Chapter 11—The Ralph Mackin Case
This she did in the experience in 1908 as Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Mackin called on her to learn whether their experience of talking in tongues and singing in the spirit was of divine leading. It was in this connection that Ralph Mackin pressed Ellen White for an answer to the question of the propriety of looking for and expecting some physical demonstration in connection with the work of the outpouring of the Spirit of God. We quote his question and statement and Ellen White’s reply:CEESDAH 11.6
“R. Mackin: In connection with the receiving of power from on high there is a question, it seems to me, just as pertinent now as in the days of the apostles—What is the evidence? If we receive it, will it not have the same physiological effect on us as it did back there? It can be expected that we shall speak as the Spirit gives us utterance.
“Ellen G. White: In the future we shall have special tokens of the influence of the Spirit of God—especially at times when our enemies are the strongest against us. The time will come when we shall see some strange things; but just in what way—whether similar to some of the experiences of the disciples after they received the Holy Spirit following the ascension of Christ—I cannot say.”—Manuscript 115, 1908, published in The Review and Herald, August 17, 1972.
Shortly after this she was shown in vision that the Mackin experience was spurious.CEESDAH 12.1
It is interesting to observe that Ellen White, with the many, many visions given her down through the years, and facing many, many experiences, felt unable to declare unequivocally that there would be an ecstatic experience, such as speaking in unknown tongues, in connection with the outpouring of the Spirit of God. In fact, at no time did she link the evidences of the outpouring of the Spirit—sometimes spoken of as the baptism of the Holy Spirit—with ecstatic experiences. She taught that the experience of Pentecost enabled the disciples to speak fluently in known languages. This was true also of the experience at Ephesus recorded in Acts 19:6.CEESDAH 12.2