Significance of Physical Manifestations

We have always felt that certain physical manifestations in connection with what would be described as “open visions,” that is, where there were eyewitnesses, serve a definite purpose in the plan of God—to provide the church with ocular proof of the supernatural power that was present when she had visions. Through the long centuries God has been sparing of the miraculous, but He has manifested it at times to strengthen men’s faith. But when there has been sufficient evidence provided for faith, the Lord does not endlessly continue to reveal the miraculous merely to pander to men’s curiosity. That, we believe, provides a simple and reasonable answer to the question, Why did Mrs. White have these “open visions” in the early decades and not later? It might be about as reasonable to ask, Why did most of the prophets, so far as the Bible record is concerned, have no spectacular open visions, but rather visions of the night?WBEGW 88.3