In 1895, Ellen White had a vision about what Adventists were doing in Battle Creek, Michigan. Bicycles had recently been invented, and they were very, very expensive. Many Adventists were spending more than a month’s salary to have the latest and fastest bicycles. These bicycles were not being used to provide economical transportation to school or work, or even to get exercise on a beautiful mountain path. Instead, they were being used  to show off their riders’ superiority at bicycle races.

Ellen White’s angel-guide told her in a vision that the bicycle craze was an offense to God. She was told that Satan himself was influencing young people to invest their time and money in exciting races, at the expense of their devotional lives and at the expense of helping others know Jesus.

Within a few years’ time, bicycles became a useful and inexpensive means of transportation, and Ellen White had no further instruction from God about purchasing them.

So what can we learn from the ”bicycle testimony”? First of all, we have to look for the principle. Principles are moral guidelines that are relevant for all people, in all places, and at all times.