As God has shown me the travels of the Advent people to the Holy
City and the rich reward to be given those who wait the return
of their Lord from the wedding, it may be my duty to give you
a short sketch of what God has revealed to me. The dear saints
have many trials to pass through. But our light afflictions, which
are but for a moment, will work for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory--while we look not at the things which
are seen, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the
things which are not seen are eternal. I have tried to bring back
a good report and a few grapes from the heavenly Canaan, for which
many would stone me, as the congregation bade stone Caleb and
Joshua for their report. (Num. 14:10.) But I declare to you, my
brethren and sisters in the Lord, it is a goodly land, and we
are well able to go up and possess it.
While I was praying at the family altar, the Holy Ghost fell upon
me, and I seemed to be rising higher and higher, far above the
dark world. I turned to look for the Advent people in the world,
but could not find them, when a voice said to me, "Look again,
and look a little higher." At this I raised my eyes, and
saw a straight and narrow path, cast up high above the world.
On this path the Advent people were traveling to the city, which
was at the farther end of the path. They had a bright light set
up behind them at the beginning of the path, which an angel told
me was the midnight cry. This light shone all along the path and
gave light for their feet so that they might not stumble. If they
kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, who was just before them, leading
them to the city, they were safe. But soon some grew weary, and
said the city was a great way off, and they expected to have entered
it before. Then Jesus would encourage them by raising His glorious
right arm, and from His arm came a light which waved over the
Advent band, and they shouted, "Alleluia!" Others rashly
denied the light behind them and said that it was not God that
had led them out so far. The light behind them went out, leaving
their feet in perfect darkness, and they stumbled and lost sight
of the mark and of Jesus, and fell off the path down into the
dark and wicked world below. Soon we heard the voice of God like
many waters, which gave us the day and hour of Jesus' coming.
The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the
voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.
When God spoke the time, He poured upon us the Holy Ghost, and
our faces began to light up and shine with the glory of God, as
Moses' did when he came down from Mount Sinai.
The 144,000 were all sealed and perfectly united. On their foreheads
was written, God, New Jerusalem, and a glorious star containing
Jesus' new name. At our happy, holy state the wicked were enraged,
and would rush violently up to lay hands on us to thrust us into
prison, when we would stretch forth the hand in the name of the
Lord, and they would fall helpless to the ground. Then it was
that the synagogue of Satan knew that God had loved us who could
wash one another's feet and salute the brethren with a holy kiss,
and they worshiped at our feet.
Soon our eyes were drawn to the east, for a small black cloud
had appeared, about half as large as a man's hand, which we all
knew was the sign of the Son of man. We all in solemn silence
gazed on the cloud as it drew nearer and became lighter, glorious,
and still more glorious, till it was a great white cloud. The
bottom appeared like fire; a rainbow was over the cloud, while
around it were ten thousand angels, singing a most lovely song;
and upon it sat the Son of man. His hair was white and curly and
lay on His shoulders; and upon His head were many crowns. His
feet had the appearance of fire; in His right hand was a sharp
sickle; in His left, a silver trumpet. His eyes were as a flame
of fire, which searched His children through and through. Then
all faces gathered paleness, and those that God had rejected gathered
blackness. Then we all cried out, "Who shall be able to stand?
Is my robe spotless?" Then the angels ceased to sing, and
there was some time of awful silence, when Jesus spoke: "Those
who have clean hands and pure hearts shall be able to stand; My
grace is sufficient for you." At this our faces lighted up,
and joy filled every heart. And the angels struck a note higher
and sang again, while the cloud drew still nearer the earth.
Then Jesus' silver trumpet sounded, as He descended on the cloud,
wrapped in flames of fire. He gazed on the graves of the sleeping
saints, then raised His eyes and hands to heaven, and cried, "Awake!
awake! awake! ye that sleep in the dust, and arise." Then
there was a mighty earthquake. The graves opened, and the dead
came up clothed with immortality. The 144,000 shouted, "Alleluia!"
as they recognized their friends who had been torn from them by
death, and in the same moment we were changed and caught up together
with them to meet the Lord in the air.
