For the past twenty years those who have been reproved, and their sympathizers, have indulged an accusing spirit toward my husband, which has worn upon him more than any other one of the cruel burdens he has unjustly borne. And when he fell beneath his burdens, many of those who had been reproved rejoiced, and from a mistaken idea of my view of his case, December 25, 1865, were much comforted with the thought that the Lord at that time reproved him for “cutting and slashing.” This is all a mistake. I saw no such thing. That my brethren may know what I did see in the case of my husband, I give the following, which I wrote and handed to him the next day after I had the vision: (1T 613.1) MC VC

I was shown in vision, December 25, 1865, the case of the servant of the Lord, my husband, Elder James White. I was shown that God had accepted his humiliation, and the afflicting of his soul before Him, and his confessions of his lack of consecration to God, and his repentance for the errors and mistakes in his course which have caused him such sorrow and despondency of mind during his protracted illness. (1T 613.2) MC VC

I was shown that his greatest wrong in the past has been an unforgiving spirit toward those brethren who have injured his influence in the cause of God and brought upon him extreme suffering of mind by their wrong course. He was not as pitiful and compassionate as our heavenly Father has been toward His erring, sinning, repenting children. When those who have caused him the greatest suffering acknowledged their wrongs heartily and fully, he could and did forgive them, and fellowship them as brethren. But although the wrong was healed in the sight of God, yet he sometimes in his own mind probed that wound, and by referring to the past he suffered it to fester and make him unhappy. The fact that he had in his past course suffered so much which in his opinion might have been avoided, led him to indulge a murmuring spirit against his brethren and against the Lord. In this way he lived over the past and revived trials which should have passed into oblivion instead of embittering his life with unprofitable remembrances. He has not always realized the pity and love that should be exercised toward those who have been so unfortunate as to fall under the temptations of Satan. They were the real sufferers, the losers, not he, as long as he was steadfast, possessing the spirit of Christ. When these souls began to see their errors, they had a hard battle to work their way to the light by humble confessions. They had Satan to contend with, and their own proud spirit to overcome, and they needed help from those who were in the light to bring them from their blind, discouraging condition, where they could begin to hope and obtain strength to bruise Satan under their feet. (1T 613.3) MC VC

I saw that my husband had been too exacting toward those who were wrong and had injured him. He indulged dissatisfied feelings, which could be of no benefit to the erring and could but make his own heart very unhappy, unfitting it for the peace of God to dwell there, which would lead him in everything to give thanks. The Lord permitted his mind to be desponding in regard to his own errors and mistakes, and to nearly despair of forgiveness, not because his sins were of such magnitude, but that he might know by experience how painful and agonizing it would be to be without the forgiveness of God, and that he might understand the scripture: “If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:15. I saw that if God should be as exacting as we are, and should deal with us as we deal with one another, we might all be thrown into a state of hopeless despair. (1T 614.1) MC VC

I was shown that God had suffered this affliction to come upon us to teach us much that we could not otherwise have learned in so short a time. It was His will that we should go to -----, for our experience could not have been thorough without it. He would have us see, and more fully understand, that it is impossible for those who obey the truth and are keeping His commandments, to live up to their convictions of duty and unite with the leaders at -----; so far as serving God is concerned, their principles can unite no better than oil and water. It is only those of the purest principles and the greatest independence of mind, who think and act for themselves, having the fear of God before them and trusting in Him, who can safely remain any length of time in -----. Those who are not thus qualified should not be advised to go to that institution, for their minds will become bewildered by the smooth words of its conductors and poisoned by their sophistry, which originates with Satan. (1T 614.2) MC VC