Visions During Public Prayer

It was not too uncommon for Ellen White to be given a vision while praying, both in private and in public. Such expressions as the following may be noted:VFEGWV 6.2

While engaged in earnest prayer, I was lost to everything around me; the room was filled with light, and I was bearing a message to an assembly that seemed to be the General Conference.—Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 461.

On Friday evening, February 15, 1901, while engaged with the family in prayer at the opening of the Sabbath, and reaching out for light as to whether she should accept Dr. Kellogg’s invitation to stay in his home while attending the General Conference Session of 1901, a vision was given to her. She described it:VFEGWV 6.3

I was asking the Lord where I should go and what I should do.... Well, while I was praying and was sending up my petition, there was, as has been a hundred times or more, a soft light circling around in the room, and a fragrance like the fragrance of flowers, of a beautiful scent of flowers.—Ms 43a, 1901.

She heard a voice, “Respect the courtesy of My servant, John Kellogg.”—Letter 33, 1901.VFEGWV 6.4

Did others praying with her that Friday evening see the light and notice the fragrance? As she recounted the experience at the Session, she said, “Though none of the family saw what I saw, or heard what I heard, yet they felt the influence of the Spirit, and were weeping and praising God.”—The General Conference Bulletin, 204, 1901. (EGW Biography, vol. 5, pp. 53-54.)VFEGWV 7.1

W. C. White, speaking at the Advanced Bible School in 1936, described a pause in a public prayer at the Minnesota Camp Meeting being offered by Ellen White in which a comprehensive vision was given to her.VFEGWV 7.2

Father and mother were carrying a heavy burden in behalf of the ministry who had been working in that State. On Sunday morning they undertook to conduct a revival service. Father spoke for a few minutes, but with little freedom. Then after mother had spoken briefly, they asked the congregation to kneel in prayer. Father offered a labored, sorrowful prayer, then mother began to implore for light and freedom. After she had prayed for about two minutes she stopped. There was silence long enough to count to forty or fifty, about half a minute.VFEGWV 7.3

I was kneeling with the congregation, and I turned to see what was the occasion for the silence. Just then she burst forth in prayer. Her voice was melodious, and triumphant, and the remainder of her prayer greatly moved the people present.VFEGWV 7.4

During the period of silence, a revelation was given her regarding conditions in the Minnesota Conference, also conditions regarding the work in Battle Creek, also regarding other matters of general interest in the cause. Following the camp meeting, father and mother found retirement at the home of one of our brethren. Mother wrote diligently for about two weeks., in recording what had been shown to her during the half minute of pause in her prayer.—W. C. White in Lecture at Advanced Bible School, 1936 (White Publications Document File No. 696.)VFEGWV 7.5