Eyewitness Accounts
J. N. Loughborough
I will state some facts relative to the visions. The first time I saw Mrs.
E. G. White (formerly Miss Harmon) was in October, 1852. On that day I saw
her in a vision that lasted over one hour. Since that time I have had the
privilege of seeing her in vision about fifty times. I have been present
when physicians have examined her while in this state, and I esteem it a
pleasure to bear testimony to what I have seen and know. I trust a
narration
of the facts in the case may not be carelessly cast aside for the random
suppositions of those who have never seen her in this condition.
In passing into vision she gives three enrapturing shouts of "Glory!"
which
echo and re-echo, the second, and especially the third, fainter, but more
thrilling than the first, the voice resembling that of one quite a
distance
from you, and just going out of hearing. For about four or five seconds
she
seems to drop down like a person in a swoon, or one having lost his
strength; she then seems to be instantly filled with superhuman strength,
sometimes rising at once to her feet and walking about the room. There are
frequent movements of the hands and arms, pointing to the right or left as
her head turns. All these movements are made in a most graceful manner. In
whatever position the hand or arm may be placed, it is impossible for
anyone
to move it. Her eyes are always open, but she does not wink; her head is
raised, and she is looking upward, not with a vacant stare, but with a
pleasant expression, only differing from the normal in that she appears to
be looking intently at some distant object. She does not breathe, yet her
pulse beats regularly. Her countenance is pleasant, and the color of her
face as florid as in her natural state.
Her condition as to breathing, loss of strength, and being made strong as
the angel of God touches her, all agree perfectly with the description
given
by the prophet Daniel of his own experience in vision when he says:
"Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained
no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and
I
retained no strength." "For how can the servant of this my lord talk with
this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me,
neither is there breath left in me. Then there came again and touched me
one
like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, and said, O man
greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee; be strong, yea, be strong.
And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my Lord
speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
M. G. Kellogg, M.D.
A description of a vision given in Michigan, May 29, 1853, at a meeting
held
in Tyrone, Livingston County:
"Sister White was in vision about twenty minutes or half an hour. As she
went into vision every one present seemed to feel the power and presence
of
God, and some of us did indeed feel the Spirit of God resting upon us
mightily. We were engaged in prayer and social meeting Sabbath morning at
about nine o'clock. Brother White, my father, and Sister White had prayed,
and I was praying at the time. There had been no excitement, no
demonstrations. We did plead earnestly with God, however, that He would
bless the meeting with His presence, and that He would bless the work in
Michigan. As Sister White gave that triumphant shout of 'Glory! g-l-o-r-y!
g-l-o-r-y!' which you have heard her give so often as she goes into
vision,
Brother White arose and informed the audience that his wife was in vision.
After stating the manner of her visions, and that she did not breathe
while
in vision, he invited any one who wished to do so to come forward and
examine her. Dr. Drummond, a physician, who was also a First-day Adventist
preacher, who (before he saw her in vision) had declared her visions to be
of mesmeric origin, and that he could give her a vision, stepped forward,
and after a thorough examination, turned very pale, and remarked, 'She
doesn't breathe!'
"I am quite certain that she did not breathe at that time while in vision,
nor in any of several others which she has had when I was present. The
coming out of the vision was as marked as her going into it. The first
indication we had that the vision was ended, was in her again beginning to
breathe. She drew her first breath deep, long, and full, in a manner
showing
that her lungs had been entirely empty of air. After drawing the first
breath, several minutes passed before she drew the second, which filled
the
lungs precisely as did the first; then a pause of two minutes, and a third
inhalation, after which the breathing became natural." Signed, "M. G.
Kellogg, M.D., Battle Creek, Mich., Dec. 28, 1890."
F. C. Castle
The following statement is from an individual who witnessed a medical
examination of Mrs. White while in vision at Stowe, Vermont, in the summer
of 1853. He says:
"A physician was present, and made such examination of her as his wisdom
and
learning dictated, to find the cause of the manifestation. A lighted
candle
was held close to her eyes, which were wide open; not a muscle of the eye
moved. He then examined her in regard to her pulse, and also in regard to
her breathing, and there was no respiration. The result was that he was
satisfied that it could not be accounted for on natural or scientific
principles." Signed, "F. C. Castle."
D. H. Lamson
The following description relates to an examination made while Mrs. White
was in vision, in a meeting held in the home of Elder James White, on
Monroe
Street, Rochester, N.Y., June 26, 1854:
"I was then seventeen years old. It seems to me I can almost hear those
thrilling shouts of 'G-l-o-r-y!' which she uttered. Then she sank back to
the floor, not falling, but sinking gently, and was sup****ted in the arms
of
an attendant. Two physicans came in, an old man and a young man. Brother
White was anxious that they should examine Sister White closely, which
they
did. A looking-glass was brought, and one of them held it over her mouth
while she talked; but very soon they gave this up, and said, 'She doesn't
breathe.' Then they closely examined her sides, as she spoke, to find some
evidence of deep breathing, but they did not find it. As they closed this
part of the examination, she arose to her feet, still in vision, holding a
Bible high up, turning from passage to passage, quoting correctly,
although
the eyes were looking upward and away from the book.
"She had a view of the seven last plagues. Then she saw the triumph of the
saints, and her shouts of triumph I can seem to hear even now. To these
facts I freely testify." Signed, "Elder D. H. Lamson, Hillsdale, Mich.,
Feb.
8, 1893."
