Letter 5, 1849, to Brother and Sister Hastings.
Written April 21, from Milton, Massachusetts.
Unpublished Sections in Italics

I will now write you the vision God gave me on the Sabbath, the 24th of March [1849]. We had a glorious meeting. I was taken off in vision.

I saw the commandments of God and shut door could not be separated. I saw the time for the commandments of God to shine out to His people was when the door was opened in the inner apartment of the heavenly sanctuary in 1844. Then Jesus rose up and shut the door in the outer apartment and opened the door in the inner apartment and passed into the Most Holy Place, and the faith of Israel now reaches within the second veil where Jesus now stands by the ark. I saw that Jesus had shut the door in the Holy Place and no man can open it, and that He had opened thedoor in the Most Holy Place and no man can shut it; and that since Jesus had opened the door in the Most Holy Place the commandments have been shining out and God has been testing His people on the holy Sabbath.

I saw that the test on the Sabbath could not come until the mediation of Jesus was finished in the Holy and He had passed within the second veil; therefore Christians who died before the seventh month, 1844, and had not kept the true Sabbath, rest in hope, for there was no condemnation until the true light on the Sabbath came. I saw that our adversaries had been trying to open the door in the outer apartment and to close the door in the inner apartment where the ark is, containing the two tables of stone on which are written the ten commandments by God?s own finger. I saw that Satan was now using every device in this sealing time to keep the minds of God?s people from present truth and cause them to waver.

I saw a covering that God was drawing over His people to protect them in the time of trouble, and every soul that was decided upon the truth was to be covered with this covering of Almighty God. Satan knew this and was also at work in mighty power. I saw that the mysterious knocking in New York was the power of Satan clothed in a religious garb to lull the deceived to more security and to draw the minds of God?s people to look at that and cause them to doubt the teachings of God among His people.

I saw that Satan was working through agents in a number of ways. He was at work through ministers who had rejected God?s truth and had been given over to strong delusions to believe a lie, that they might be damned. I saw while they were preaching or praying some would fall prostrate and helpless, not by the power of the Holy Ghost, No, no, but by the power of Satan breathed upon these agents and through them to the people.

I saw that some professed Adventists who had rejected present truth, while preaching, praying or in private conversation used mesmerism to gain adherents, and the people would rejoice, thinking it was the power of God; and even those that used it (mesmerism) themselves were so far in the darkness and deception of the devil that they thought it was the power of God given them to exercise. I saw that these men had made God altogether such an one as themselves.

I saw that some of the agents of the devil were affecting the bodies of those they could not deceive and draw from the present truth. Some of them were even trying to afflict some of the saints unto death. (O that all could get a view of it as God revealed it unto me, that they might know more of the wiles of Satan so as to be on their guard.)

I saw that Satan was at work in these ways to distract, draw away, and deceive God?s people just now in this sealing time more than ever before. I saw some who were not standing stiffly, their knees were trembling, their feet were sliding, because they were not planted firmly on present truth, and the covering of Almighty God would not be drawn over them. While they were thus trembling Satan was trying his every art to hold them where they were until the sealing was over and the covering drawn over God?s people, and they left out without protection in the time of slaughter. God has begun to draw this covering over His people, therefore it will very soon be drawn over all of those who are to have a shelter in the time of trouble or day of the Lord.

I saw that as God worked for His people, Satan would also work, and that the mysterious knocking and signs and wonders of Satan and false reformations would increase and spread. The reformations that were shown me were not reformations from error to truth, No, no, but from bad to worse, for those who professed a change of heart had only wrapt about them a religious cloak which covered up the iniquity of a vile heart so as to deceive God?s people; but if their hearts could be seen they would appear as black as ever. My accompanying angel bade me look for the travail of souls for sinners as used to be. I looked but could not see it for the time for their salvation is past.

Dear Brother and Sister, I have now written the vision God gave me. I am tired sitting so long. Our position looks very clear. We know we have the truth, the midnight cry is behind us, the door was shut in 1844 and Jesus is soon to step out from between God and man. The sealing will then be accomplished?finished up. Oh, let us keep on the whole armor of God that we may be ready for battle at any moment. We shall have to fight every inch of ground now. Satan has come down in great power, knowing his time is short; but with the commandments of God written in our hearts and in our minds will go on strong and bold, and although the sons of Anak be many and tall, yet we will go on crying, The commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus.

From Letter 3, 1847, to Joseph Bates.
Written July 13, from Gorham, Maine.
This letter appears in full in Manuscript Releases, Volume 5, pp. 95-98.

