Printed in the Review and Herald, March 21, 1935
God did not forget His people who were bewildered and dazed by their great disappointment in the autumn of 1844. Through the manifestation of the prophetic gift, He sent from heaven messages of encouragement and guidance to direct their minds into the fuller light, as they diligently studied His word.
Nor did the enemy of souls fail to work with extraordinary cunning, to bring in among these same people heresies and counterfeit supernatural manifestations, seeking to lead men to adopt strained and erratic interpretations of Scripture.
It should not cause surprise that whenever God gives a special manifestation of His power, Satan's strategy is exercised to introduce a closely associated counterfeit manifestation. In this way he is able to deceive some, and to cause many others to look with disfavor upon the true revelation of God's wisdom and power.
Among the disappointed Adventists, there was a fruitful field for fanaticism. Especially was this true of those who still believed that God had been leading them, though they could not understand their disappointment. They were disorganized and without leadership. They could not go back to the churches from which they had separated or had been disfellowshiped. Under these circumstances it was not strange that, in their confusion and bewilderment, some should fall an easy prey to the wiles of the enemy.
Yet it was from this class of loyal Adventists, those who maintained faith in God's leading in their past experience, that the future message, based upon that experience, must be developed and was to gather strength for the onward progress of truth. Their confidence in the correctness of the time element of their exposition of the prophetic period was an essential factor in their reception of the further light concerning the sanctuary; and the light on the sanctuary was the "key to unlock the disappointment." They were the "scattered flock" for whom Ellen Harmon was first bidden to search, and to whom she was directed to give the Heaven-sent messages that she bore. Indeed, they were the only ones in a position to receive them.
False Sanctification
In nearly every place where she labored, during those early years, she encountered opposition from fanatical teachers. Some of them, while professing and advocating holiness and sanctification, were themselves secretly living in gross sin. As the hidden corruption of their lives was revealed to Miss Harmon in vision, she unflinchingly met them face to face, and rebuked them for their fanaticism and their hypocrisy.
Of the method of her labor in these early years of her public work and the fanaticism that was encountered, Mrs. White has written:
"The disappointment in 1844 had confused the minds of many, and they would not listen to any explanation of the matter. They were impatient and unbelieving, and many seemed rebellious, coming out in a most decided manner against their past advent experience. Others dared not go to this length, and deny the way the Lord had led them. These were glad to hear arguments from the word' of God which would harmonize our position with prophetic history. As they listened to an explanation of the disappointment which had been so bitter to them, they saw that God had indeed led them, and they rejoiced in the truth. This awakened the most bitter opposition on the part of those who denied our past experience.
"But we had a still worse element to meet in a class who claimed that they were sanctified, that they could not sin, that they were sealed and holy, and that all their impressions and notions were the mind of God. Conscientious souls were deceived by the pretended piety of these fanatics. Satan had worked artfully to have these deluded ones accept the Sabbath, as through their influence, while professing to believe one part of the truth, he could crowd upon the people a great many errors. He could also use them to good advantage to disgust unbelievers, who pointed to these inconsistent, unreasonable ones as representatives of Seventh-day Adventists.
"This class urged upon the people human tests and manufactured crosses, which Christ had not given them to bear. They claimed to heal the sick and to work miracles. They had a satanic, bewitching power; yet they were overbearing, dictatorial, and cruelly oppressive. The Lord used us as instruments to rebuke these fanatics, and to open the eyes of His faithful people to the true character of their work.
"Peace and joy came into the hearts of those who broke away from this deception of Satan, and they glorified God as they saw His unerring wisdom in setting before them the light of truth and its precious fruits in contrast with Satanic heresies and delusions.The truth shone in contrast with these deceptions, like clear gold amid the rubbish of earth."--Review and Herald, Nov. 20, 1883.
A False Humility
Varied were the strange and strained interpretations given to certain Scriptures by fanatical teachers at that time. [1]
Some gave a literal interpretation to the words of Christ recorded in Matthew 18:l-6. In order to "become as little children," they argued that they should demonstrate their humility by creeping like infants.They practiced this, not only in their homes, but in the streets, and even in the church where they met for worship. Ellen Harmon stood in opposition to this. She relates the following incident:
"An old gentleman who had heard me speak, made a request for an interview with me. During our talk he said,'Miss Harmon, do you advocate the creeping position?' I said, 'No, I do not. I have plainly stated that this action is a dishonor to God. A Christian reveals true humility by showing the gentleness of Christ, by being always ready to help others, by speaking kind words, and performing unselfish acts, which elevate and ennoble the most sacred message that has come to our world.'
"During this interview, a sister whom I loved as a Christian came into the room on her knees. Said the old gentleman in clear, distinct tones:
" If man was made to walk erect, The serpent made to crawl, Why imitate the odious thing That introduced the fall?"--D. F. 733.
