White's sister: Mary Harmon Foss: Sister to Ellen G. White and wife of Samuel Foss. Samuel Foss: Husband of Mary Foss and BROTHER to HAZEN Foss. Sister White's SISTER was Married to Hazen Foss's BROTHER!

Meeting Hazen Foss

The next morning in her sister's home she met Hazen Foss, who told Ellen his story: {1BIO 66.1} Some time before the first vision was given to Ellen in December, the Lord had given just such a vision to Hazen. He had been instructed that he was to tell others what God had revealed to him. However, he felt he had been deceived in the disappointment of 1844. He knew, too, that ridicule and scorn would come to anyone who claimed to have a vision from God, so he refused to obey the promptings of God's Spirit. Again the Lord came near to him in vision; he was instructed that if he refused to bear the message Heaven would have him give to the people, the Lord would reveal it to someone else, placing His Spirit on the weakest of the weak. {1BIO 66.2} But Hazen still felt that he could not bear the burden and the reproach of standing before the people to present a vision from God. He told the Lord that he would not do it. Then very strange feelings came over him, and "a voice said, 'you have grieved away the Spirit of the Lord."'--Letter 37, 1890. This frightened Hazen. Horrified at his own stubbornness and rebellion, he told the Lord that he would now relate the vision. He called a meeting of the Adventists for the purpose. When the people came together he recounted his experience. Then he tried to tell what was shown to him, but he could not call it to mind. Even with the most concentrated effort he could not recall a word of it. He cried out in distress, {1BIO 66.3} "It is gone from me; I can say nothing, and the Spirit of the Lord has left me."--Ibid. {1BIO 66.4} Those who were present described the meeting as the most terrible meeting they ever were in. {1BIO 66.5} As Hazen talked with Ellen that February morning in Poland, he told her that although he had not gone into the chapel where she had spoken the evening before, he had stood outside the door and heard every word that she had said. He declared that what the Lord

had shown to her had first been shown to him. But, said he: {1BIO 66.6}

I was proud; I was unreconciled to the disappointment. I murmured against God, and wished myself dead. Then I felt a strange feeling come over me. I shall be henceforth as one dead to spiritual things. . . . I believe the visions are taken from me, and given to you. {1BIO 67.1} "Do not refuse to obey God, for it will be at the peril of your soul. I am a lost man. You are chosen of God; be faithful in doing your work, and the crown I might have had, you will receive."--Ibid. {1BIO 67.2} This unusual experience made an indelible impression upon Ellen's mind. The biddings of God's Spirit were not to be trifled with. {1BIO 67.3}

J. N. Loughborough, "Heavenly Visions" JNL HV THE PROPHETIC GIFT. page 0027 paragraph 6 Another instance of the manifestation of the gift of prophecy is found in the case of a young man who resided in Poland, by the name of Hazen Foss. He was a man of fine appearance, pleasing address, with a good academic education. In the month of September, 1844, about six weeks before the close of the twenty-three hundred days, the Lord gave him a vision, in which he, like Brother Foy, was shown the "three platforms" in the heavenly pathway. Some messages of warning to individuals were also given him, which he was instructed to deliver. In connection with this he was shown the trials and persecutions that would follow if he was faithful in relating what had been shown to him. As he also was expecting the Lord to come "in a few more days" (as they then sang), he did not understand the third step ("platform") in the journey; and shrinking from the cross, he refused to relate the vision. The view was repeated to him; and in addition to the first, he was told that if he still refused to tell what had been shown him, the burden would be taken from him, and given to one of the weakest of the Lord's children, one who would faithfully narrate what God would reveal. Again he refused. A third vision was given him, a very short one, in which he was told that he was released, and was shown the person upon whom the Lord had laid the burden, "one of the WEAKEST of the weak, who would do the Lord's bidding." JNL HV THE PROPHETIC GIFT. page 0027 paragraph 7 This startled the young man, who at once appointed a meeting on Mc Guire Hill, Poland, Me., for the purpose of relating what had been revealed to him. The people crowded together to see and hear him. He carefully related his experience, - how he had refused to relate

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what the Lord had shown him, and what would result from his refusal. "Now," said he, "I will tell you the vision." But, alas! it was too late. It had gone from him. Not a word could he recall. He wrung his hands in anguish, saying, "God has fulfilled his word. He has taken the vision from me. I am a lost man." From that time the man lived without hope, and died in 1893.

RH July 18, 1899.