While in Exeter, Maine, in meeting with Israel Dammon, James, and many others, many of them did not believe in a shut door. I suffered much at the ommencement of the meeting. Unbelief seemed to be on every hand. There was one sister there that was called very spiritual. She had traveled and been a powerful preacher the most of the time for twenty years. She had been truly a mother in Israel. But a division had risen in the band on the shut door. She had great sympathy, and could not believe the door was shut. (I had known nothing of their differences.)

Sister Durben got up to talk. I felt very, very sad. At length my soul seemed to be in an agony, and while she was talking I fell from my chair to the floor. It was then I had a view of Jesus rising from His mediatorial throne and going to the holiest as Bridegroom to receive His kingdom. They were all deeply interested in the view. They all said it was entirely new to them. The Lord worked in mighty power setting the truth home to their hearts.

Sister Durben knew what the power of the Lord was, for she had felt it many times; and a short time after I fell she was struck down and fell to the floor, crying to God to have mercy on her. When I came out of vision, my ears were saluted with Sister Durben?s singing and shouting with a loud voice. Most of them received the vision, and were settled upon the shut door.

Sabbath, March 24th, 1849, we had a sweet, and very interesting meeting with the Brethren at Topsham, Me. The Holy Ghost was poured out upon us, and I was taken off in the Spirit to the City of the living God. There I was shown that the commandments of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, relating to the shut door, could not be separated, and that the time for the commandments of God to shine out, with all their importance, and for God's people to be tried on the Sabbath truth, was when the door was opened in the Most Holy Place of the Heavenly Sanctuary, where the Ark is, containing the ten commandments. This door was not opened, until the mediation of Jesus was finished in the Holy Place of the Sanctuary in 1844. Then, Jesus rose up, and shut the door in the Holy Place, and opened the door in the Most Holy, and passed within the second vail, where he now stands by the Ark; and where the faith of Israel now reaches. {RH, August 1, 1849 par. 2}
I saw that Jesus had shut the door in the Holy Place, and no man can open it; and that he had opened the door in the Most Holy, and no man can shut it (See Revelation 3:7, 8.): and that since Jesus has opened the door in the Most Holy Place, which contains the Ark, the commandments have been shining out to God's people, and they are being tested on the Sabbath question. {RH, August 1, 1849 par. 3}
I saw that the present test on the Sabbath could not come, until the mediation of Jesus in the Holy Place was finished; and he had passed within the second vail; therefore, Christians, who fell asleep before the door was opened in the Most Holy, when the midnight cry was finished, at the seventh month 1844; and had not kept the true Sabbath, now rest in hope; for they had not the light, and the test on the Sabbath, which we now have, since that door was opened. I saw that Satan was tempting some of God's people on this point. Because so many good Christians have fallen asleep in the triumphs of faith, and have not kept the true Sabbath, they were doubting about it being a test for us now. {RH, August 1, 1849 par. 4}
I saw that the enemies of the present truth have been trying to open the door of the Holy Place, that Jesus has shut; and to close the door of the Most Holy Place, which he opened in 1844, where the Ark is containing the two tables of stone, on which are written the ten commandments, by the finger of Jehovah. {RH, August 1, 1849 par. 5}
Satan is now using every device in this sealing time, to keep the minds of God's people from the present, sealing truth; and to cause them to waver. I saw a covering that God was drawing over his people, to protect them in the time of trouble; and every soul that was decided on the truth, and was pure in heart, was to be covered with the covering of Almighty God. {RH, August 1, 1849 par. 6}
Satan knew this, and was at work in mighty power, to keep the minds of as many as he possibly could unsettled, and wavering on the truth. I saw that the mysterious knocking in N.Y. and other places, was the power of Satan; and that such things would be more and more common, clothed in a religious garb, to lull the deceived to more security; and to draw the minds of God's people, if possible, to those things and cause them to doubt the teachings, and power of the Holy Ghost. {RH, August 1, 1849 par. 7}
I saw that Satan was working through agents, in a number of ways. He was at work through ministers, who have rejected the truth, and are given over to strong delusions to believe a lie that they might be damned. While they were preaching, or praying some would fall prostrate and helpless; not by the power of the Holy Ghost, no, no; but by the power of Satan breathed upon these agents and through them to the people. Some professed Adventists who had rejected the present truth, while preaching praying or in conversation used Mesmerism to gain adherents, and the people would rejoice in this influence, for they thought it was the Holy Ghost. And even some that used it, were so far in the darkness and deception of the Devil, that they thought it was the power of God, given them to exercise. They had made God altogether such an one as themselves; and had valued his power as a thing of naught. {RH, August 1, 1849 par. 8}
Some of these agents of Satan were affecting the bodies of some of the saints; those that they could not deceive and draw away from the truth by a satanic influence. Oh! that all could get a view of it as God revealed it to me, that they might know more of the wiles of Satan, and be on their guard. I saw that Satan was at work in these ways to distract, deceive, and draw away God's people, just now in this sealing time. I saw some who were not standing stiffly for present truth. Their knees were trembling, and their feet were sliding; because they were not firmly planted on the truth, and the covering of Almighty God could not be drawn over them while they were thus trembling. {RH, August 1, 1849 par. 9}
Satan was trying his every art to hold them where they were, until the sealing was past, and the covering drawn over God's people, and they left out, without a shelter from the burning wrath of God, in the seven last plagues. {RH, August 1, 1849 par. 10}
God has begun to draw this covering over his people, and it will very soon be drawn over all who are to have a shelter in the day of slaughter. God will work in power for his people; and Satan will be permitted to work also. {RH, August 1, 1849 par. 11}
I saw that the mysterious signs and wonders, and false reformations would increase, and spread. The reformations that were shown me, were not reformations from error to truth; but from bad to worse; for those who professed a change of heart, had only wrapt about them a religious garb, which covered up the iniquity of a wicked heart. Some appeared to have been really converted, so as to deceive God's people; but if their hearts could be seen, they would appear as black as ever. {RH, August 1, 1849 par. 12}
My accompanying angel bade me look for the travail of soul for sinners as used to be. I looked, but could not see it; for the time for their salvation is past. {RH, August 1, 1849 par. 13}

