The Prophetic Office
Richard Caton, a British doctor, who by probing on the surface of exposed animal brains discovered electrical energy in the brain and published his results in 1875.
He, along with Dr. Jerome Stowell a nuclear scientist, discussed in the last two articles, deserve much credit for their contributions to medical science.
However, back in 1869 Ellen G. White, one of the co- founders of the Seventh- day Adventist Church, published the fact that there is electrical activity in the human brain, five years before it was first discovered by Dr. Caton!
She was also the earliest to show the relationship between electrical brain waves and spirituality by 100 years.
Here’s some of what she wrote.
“The brain nerves which communicate with the entire system are the only medium through which Heaven can communicate to man and affect his inmost life. Whatever disturbs the circulation of the electric currents in the nervous system lessens the strength of the vital powers, and the result is a deadening of the sensibilities of the mind” ( Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 347).
Further commenting on the operations of the brain she wrote the following in 1872.
“The brain is the capital of the body, the seat of all the nervous forces and of mental action. The nerves proceeding from the brain control the body.
By the brain nerves, mental impressions are conveyed to all the nerves of the body as by telegraph wires, and they control the vital action of every part of the system. All the organs of motion are governed by the communications they receive from the brain” ( Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 69).
She wrote these things at a time when doctors were still bleeding patients and doing surgery with unwashed hands. Having only a third grade education, how did she know all that?
Does this put her in the same intellectual category as the above- mentioned scientists who did such remarkable research on this subject?
Or would a better explanation be that it puts her, in what Bible students’ call, the prophetic office, which is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit ( 1 Corinthians 12: 28).
Next week, a look at this remarkable woman through the eyes of radio icon, the late Paul Harvey, an American radio broadcaster for ABC news, and also, a Biblical look at the prophetic office.