Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Lt 256, 1903

International Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association

“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California

October 25, 1903

This letter is published in entirety in BCL 86-91. +^Note

To the officers of the International Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association

Dear Brethren,—

The Lord has instructed me that our people are to establish a sanitarium in Washington, D.C., to co-operate with the publishing house and the school to be established there. In this sanitarium opportunity is to be given to the youth to learn how to conduct sanitarium work in harmony with the instruction that God has sent His people. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 1

I was also instructed that in the establishment of the sanitarium at Washington, we are not to unite with Dr. Kellogg, because he knows not where he has been standing as regards his faith in God and in Christ. The truth must be given to the people of Washington very differently from the way in which it would be given were it under the direction of your Association. The Lord would have His work carried on in a different spirit from that manifested by Dr. Kellogg at the Oakland Conference and in Battle Creek since the Conference. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 2

Several years ago the Lord instructed me that we should establish a sanitarium in Washington and that it should stand separate and independent from the Sanitarium at Battle Creek. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 3

Ever since my return from Australia, light has been clearly given me that those who are firm in the faith should place themselves decidedly on the Lord’s side, and that they should work with all their God-given power to counteract the centralizing influences that have developed round the medical work in Battle Creek. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 4

The Lord has plainly instructed me that we must not permit the medical men in Battle Creek to sway the work in Washington, because, unless greatly changed, they would exert a strong influence to thwart the plan of God in that important center. While these men continue to follow principles that God has condemned, how could the Lord be honored by having the Battle Creek mold placed on all our medical institutions? Those who give shape to our medical work in Washington should be sound in the faith, understanding clearly the principles of the truth that in positive terms have been given to us as a people. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 5

From time to time the Lord has presented many things before me regarding the perils of our physicians who are associated together at Battle Creek. At various times Dr. Kellogg has been presented to me as walking in a false show, desiring to have the credit of being the first in medical missionary work. By his remarks he sometimes gives the impression that he is the author of the medical missionary work. But this honor does not belong to any man. It is the Lord, not man, who is the teacher and leader of His people. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 6

God has moved upon the hearts of men in different places to engage in this work. He has given them wisdom to plan and devise, and they have carried forward the work that He has laid upon them. It is His purpose that Dr. Kellogg shall give close attention to the work devolving upon him and that he shall leave his brethren free to do their appointed work as the Lord shall direct them. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 7

For many years the Lord has been sending testimonies of encouragement, instruction, warning, and reproof to Dr. Kellogg, but because of his great confidence in his own plans and work, the doctor has failed to comprehend or to heed many of the counsels which were essential to his welfare. The position that he has taken with men of the world, binding himself up with them, gives evidence that instead of becoming established in the truth, he is departing from the faith. His theology is not sound; his mind is confused, and unless he sees his danger, his foundation will be swept away when the test comes. Unless he sees his danger and makes a decided change, he cannot be endorsed as a safe, all-round teacher for the students who go to Battle Creek to study in medical missionary lines. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 8

If Dr. Kellogg would link up with his brethren, and receive counsel from them, he would be on safer ground. But he has had great confidence in his own capabilities, and this has led him to take strong positions. Unless he is converted and humbles his heart before God, his high opinion of his wisdom and knowledge will lead to acts which will place him and the truth we cherish as a denomination in disrepute. But if he will walk humbly with God, if he will be teachable, if he will let God work upon his heart, the Lord will use him to advance the medical missionary work. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 9

But if he is exalted by his associates as the great head of this work, he will bring in a very strange order of things. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 10

Those who have dared to place such large confidence in a finite man, overlooking his defects, excusing and justifying his mistakes, have done him great injury, and God will call them to account. If Dr. Kellogg is not now entirely beyond help, it is not because he has not been sufficiently praised and sustained and exalted by men. If he escapes an experience similar to that of Nebuchadnezzar, it will be because his soul revolts at his own presumptuous ambitions and his high opinions of his plans and his wisdom. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 11

Since the General Conference of 1901, I have carried a very heavy burden. Before I went to the Conference, light was given me that we must do all that we could to help Dr. Kellogg. The Lord said, “He is My physician. But he is himself in need of healing. He has taken upon himself responsibilities that I have not given him.” He was to be given another opportunity to establish his faith in the testimonies that for nearly half a century the Lord has been sending His people. Had he at that Conference fallen on the Rock and been broken, had he come to God in humiliation and contrition, he would have received great light. But he allowed ambitious plans to occupy his mind. He has not taken time to study the Scriptures diligently, and he has not a true understanding of the work for these last days. He has not cherished a true, genuine faith—a faith that would qualify him for the work of God. He has been in a dangerous position. Unless he places himself where he can be worked by the Holy Spirit, he will weave into his talks to the students that which is not true. He has planned to do a great work. But the Lord forbids us as His appointed watchmen, stewards of His grace and shepherds of His flock, to allow him any longer to carry on the work in his own ambitious way. Instead of feeling that it is his work to speak and write about God as he has done, he should go apart for a time and diligently study the Scriptures. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 12

Dr. Kellogg has taken the position before those not of our faith that the Battle Creek Sanitarium is undenominational and has thus placed our work in a false light. He has made indistinct the line of demarcation between worldlings and those who hold in trust the most solemn truth ever given to mortals. Thus God has been greatly dishonored. The truth that has made us what we are is the same as it always has been. We must now more distinctly define the medical missionary work. As John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ’s first coming, so we are to prepare the way for His second coming. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 13

Past Warnings

For years the dangers of our medical work have been presented to me. Some of the letters that I have written to the physicians and managers of our older sanitariums will soon be published for the benefit of our younger physicians. But to you who are associated together at Battle Creek, I feel that I must write very plainly; for you need a thorough awakening. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 14

One year ago I wrote the following, which I will now send you: 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 15

October 26, 1902

During the past night I have slept but little. I feel grateful to God for goodness and love. I thank Him for permitting me to have a part in the work of preparing the way for His second coming. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 16

I have spent the greater part of the night praying that the Lord, by some way of His own choosing, will open Dr. Kellogg’s understanding, that he may see that he is departing from the faith. