Chapter 4—Shouting the Praises of God

In early 1850, six-month-old James Edson, the second son of James and Ellen White, was very ill. Here is the account as given by James White:CEESDAH 4.7

“The babe was sick and Ellen anointed and prayed for him. The power came down more and more, and we all shouted and praised the Lord as much as we were a mind to. In this state of feelings among us Ellen was taken off in vision.”—James White Letter to Leonard Hastings, Jan. 10, 1850.

Later in the year, at a conference held in Paris, Maine, the believers manifested their rejoicing in loud praises to God. Ellen White recounts the experience in a letter written November 7:CEESDAH 4.8

“Our conference at Topsham was one of deep interest. Twenty-eight were present; all took part in the meeting.

“Sunday the power of God came upon us like a mighty rushing wind. All arose upon their feet and praised God with a loud voice; it was something as it was when the foundation of the house of God was laid. The voice of weeping could not be told from the voice of shouting. It was a triumphant time; all were strengthened and refreshed. I never witnessed such a powerful time before.”—Letter 28, 1850.

The records, published and unpublished, in subsequent years indicate that on certain occasions of the special outpouring of the Spirit of God the saints united in shouts of praise to God.CEESDAH 4.9

There are in our early history four recorded experiences of speaking in tongues. The first took place in 1847 apparently to guide a young man to the ministry. The second, in 1848, involves a doctrinal point. The third, in 1849, gave guidance to missionary endeavor, and the fourth, in 1851, is a report describing the witness of the Holy Spirit as He manifested “the presence and power of God.”CEESDAH 5.1

Significantly, the second experience confirmed what was later discovered to be an unbiblical position, an error, which in time was corrected by Bible study. In this case the experience, involving persons of unquestioned integrity, proved unreliable and gave false guidance. But this is a story in itself.CEESDAH 5.2

Two names figure prominently in the early tongues experiences—Ralph and Chamberlain. The earliest tongues experience of which we have record is reported in an affidavit signed by early believers of unquestioned integrity who were well known as dependable, burden-bearing church members.CEESDAH 5.3

“We also, can testify to the manifestation of the gift of tongues. While at a meeting in North Paris, Maine, we think in the year of 1847 or 1848. It was a general meeting. Brother and Sister White were present, also Brother Ralph and Chamberlain, from Connecticut, and others. While the meeting was in progress, the Spirit of God was manifest in a special manner. Brother Ralph spoke in an unknown tongue. His message was directed to Brother J. N. Andrews;—that the Lord had called him to the work of the gospel ministry, and he must prepare himself for it. Brother E. L. H. Chamberlain immediately arose to his feet and interpreted what he had said.”—Mrs. S. Howland, Mrs. Frances Howland Lunt, Mrs. Rebeckah Howland Winslow, N. N. Lunt, Battle Creek, Michigan. (In E.G. White Estate document file, #311.)CEESDAH 5.4

The third tongues experience, in 1849, involved personal missionary endeavor. Hiram Edson related his experience with S. W. Rhodes in the Present Truth (December, 1849) a few days after the incidence.CEESDAH 5.5

S. W. Rhodes had worked diligently in the great Advent Awakening under William Miller’s leadership. He was a man of means, but had dedicated his material resources to the spreading of the message. When the time of the expected advent of Christ passed by, Rhodes was humiliated. He withdrew from public contact, secluding himself in the forests of upper New York State. He sustained himself by hunting and fishing, augmented by a little garden. Hiram Edson was aware of his whereabouts and on two different occasions journeyed by foot to the hideout and attempted to persuade Rhodes to join his brethren. Both attempts were unsuccessful.CEESDAH 5.6

On November 7, 1849, Edson began a third time to rescue Brother Rhodes. After walking 14 miles he felt constrained to turn back as he was impressed that the time had not come. With this matter uppermost in Elder Edson’s mind, he attended a conference held at Centerport, New York, on Sabbath and Sunday, November 17 and 18, 1849. There he met Brethren Ralph and Belden from Connecticut and James and Ellen White from Maine. The report is that the meeting was “a refreshing season.”CEESDAH 5.7

At the close of the conference Edson introduced Rhodes’s case to Ralph, and he discovered that both he and Ralph were individually impressed that they had work to do together. That evening about six persons joined in a season of prayer over Rhodes’s case. Elder Edson reported:CEESDAH 5.8

“Brother Ralph asked the Lord, in secret, to pour out His Spirit upon us if it was His will that we should go after Brother Rhodes.

“The Spirit was poured out, and it settled upon us, so that the place was awful, and glorious. While I was inquiring of the Lord if He had sent His servant so far to go with me to hunt up Brother Rhodes, at that moment Brother Ralph broke out in a new tongue, unknown to us all. Then came the interpretation—‘Yes to go with thee.’”—The Present Truth, December, 1849, 35.

Now, it was well known to the group that neither James nor Ellen White had faith in the interest that was felt for Rhodes; furthermore Ellen White had been explicit with her caution to Ralph “to be sure to get a clear duty from the Lord.” She told him that she thought Edson’s feelings for Rhodes were mere sympathy. Edson continues:CEESDAH 5.9

“The next morning we had a season of prayer, and the Spirit was richly poured out, and the Lord gave Sister White the following vision, which was contrary to her former opinion and feeling relating to our going after Brother Rhodes, up to the time that the Spirit took her off in vision.”—Ibid.

In the account almost an entire column is taken to present the vision. We quote a few lines:CEESDAH 5.10

“While in vision the angel pointed to the earth, where I saw Brother Rhodes in thick darkness; but he still bore the image of Jesus. I saw that it was the will of God that Brethren Edson and Ralph should go after him.... I saw that Brethren Edson and Ralph should make him believe there was hope, and mercy for him, and tear him away, then he would come among the flock; and that angels would attend them on their journey.”—Ellen G. White, in The Present Truth, December, 1849.

Shortly after the vision Brethren Edson and Ralph started on their journey to find Rhodes. They found him at work in a field by the Black River. They told him that they had come in the name of the Lord, seeking his fellowship with them once more, that together they would go into the kingdom.CEESDAH 5.11