We all entered the cloud together, and were seven days ascending
to the sea of glass, when Jesus brought the crowns, and with His
own right hand placed them on our heads. He gave us harps of gold
and palms of victory. Here on the sea of glass the 144,000 stood
in a perfect square. Some of them had very bright crowns, others
not so bright. Some crowns appeared heavy with stars, while others
had but few. All were perfectly satisfied with their crowns. And they were all clothed
with a glorious white mantle from their shoulders to their feet.
Angels were all about us as we marched over the sea of glass to
the gate of the city. Jesus raised His mighty, glorious arm, laid
hold of the pearly gate, swung it back on its glittering hinges,
and said to us, "You have washed your robes in My blood,
stood stiffly for My truth, enter in." We all marched in
and felt that we had a perfect right in the city.
Here we saw the tree of life and the throne of God. Out of the
throne came a pure river of water, and on either side of the river
was the tree of life. On one side of the river was a trunk of
a tree, and a trunk on the other side of the river, both of pure,
transparent gold. At first I thought I saw two trees. I looked
again, and saw that they were united at the top in one tree. So
it was the tree of life on either side of the river of life. Its
branches bowed to the place where we stood, and the fruit was
glorious; it looked like gold mixed with silver.
We all went under the tree and sat down to look at the glory of
the place, when Brethren Fitch and Stockman, who had preached
the gospel of the kingdom, and whom God had laid in the grave
to save them, came up to us and asked us what we had passed through
while they were sleeping. We tried to call up our greatest trials,
but they looked so small compared with the far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory that surrounded us that we could not
speak them out, and we all cried out, "Alleluia, heaven is
cheap enough!" and we touched our glorious harps and made
heaven's arches ring.
With Jesus at our head we all descended from the city down to
this earth, on a great and mighty mountain, which could not bear
Jesus up, and it parted asunder, and there was a mighty plain.
Then we looked up and saw the great city, with twelve foundations,
and twelve gates, three on each side, and an angel at each gate.
We all cried out, "The city, the great city, it's coming,
it's coming down from God out of heaven," and it came and
settled on the place where we stood. Then we began to look at
the glorious things outside of the city. There I saw most glorious
houses, that had the appearance of silver, supported by four pillars
set with pearls most glorious to behold. These were to be inhabited
by the saints. In each was a golden shelf. I saw many of the saints
go into the houses, take off their glittering crowns and lay them
on the shelf, then go out into the field by the houses to do something
with the earth; not as we have to do with the earth here; no,
no. A glorious light shone all about their heads, and they were
continually shouting and offering praises to God.
I saw another field full of all kinds of flowers, and as I plucked
them, I cried out, "They will never fade." Next I saw
a field of tall grass, most glorious to behold; it was living
green and had a reflection of silver and gold, as it waved proudly
to the glory of King Jesus. Then we entered a field full of all
kinds of beasts--the lion, the lamb, the leopard, and the wolf,
all together in perfect union. We passed through the midst of
them, and they followed on peaceably after. Then we entered a
wood, not like the dark woods we have here; no, no; but light,
and all over glorious; the branches of the trees moved to and
fro, and we all cried out, "We will dwell safely in the wilderness
and sleep in the woods." We passed through the woods, for
we were on our way to Mount Zion.
As we were traveling along, we met a company who also were gazing
at the glories of the place. I noticed red as a border on their
garments; their crowns were brilliant; their robes were pure white.
As we greeted them, I asked Jesus who they were. He said they
were martyrs that had been slain for Him. With them was an innumerable
company of little ones; they also had a hem of red on their garments.
