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70 Ellen G. White -- Messenger or Medium?

A Comparison of Visions

An early witness to Ellen G. White's visions, J.N. Loughborough, likened her experiences to
that of the prophet Daniel, and attempted to point out similarities in their behavior while in a trance:

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 STRENGTH-
ENED 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." -- The Great Second Advent Move-
ment, p.204.

The scripture above is found in Daniel 10.

To use these scriptures to validate Ellen G. White's state during a vision is really stretching
the credulity of the serious Bible student, and is certainly reading into scripture what IS NOT
THERE!

Let's take Daniel 10, in modern English, and determine what it really says:

In the third year of the reign of Cyrus, king of Persia, Daniel had another VISION...When
this vision came to me (Daniel related later) I had been in mourning for THREE FULL
WEEKS, All that time I tasted NEITHER WINE NOR MEAT; and of course I WENT
WITHOUT DESSERTS...When I saw this FEARFUL VISION [heavenly messenger]
MY STRENGTH LEFT ME; AND I GREW PALE AND WEAK WITH FRIGHT. Then
he spoke to me, and I FELL TO THE GROUND FACE DOWNWARD IN A DEEP
FAINT...Then he [the messenger] said, "Don't be FRIGHTENED, Daniel, for your request
has been heard in heaven and was answered the very first day YOU BEGAN TO FAST be-
fore the Lord and pray for understanding; that very day I was sent here to meet
you...All this time I was looking down, UNABLE TO SPEAK A WORD. Then someone
-- he looked like a man -- touched my life and I could talk again; and I said to the messenger
from heaven, "Sir, I am terrified by your appearance AND HAVE NO STRENGTH. How
can such a person as I even talk to you? FOR MY STRENGTH IS GONE AND I CAN
HARDLY BREATHE." Then the one who seemed to be a man touched me again, and I
FELT MY STRENGTH RETURNING. "God loves you very much," he said; "Don’t be
afraid! Calm yourself; be strong yes, strong!" Suddenly, as he spoke these words, I felt
STRONGER and said to him, "Now you can go ahead and speak, sir, for you have
STRENGTHENED me." -- Daniel 10.

The Berean Voice November-December 2002