The "No-Work Doctrine"
A misguided and deluded man living in Paris, Maine, was teaching that the saints, while waiting for their Lord, were to do no physical labor, and he had a following in a number of places. Of course, those who sought to live in harmony with this theory had to eat, and were satisfied to partake of the bounties of those who earned their food by hard work, while at the same time they condemned their hosts as reprobates. Of this a First Day Adventist historian says:
"The sisterhood were compassionated who-were obliged to perform extra labor to care for them, which they endured, as only faithful woman can, with more than Christian patience and fortitude; until some of them concluded if it was sinful to work they would prepare no more food for the table; and bringing this theory to a practical result, they soon defeated the theorists and worked a cure in some eases."--"History of the Second Advent Message," by I. C. Wellcome, p. 400.
In vision Miss Harmon was directed to attend a meeting in Paris, Maine, where the leader in this no-work fanaticism was intending to present his theories. There, while praying, she was taken off in vision, and was given a Scriptural basis for refuting the errors of this man. She was also shown that it would be seen by the honest in heart that he was not actuated by a right spirit, and that his career would soon close.
This prediction was fulfilled. He continued to follow his impressions until his mind became seriously deranged and he committed suicide.
The Resurrection Past
Like Hymenaeus and Philetus who in Paul's day overthrew the faith of some by saying "that the resurrection is past already,"there were some in Maine who urged that the dead had been raised at the end of the 2300-day period. Of one experience in meeting this false teaching, Miss Harmon later wrote:
"We met Elder D. and many others in meeting, and bore our testimony, that they were in error and delusion in believing that the dead had been raised. I told them that God had shown me that Satan had been introducing fanatical errors, that he might deceive and destroy their souls. When Christ should raise the dead, there would be no small stir. He would ride forth with power and great glory, escorted by the heavenly angels, with songs of triumph and victory."--Letter 2, 1874.
While she was quoting the familiar words in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, Elder D. rose, began to leap up and down, clapping his hands and crying out:
"The dead are raised and gone up; glory to God! Glory, glory, glory, hallelujah! Others followed his example. Elder D. said, Don't be tried, Brother White, I cannot sit still.The spirit and power of the resurrection is stirring my very soul. The dead are raised, the dead tare raised, and gone up, gone up!"--Ibid.
Through the influence of the clear and powerful testimony borne by rational leaders, some were freed from this delusion, but many of those who had accepted this doctrine clung tenaciously to their errors, and rejected the counsel of God.They went farther and farther into delusion and darkness, bringing a stain upon those who still bore the name of Adventists.
Mesmeric Influences
At this time the strange phenomena connected with mesmerism were awakening much public interest. A number of those who had been teachers in the great movement of 1844, and who were now confused and fanatical, practiced mesmerism, and called it the Spirit of God. Ellen Harmon was sent from place to place with a message pointing out their errors and the true character of this influence.
Then the fanatical leaders whom she had reproved asserted that her visions were the result of mesmerism. They followed her from place to place, and by false statements turned the hearts of many against her teachings.
In her little book, "Experience and Views," she says:
"There was in Boston and vicinity a company of fanatical persons, who held that it was a sin to labor. Their principal message was, 'Sell that ye have, and give alms. 'They said they were in the jubilee, the land should rest, and the poor must be supported without labor. Sargent, Robbins, and some others were leaders. They denounced my visions as being of the devil, because I had been shown their errors. They were severe upon all who did not believe with them."--Page 75.
These men positively asserted that Ellen Harmon's visions were of the devil, and that they were produced through the mesmeric influence of James White, and that they could not occur in his absence.
Mr.Otis Nichols,a resident of Dorchester,Massachusetts,had become a firm believer in Ellen Harmon's divine call, having witnessed the sanctifying influence of her testimony,as he with his godly wife had taken her and her sister from place to place to meet with companies of believers. He was distressed to see this attempt by false reports to destroy confidence in the Heaven-sent messages.
He visited Portland, and proposed that James White remain there, while Ellen and her sister Sarah should return with him to Massachusetts to visit the companies near Boston who had been told that she was wholly under the influence of Mr. White. He hoped that this would convince the honest in heart that they had been deceived by the reports of their fanatical leaders.The proposed plan was promptly accepted, and Sarah and Ellen Harmon were soon at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Nichols.
A few days after their arrival, two leaders of the company of Adventists in Boston and vicinity, Messrs. Sargent and Robbins, drove in and told Mr. Nichols that they had come to have a visit, and that they would spend the night at his home.
Mr. Nichols expressed his pleasure to see them because he wanted them to meet Sarah and Ellen Harmon, who were in the home. Suddenly Messrs. Sargent and Robbins changed their minds regarding a visit with Mr. Nichols, and said that they must at once return to Boston.
Mr. Nichols asked them if they would like to hear Miss Harmon in Boston. They agreed to make an appointment for her to speak to the company there at their next meeting.
After they drove away, they artfully undertook to frustrate the plans agreed upon.They proceeded to cancel the appointment for the meeting in Boston, and arranged for the company there to meet at Randolph, thirteen miles distant.
But their attempt to deceive was thwarted. On the evening previous to the appointment, Ellen Harmon was shown in vision what these men had done, and was directed to go to Randolph.The next day she arrived with her friends at the morning service, much to the discomfiture of those who had expected her to go to Boston and find an empty house.
