Developing Perception on Ellen White's Part

Three or four decades after the experience, Ellen White could look back and see the full significance of the light given her that guarded against a very restrictive stance on the shut door, but it seems clear that in her early experience the full application of the visions was not at first fully perceived. From the light given her in 1844 in her first vision, there were 144,000 “living saints” who would greet their Lord at His second coming (Early Writings, 15). The records indicate only 50,000 to 100,000 were awaiting His coming in 1844. As noted earlier, in the summer of 1845, Ellen Harmon was at Paris, Maine, some months before she had ever written the account of her first vision. She there took a stance quite distinct from those who held extreme views on the shut-door question. Marion C. Stowell (Truesdail) brought to her the particulars of the experience of a young woman, a close friend, whose father had prevented her from attending the Advent meetings and consequently had not rejected light. In a statement attested to by four others who were present, Ellen is reported to have replied:1BIO 261.1

God never has shown me that there is no salvation for such persons. It is only those who have had the light of truth presented to them and knowingly rejected it.—The Review and Herald, April 7, 1885.1BIO 261.2

It is indisputable that there were a few years in which Ellen herself did not understand the full significance of the “shut door” and “open door.” This is evidenced in a very valuable letter only recently come to light written by Otis Nichols to William Miller on April 20, 1846, and quoted from in chapter 5. To reach accurate final conclusions on the matter, all available sources must be taken into account.1BIO 261.3