of the devices and schemes of Satan, and to point out the way of escape from his wiles and snares. This has been apparent many times in the counsels and warnings sent to those in responsible places in the various institutions. From time to time words of caution have come, similar to this: If certain plans contemplated, or already entered upon, are carried out, it will be disastrous to the cause, and that such and such is a scheme of Satan’s suggesting. Then the proper course to pursue would be given, and, when followed, has saved the Lord’s servants from defeat, and his cause from disaster.HEVI 35.2
I call to mind a circumstance connected with Sister White’s first visit to Massachusetts, in the spring of 1845. She first met with the company in Dorchester, in the spacious rooms of the home of Brother Otis Nichols. A company of Adventist believers was in Boston about seven miles from Dorchester, and a larger company was at Randolph, eight or nine miles in the opposite direction. Brother Nichols was anxious that Miss Harmon (now Mrs. White) should have an opportunity to speak to each company. He met two of the leaders of the Boston company, Sargent and Robbins, who professed a great desire to hear Miss Harmon. Arrangements were made, and they promised to have the whole company together in Boston the next Sabbath (Sunday), to hear her speak.HEVI 35.3
At family worship, Saturday night, Sister Harmon was shown in vision that there would be no meeting in Boston the next day; that the men who had expressed such a strong desire to hear her had made no appointment for her, but were going with their whole company to Randolph, and that she must go to that place, and meet both companies at the same time. It was also revealed to her that the Lord would manifest his power in their midst, and all present would have an opportunity to learn that the visions were of the Lord. Accordingly, she went early Sunday morning to Randolph, arriving just as the opening hymn was being sung. Great was the astonishment of that company when Brother and Sister Nichols and Sister Harmon entered the room.HEVI 35.4
In the season of prayer at the opening of the meeting, Sister Harmon was taken off in vision, while in the kneeling posture. Sargent and Robbins arose and declared her vision to be false, and from Satan, and said that if an open Bible were laid on her breast, it would at once bring her out of the vision. Mr. Thayer, the owner of the house, placed a large quarto ten-pound Bible open upon her chest. Immediately after the Bible was laid upon her, she arose from her feet, and walked into the middle of the room, with the Bible open on her left hand, and lifted up as high as she could reach, with her eyes steadily looking upward, and not on the Bible. She continued for a long time to turn over the leaves with her other hand, and place her finger upon certain passages, and correctly utter their words with a solemn voice. Many present looked at the passages where her finger was pointed, to see if she spoke them correctly; for her eyes at the same time were looking upward, and not toward the book. She continued thus in vision all the afternoon until almost sunset, over six hours, the longest vision she has ever been known to have.HEVI 35.5
In exposing the schemes of Satan against the Lord’s work this vision was in character like the one referred to above, in the days of Elisha and the king of Israel. The Review and Herald, September 12, 1899.HEVI 35.6