Newspaper account of early Adventist preacher's trial, involving Ellen White

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The following quotes are from a newspaper account from the 1800's of the trial of Israel Dammon, an earlier Advent preacher. James and Ellen White (at the time Ellen Harmon, before she was married to James) were both present at the meeting at which Israel Dammon was arrested.

The testimony gives an interesting glimpse into the early meetings and worship of that group from the perspective of witnesses at trial. Some Adventists have been surprised at the description of the charismatic displays, as Adventists are not always accepting of such now.


Here are some of the highlights from the testimony:



Dammon said all other denominations were wicked--they were liars, whoremasters, murderers, &c.--he also run upon all such as were not believers with him. He ordered us off--we did not go.


The woman that lay on the floor relating visions, was called by Elder Dammon and others, Imitation of Christ. Dammon called us hogs and devils, and said if he was the owner of the house he would drive us off--the one that they called Imitation of Christ, told Mrs. Woodbury and others, that they must forsake all their friends or go to hell. Imitation of Christ, as they called her, would lay on the floor a while, then rise up and call upon some one and say she had a vision to relate to them, which she would relate; there was one girl that they said must be baptized that night or she must go to hell; she wept bitterly and wanted to see her mother first; they told her she must leave her mother or go to hell--one voice said, let her go to hell. She finally concluded to be baptized.

The man who hosted most of the meetings in his house testified that this woman on the floor was Ellen Harmon, later Ellen White.


Dammon and others called her Imitation of Christ. Part of the time Dammon was down on the floor on his back--can't say certainly who first said she was Imitation of Christ, but can say Dammon repeatedly said so--Dammon said Christ revealed to her and she to others. I am not acquainted with Elder White. They called him Eld. White. They said if the Almighty had anything to say he revealed it to her, and she acted as mediator.


I once saw Elder Hall with his boots off, and the women would go and kiss his feet. One girl made a smack, but did not hit his foot with her lips. Hall said "he that is ashamed of me before men, him will I be ashamed of before my Father and the holy angels." She then gave his feet a number of kisses.

By spells it was the most noisy assembly I ever attended-there was no order or regularity, nor anything that resembled any other meeting I ever attended--Dammon seemed to have the lead and the most art. I don't say Dammon shouted the loudest; I think some others stronger in the lungs than he.


Sister Harmon would lay on the floor in a trance, and the Lord would reveal their cases to her, and she to them.


I know nothing bad in Brother Dammon's character. He believes there is good, bad and indifferent in all churches-he thinks it best to come out from them, because there is so many that has fallen from their holy position.



Sister Harmon was not called Imitation of Christ to my knowledge. I think I should have heard it if she was. I believe in visions. Sister Harmon is eighteen or nineteen years of age; she is from Portland.


I have seen both men and women crawl across the floor on their hands and knees.


ELDER DAMMON again rose for further defense. Court indulged him to speak. He read 126th Psalm, and the 50th Psalm. He argued that the day of grace had gone by, that the believers were reduced; but that there was too many yet, and that the end of the world would come within a week.

You can read the whole account as re-published in 1987 by Spectrum Magazine, an independent Seventh-day Adventist periodical, in PDF format.

http://spectrummagazine.org/files/archive/archive16-20/17-5dammon.pdf

Or if you prefer you can read it at the website Ellen White Exposed in HTML format.

Newspaper Account of the Israel Dammon Incident


You can also read the account of Ellen White which differs in some particulars.

Ellen White's Account of the Israel Dammon Incident

Or if you prefer you can read it on the Ellen White Estate site, but the link there is a bit more difficult to find:

Ellen G. White ® Estate: The Official Ellen White ® Web site.
 
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