For a time after the disappointment in 1844, I (Ellen White) did hold, in common with the Advent body, that the door of mercy was then forever closed to the world. This position was taken before my first vision was given me. It was the light given me of God that corrected our error, and enabled us to see the true position. I am still a believer in the shut-door theory, but not in the sense in which we at first employed the term or in which it is employed by my opponents....
I was shown in vision, and I still believe, that there was a shut door in 1844. All who saw the light of the first and second angels' messages and rejected that light, were left in darkness. And those who accepted it and received the Holy Spirit which attended the proclamation of the message from heaven, and who afterward renounced their faith and pronounced their experience a delusion, thereby rejected the Spirit of God, and it no longer pleaded with them.
Those who did not see the light, had not the guilt of its rejection. It was only the class who had despised the light from heaven that the Spirit of God could not reach. And this class included, as I have stated, both those who refused to accept the message when it was presented to them, and also those who, having received it, afterward renounced their faith. Selected Messages, book 1, p. 63

Here an open as well as a shut door is brought to view. At the termination of the 2300 prophetic days in 1844, Christ changed his ministration from the holy to the most holy place. When, in the ministration of the earthly sanctuary, the high priest on the day of atonement entered the most holy place, the door of the holy place was closed, and the door of the most holy was opened. So, when Christ passed from the holy to the most holy of the heavenly sanctuary, the door, or ministration, of the former apartment was closed, and the door, or ministration, of the latter was opened. Christ had ended one part of his work as our intercessor, to enter upon another portion of the work; and he still presented his blood before the Father in behalf of sinners. "Behold," he declares, "I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it." {4SP 268.3}

Jesus has opened the door into the most holy place, which contains the ark, the commandments have been shining out to God's people, and they are being tested on the Sabbath question.
I saw that the present test on the Sabbath could not come until the mediation of Jesus in the holy place was finished and He had passed within the second veil; Early Writings page 42

The seventh trumpet began to sound --
Revelation 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament

?The temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.? [Revelation 11:19.] The ark of God's testament is in the holy of holies, the second apartment of the sanctuary. In the ministration of the earthly tabernacle, which served ?unto the example and shadow of heavenly things,? this apartment was opened only upon the great day of atonement, for the cleansing of the sanctuary. Therefore the announcement that the temple of God was opened in Heaven, and the ark of his testament was seen, points to the opening of the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, in 1844, as Christ entered there to perform the closing work of the atonement. GC 433

the angel standing with one foot on the sea, proclaiming with a most solemn oath that time should be no longer.
This time, which the angel declares with a solemn oath, is not the end of this world's history, neither of probationary time, but of prophetic time, which should precede the advent of our Lord. That is, the people will not have another message upon definite time. After this period of time, reaching from 1842 to 1844, there can be no definite tracing of the prophetic time. The longest reckoning reaches to the autumn of 1844.{7BC 971}

?The holy city [the true church] shall they tread under foot forty and two months. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth" Rev. 11:2...
The periods here mentioned??forty and two months,? and ?a thousand two hundred and threescore days??are the same, alike representing the time in which the church of Christ was to suffer oppression from Rome. The 1260 years of papal supremacy began with the establishment of the papacy in A. D. 538, and would therefore terminate in 1798.

No Kland, I'm not adding anything. Have you read the context of that verse. (Rev. 11:19)
The text is in the context of the seventh trumpet!
11:15 And the seventh angel sounded.......
11:19 The temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.?
EGW clearly places it as beginning in 1844.