Mount Zion was just before us, and on the mount was a glorious
temple, and about it were seven other mountains, on which grew
roses and lilies. And I saw the little ones climb, or, if they
chose, use their little wings and fly, to the top of the mountains
and pluck the never-fading flowers. There were all kinds of trees
around the temple to beautify the place: the box, the pine, the
fir, the oil, the myrtle, the pomegranate, and the fig tree bowed
down with the weight of its timely figs--these made the place
all over glorious. And as we were about to enter the holy temple,
Jesus raised His lovely voice and said, "Only the 144,000
enter this place," and we shouted, "Alleluia."
This temple was supported by seven pillars, all of transparent
gold, set with pearls most glorious. The wonderful things I there
saw I cannot describe. Oh, that I could talk in the language of
Canaan, then could I tell a little of the glory of the better
world. I saw there tables of stone in which the names of the 144,000
were engraved in letters of gold. After we beheld the glory of
the temple, we went out, and Jesus left us and went to the city.
Soon we heard His lovely voice again, saying, "Come, My people,
you have come out of great tribulation, and done My will; suffered
for Me; come in to supper, for I will gird Myself, and serve you."
We shouted, "Alleluia! glory!" and entered into the
city. And I saw a table of pure silver; it was many miles in length,
yet our eyes could extend over it. I saw the fruit of the tree
of life, the manna, almonds, figs, pomegranates, grapes, and many
other kinds of fruit. I asked Jesus to let me eat of the fruit.
He said, "Not now. Those who eat of the fruit of this land
go back to earth no more. But in a little while, if faithful,
you shall both eat of the fruit of the tree of life and drink
of the water of the fountain." And He said, "You must
go back to the earth again and relate to others what I have revealed
to you." Then an angel bore me gently down to this dark world.
Sometimes I think I can stay here no longer; all things of earth
look so dreary. I feel very lonely here, for I have seen a better
land. Oh, that I had wings like a dove, then would I fly away
and be at rest! -
After I came out of vision, everything looked changed; a gloom
was spread over all that I beheld. Oh, how dark this world looked
to me. I wept when I found myself here, and felt homesick. I had
seen a better world, and it had spoiled this for me. I told the
view to our little band in Portland, who then fully believed it
to be of God. That was a powerful time. The solemnity of eternity
rested upon us. About one week after this the Lord gave me another
view and showed me the trials I must pass through, and that I
must go and relate to others what He had revealed to me, and that
I should meet with great opposition and suffer anguish of spirit
by going. But said the angel, "The grace of God is sufficient
for you; He will hold you up."
After I came out of this vision, I was exceedingly troubled. My
health was very poor, and I was but seventeen years old. I knew
that many had fallen through exaltation, and I knew that if I
in any way became exalted, God would leave me, and I should surely
be lost. I went to the Lord in prayer and begged Him to lay the
burden on someone else. It seemed to me that I could not bear
it. I lay upon my face a long time, and all the light I could
get was, "Make known to others what I have revealed to you."
In my next vision I earnestly begged of the Lord that, if I must
go and relate what He had shown to me, He would keep me from exaltation.
Then He showed me that my prayer was answered, and if I should
be in danger of exaltation His hand would be laid upon me, and
I would be afflicted with sickness. Said the angel, "If you
deliver the messages faithfully, and endure unto the end, you
shall eat of the fruit of the tree of life and drink of the water
of the river of life."
Soon it was reported all around that the visions were the result
of mesmerism, and many Adventists were ready to believe and circulate
the report. A physician who was a celebrated mesmerizer told me
that my views were mesmerism, that I was a very easy subject,
and that he could mesmerize me and give me a vision. I told him
that the Lord had shown me in vision that mesmerism was from the
devil, from the bottomless pit, and that it would soon go there,
with those who continued to use it. I then gave him liberty to
mesmerize me if he could. He tried for more than half an hour,
resorting to different operations, and then gave it up. By faith
in God I was able to resist his influence, so that it did not
affect me in the least.
