Chapter 2—Unwillingness to Believe
While the family involved accepted this as a manifestation of the power of the Spirit of God, there was still unwillingness to believe that it was divine power that at times had rested upon Ellen, robbing her of her natural strength and filling her soul with the peace and love of Jesus. They considered her as self-deceived and influenced by overwrought feelings. This left Ellen in great perplexity, and she earnestly sought the Lord. She reports that some days after this:CEESDAH 4.2
“While we were bowed before the Lord, my heart was drawn out in prayer and filled with a peace that only Christ can give. My soul rejoiced in the love of the Saviour, and physical strength left me. With childlike faith I could only say: ‘Heaven is my home, and Christ my Redeemer.’”
“One of the family before mentioned as being opposed to the manifestations of the power of God upon me, on this occasion stated his belief that I was under an excitement which he thought it my duty to resist, but instead of doing so, he thought I encouraged it as a mark of God’s favor. His doubts and opposition did not affect me at this time, for I seemed shut in with the Lord, and lifted above all outward influence; but he had scarcely stopped speaking when a strong man, a devoted and humble Christian, was struck down before his eyes by the power of God, and the room was filled with the Holy Spirit.
“Upon recovering, I was very happy in bearing my testimony for Jesus and in telling of His love for me....
“The brother who had opposed me then rose, and with tears confessed that his feelings in regard to me had been all wrong. He humbly asked my forgiveness, and said: ‘Sister Ellen, I will never again lay a straw in your way. God has shown me the coldness and stubbornness of my heart, which He has broken by the evidence of His power. I have been very wrong.’ ... ‘My heart is convinced that I have been warring against the Holy Spirit.’”—Testimonies for the Church 1:45-47.
When presenting, in 1860, the story of her life in Spiritual Gifts, volume 2, she looked back to 1843 and wrote:CEESDAH 4.3
“The Spirit of the Lord often rested upon me in great measure. My frail body could not endure the weight of glory which the mind grasped and feasted upon, and my strength was frequently gone.” Page 29.