Mr. and Mrs. A. F. Fowler
The following statement relates to an examination made while Mrs. White
was
in vision in Waldron's Hall, Hillsdale, Mich., in the month of February,
1857.
"We were present when (in February, 1857) Sister E. G. White had a vision
in
Waldron's Hall, Hillsdale. Dr. Lord made an examination, and said, 'Her
heart beats, but there is no breath. There is life, but no action of the
lungs; I cannot account for this condition.'" Signed, "A. F. Fowler, Mrs.
A.
F. Fowler, Hillsdale, Mich., Jan. 1, 1891."
D. T. Bourdeau
"June 28, 1857, I saw Sister Ellen G. White in vision for the first time.
I
was an unbeliever in the visions; but one cir***stance among others that I
might mention convinced me that her visions were of God. To satisfy my
mind
as to whether she breathed or not, I first put my hand on her chest
sufficiently long to know that there was no more heaving of the lungs than
there would have been had she been a corpse. I then took my hand and
placed
it over her mouth, pinching her nostrils between my thumb and forefinger,
so
that it was impossible for her to exhale or inhale air, even if she had
desired to do so. I held her thus with my hand about ten minutes, long
enough for her to suffocate under ordinary cir***stances; she was not in
the
least affected by this ordeal. Since witnessing this wonderful phenomenon,
I
have not once been inclined to doubt the divine origin of her visions."
Signed, "D. T. Bourdeau, Battle Creek, Mich., Feb. 4, 1891."--The Great
Second Advent Movement, by J. N. Loughborough, pp. 204-210.
James White Statement, 1868
"1. She is utterly unconscious of everything transpiring around her, as
has
been proved by the most rigid tests, but views herself as removed from
this
world, and in the presence of heavenly beings.
2. She does not breathe. During the entire period of her continuance in
vision, which has at different times ranged from fifteen minutes to three
hours, there is no breath, as has been repeatedly proved by pressing upon
the chest, and by closing the mouth and nostrils.
3. Immediately on entering vision, her muscles become rigid, and joints
fixed, so far as any external force can influence them. At the same time
her
movements and gestures, which are frequent, are free and graceful, and
cannot be hindered nor controlled by the strongest person.
4. On coming out of vision, whether in the daytime or a well-lighted room
at
night, all is total darkness. Her power to distinguish even the most
brilliant objects, held within a few inches of the eyes, returns but
gradually.
George I. Butler, 1874
For nearly thirty years past these visions have been given with greater or
less frequency, and have been witnessed by many, oftentimes by unbelievers
as well as those believing them. They generally, but not always, occur in
the midst of earnest seasons of religious interest while the Spirit of God
is specially present, if those can tell who are in attendance. The time
Mrs.
White is in this condition has varied from fifteen minutes to one hundred
and eighty. During this time the heart and pulse continue to beat, the
eyes
are always wide open, and seem to be gazing at some far-distant object,
and
are never fixed on any person or thing in the room. They are always
directed
upward. They exhibit a pleasant expression. There is no ghastly look or
any
resemblance of fainting. The brightest light may be suddenly brought near
her eyes, or feints made as if to thrust something into the eye, and there
is never the slightest wink or change of expression on that account; and
it
is sometimes hours and even days after she comes out of this condition
before she recovers her natural sight. She says it seems to her that she
comes back into a dark world, yet her eyesight is in nowise injured by her
visions.
"While she is in vision, her breathing entirely ceases. No breath ever
escapes her nostrils or lips when in this condition. This has been proved
by
many witnesses, among them physicians of skill, and themselves unbelievers
in the visions, on some occasions being appointed by a public congregation
for the purpose. It has been proved many times by tightly holding the
nostrils and mouth with the hand, and by putting a looking glass before
them
so close that any escape of the moisture of the breath would be detected.
In
this condition she often speaks words and short sentences, yet not the
slightest breath escapes. When she goes into this condition, there is no
appearance of swooning or faintness, her face retains its natural color,
and
the blood circulates as usual. Often she loses her strength tem****arily
and
reclines or sits; but at other times she stands up. She moves her arms
gracefully, and often her face is lighted up with radiance as though the
glory of heaven rested upon her. She is utterly unconscious of everything
going on around her while she is in vision, having no knowledge whatever
of
what is said and done in her presence. A person may pinch her flesh, and
do
things which would cause great and sudden pain in her ordinary condition,
and she will not notice it by the slightest tremor.
"There are none of the disgusting grimaces or contortions which usually
attend spiritualist mediurns, but calm, dignified, and impressive, her
very
appearance strikes the beholder with reverence and solemnity. There is
nothing fanatical in her appearance. When she comes out of this condition
she speaks and writes from time to time what she has seen while in vision;
and the supernatural character of these visions is seen even more clearly
in
what she thus reveals than in her appearance and condition while in
vision,
for many things have thus been related which it was impossible for her to
know in any other way.
"Peculiar cir***stances in the lives of individuals, whom she never before
had seen in the flesh, and secrets hidden from the nearest acquaintances,
have been made known by her when she had no personal knowledge of the
parties other than by vision. Often has she been in an audience where she
was wholly unacquainted with the individuals composing it, when she would
get up and point out person after person whom she never had seen before,
in
the flesh, and tell them what they had done, and reprove their sins. I
might
mention many other items of like nature, but space forbids. These things
can
be proved by any amount of testimony, and we confidently affirm that they
are of such a character that they could not be accomplished by
deception."--Review and Herald, June 9, 1874.
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