If I had a vision in meeting, many would say that it was excitement
and that someone mesmerized me. Then I would go away alone in
the woods, where no eye or ear but God's could see or hear, and
pray to Him, and He would sometimes give me a vision there. I
then rejoiced, and told them what God had revealed to me alone,
where no mortal could influence me. But I was told by some that
I mesmerized myself. Oh, thought I, has it come to this that those
who honestly go to God alone to plead His promises and to claim
His salvation, are to be charged with being under the foul and
soul-damning influence of mesmerism? Do we ask our kind Father
in heaven for "bread," only to receive a "stone"
or a "scorpion"? These things wounded my spirit, and
wrung my soul in keen anguish, well-nigh to despair, while many
would have me believe that there was no Holy Ghost and that all
the exercises that holy men of God have experienced were only
mesmerism or the deceptions of Satan.
At this time there was fanaticism in Maine. Some refrained wholly
from labor and disfellowshiped all those who would not receive
their views on this point, and some other things which they held
to be religious duties. God revealed these errors to me in vision
and sent me to His erring children to declare them; but many of
them wholly rejected the message, and charged me with conforming
to the world. On the other hand, the nominal Adventists charged
me with fanaticism, and I was falsely, and by some wickedly, represented
as being the leader of the fanaticism that I was actually laboring
to correct. Different times were repeatedly set for the Lord to
come and were urged upon the brethren; but the Lord showed me
that they would all pass by, for the time of trouble must come
before the coming of Christ, and that every time that was set
and passed by would only weaken the faith of God's people. For
this I was charged with being with the evil servant that said
in his heart, "My Lord delayeth His coming."
All these things weighed heavily upon my spirits, and in the confusion
I was sometimes tempted to doubt my own experience. While at family
prayers one morning, the power of God began to rest upon me, and
the thought rushed into my mind that it was mesmerism, and I resisted
it. Immediately I was struck dumb and for a few moments was lost
to everything around me. I then saw my sin in doubting the power
of God, and that for so doing I was struck dumb, and that my tongue
would be loosed in less than twenty-four hours. A card was held
up before me, on which were written in letters of gold the chapter
and verse of fifty texts of Scripture. After I came out of vision,
I beckoned for the slate, and wrote upon it that I was dumb, also
what I had seen, and that I wished the large Bible. I took the
Bible and readily turned to all the texts that I had seen upon
the card. I was unable to speak all day. Early the next morning
my soul was filled with joy, and my tongue was loosed to shout
the high praises of God. After that I dared not doubt or for a
moment resist the power of God, however others might think of
me.
In 1846, while at Fairhaven, Massachusetts, my sister (who usually
accompanied me at that time), Sister A., Brother G., and myself
started in a sailboat to visit a family on West's Island. It was
almost night when we started. We had gone but a short distance
when a storm suddenly arose. It thundered and lightened, and the
rain came in torrents upon us. It seemed plain that we must be
lost, unless God should deliver.
I knelt down in the boat and began to cry to God to deliver us.
And there upon the tossing billows, while the water washed over
the top of the boat upon us, I was taken off in vision and saw
that sooner would every drop of water in the ocean be dried up
than we perish, for my work had but just begun. After I came out
of the vision all my fears were gone, and we sang and praised
God, and our little boat was to us a floating Bethel. The editor
of The Advent Herald has said that my visions were known to be
"the result of mesmeric operations." But, I ask, what
opportunity was there for mesmeric operations in such a time as
that? Brother G. had more than he could well do to manage the
boat. He tried to anchor, but the anchor dragged. Our little boat
was tossed upon the waves and driven by the wind, while it was
so dark that we could not see from one end of the boat to the
other. Soon the anchor held, and Brother G. called for help. There
were but two houses on the island, and it proved that we were
near one of them, but not the one where we wished to go. All the
family had retired to rest except a little child, who providentially
heard the call for help upon the water. Her father soon came to
our relief, and, in a small boat, took us to the shore. We spent
the most of that night in thanksgiving and praise to God for His
wonderful goodness unto us. -