JNL HV THE PROPHET GIFT. page 0028 paragraph 1 WITHIN two months after the close of the twenty-three hundred days, about Jan. 1, 1845, Miss Ellen G. Harmon, of Portland, Me., then only about 17 years of age, began to receive revelations from the Lord. She was at that time in a very critical condition of health, being indeed, as Foss was told, the instrument of God would choose, "THE WEAKEST OF THE WEAK." From a wound received when about nine years of age, she nearly bled to death, and ever afterward was unable to attend school. For several weeks before her first revelation she had scarcely been able to speak above a whisper. One physician diagnosed her case as dropsical consumption, with the right lung decayed, and the left one considerably diseased: and to aggravate her condition, her heart was also affected. All this made her recovery doubtful; in fact, he thought she could live but a very short time at most, and was liable to drop away at any moment. It was with great difficulty that she could breathe when lying down, and at night rest could be obtained only by being holstered up in bed in an almost sitting posture. Frequent spells of coughing and hemorrhages from the lungs had greatly reduced her physical strength. Her weight at that time was only seventy pounds. JNL HV THE PROPHET GIFT. page 0028 paragraph 2 In this weakened condition, she was instructed, in vision, to go and relate to others what the Lord had made known to her. She was directed to go to Poland, Me., the place where Foss had failed when trying to relate the vision given to him. Here she related what the Lord had shown her. In an adjoining room, Foss heard the narration, and after meeting he remarked to others, "The vision Ellen related is as near like what was shown to me as two persons could tell the same thing." The next morning on meeting Sister Harmon, he said, "That is the instrument on whom the Lord has laid the burden." To Miss Harmon he said, "Be faithful in bearing the burden laid upon you, and in relating the testimonies the Lord shall give you, and you will get through to the kingdom; "and then, in anguish, he said, "Oh, I am a lost man!"

J. N. Loughborough, "The Great Second Advent Movement" JNL GSAM CHAPTER XI THE SECOND ANGEL'S MESSAGE page 182 paragraph 1 About this time there lived in Poland, Maine, a young man by the name of Hazen Foss, who firmly believed the Lord would come on the tenth day of the seventh month. He was a man of fine appearance, pleasing address, and quite well educated. A few weeks before the "midnight cry" ended, the Lord came near and gave him a vision, in which he was shown the journey of the advent people to the city of God, with their dangers. Some messages of warning were given to him, which he was to deliver, and he had also a view of the trials and persecution that would consequently follow if he was faithful in relating what had been shown him. He, like Mr. Foy, was shown three steps by which the people of God were to come fully upon the pathway to the holy city. Being a firm believer in the Lord's coming "in a few more days" (as they then sang), the part of the vision relating to the three steps onto the pathway was to him unexplainable; and being naturally of a proud spirit, he shrunk from the cross, and refused to relate it. The vision was repeated the second time, and in addition he was told that if he still refused to relate what had been shown him, the burden would be taken from him, and be given to one of the weakest of the Lord's children, one who would faithfully relate what God would reveal. He again refused. Then a third vision was given, and he was told that he was released, and the burden was laid upon one of the weakest of the weak, who would do the Lord's bidding.

JNL GSAM CHAPTER XI THE SECOND ANGEL'S MESSAGE page 182 paragraph 2 This startled the young man, and he decided to relate what had been shown him, and accordingly gave out his appointment. The people crowded together to see and hear. He carefully related his experience, how he had refused to relate what the Lord had shown him, and what would result

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from his refusal. "Now," said he, "I will relate the vision." But alas! it was too late: he stood before the people as dumb as a statue, and finally said in the deepest agony, "I cannot remember a word of the vision." He wrung his hands in anguish, saying, "God has fulfilled his word. He has taken the vision from me," and in great distress of mind said, "I am a lost man." From that time he lost his hope in Christ, and went into a state of despair. He never attended an Adventist meeting again, and had no personal interest in religion. His demeanor in many respects, to say the least, has been that of one deprived of the gentle influence of the Spirit of the Master, of one "left to his own ways, to be filled with his own doings." In this condition of mind he died in 1893.

JNL GSAM CHAPTER XI THE SECOND ANGEL'S MESSAGE page 183 paragraph 1 About three months from the time he failed to recall his vision, he heard from an adjoining room a vision related by another. The meeting was held in a dwelling-house where he was. He was urged to come into the meeting, but refused to do so. He said the vision was as near like that shown him as two persons would relate the same thing. And thus was known what he saw but could not remember when trying to relate it. On getting a view of the person afterward, he said, "That is the instrument on whom the Lord has laid the burden."