Between the morning and afternoon meetings, Mr. Robbins confidently asserted to Sarah Harmon that her sister could not have a vision where he was. But in the afternoon meeting, she was taken off in vision before them all, and continued in that condition for more than two hours. During this time the fanatical leaders tried to drown her voice by singing and shouting and reading loudly from the Bible. Nevertheless, her voice was clearly heard above the singing and shouting.
As an eyewitness, Otis Nichols wrote thus of this experience:
"Sister Ellen was taken off in vision with extraordinary manifestations, and continued talking in vision with a clear voice, which could be distinctly understood by all present until about sundown. Sargent,Robbins,and French were much exasperated,as well as excited, to hear Sister Ellen talk in vision, which they declared was of the devil; they exhausted all their influence and bodily strength to destroy the effect of the vision. They would unite in singing very loud, and then alternately would talk and read from the Bible in a loud voice, in order that Ellen might not be heard, until their strength was exhausted, and their hands would shake so they could not read from the Bible; but amid all this confusion and noise, Ellen's clear and shrill voice, as she talked in vision, was distinctly heard by all present.The opposition of these men continued as long as they could talk and sing, notwithstanding some of their own friends rebuked them, and requested them to stop. But said Robbins, 'You are bowed to an idol! You are worshiping a golden calf.' "Mr. Thayer, the owner of the house, was not fully satisfied that her vision was of the devil, as Robbins declared it to be. He wanted it tested in some way. He had heard that visions of satanic power were arrested by opening the Bible and laying it on the person in vision, and asked Sargent if he would test it in that way, which he declined to do.Then Mr.Thayer took a heavy, large quarto family Bible which was lying on the table and seldom used, opened it, and laid it open upon the breast of Ellen while in vision, as she was then inclined backward against the wall in the corner of the room.
"Immediately after the Bible was laid upon her, she arose upon her feet and walked into the middle of the room, with the Bible open in one hand, and lifted up as high as she could reach, and with her eyes steadily looking upward, declared in a solemn manner,'The inspired testimony from God,' or words of the same import. And then, while the Bible was extended in one hand, and her eyes looking upward, and not on the Bible, she continued for a long time to turn over the leaves with her other hand, and place her finger upon certain passages, and correctly utter their words with a solemn voice.
"Many present looked at the passages where her finger was pointed, to see if she spoke them correctly, for her eyes at the same time were looking upward. Some of the passages referred to were judgments against the wicked and blasphemers; and others were admonitions and instructions relative to our present condition."--"The Great Second Advent Movement." pp. 242, 243.
Sargent, Robbins, and French were silenced. For the remainder of the time of the meeting, they with many others seemed to be troubled and perplexed. But they shut their eyes to the truth, and clung to their delusions.
A Providential Preservation
Surrounded as she was by these and other fanatical teachings, it is indeed an indication of God's guidance that Ellen Harmon was kept from yielding to false influences. In reviewing this period of her life, she wrote:
"The false impressions of these fanatics might have turned me from my duty, had not the Lord previously shown me where to go and what to do. Although so young and inexperienced, I was preserved from falling into the snare of the enemy, through the mercy of God, in giving me special instructions whom to fear and whom to trust. Had it not been for this protection, I now see many times when I might have been led from the path of duty. ... "I had been instructed that men would come to me, urging that I should go with them to this place and that place, but that I was not to go. At the same time it was presented to me that I could trust Elder James White, that he would guard me, and that with him I would be in no danger."--D. F. 733.
A Message Against Time Setting
While Ellen Harmon thus faithfully rebuked hypocrisy and false teaching, it must have been a source of courage to be supported by the energy and strength of James White. And she, in turn, with her divine revelations, was able to steady him in his search for truth. Thus, when he, with others, was advocating that Christ would come exactly one year after the great disappointment, on October 22, 1845, he was corrected by her shortly before that time. James White wrote of this experience:
"It is well known that many were expecting the Lord to come at the seventh prayer for light.Their object, and the truth regarding their place in the early advent history, were well stated by James White as follows:
Month, 1845. That Christ would then come we firmly believed. A few days before the time passed, I was at Fairhaven, and Dartmouth, Massachusetts, with a message on this point of time. At this time, Ellen was with the band at Carver, Massachusetts, where she saw in vision that we should be disappointed, and that the saints must pass through the 'time of Jacob's trouble, which was future. Her view of Jacob's trouble was entirely new to us, as well as herself."--"A Word to the Little Flock." p. 22.
Thus, through the prophetic gift, not only was the advanced light confirmed, but errors were corrected. The divine revelations were not given as a substitute for Bible study and
"The revival of any or of all the gifts will never supersede the necessity of searching the word to learn the truth? ... It is not God's plan to lead out His people into the broad field of truth by the gifts.But after His people have searched the word,if then individuals err from Bible truth, or through strife urge erroneous views upon the honest seekers for truth, then is God's opportunity to correct them by the gifts.This is in harmony with our entire experience on this subject."--Review and Herald, Feb. 28, 1856.
Note:
1. The incidents related in this chapter occurred in the year 1845, but owing to lack of dates in the original sources, we cannot determine their exact date or sequence.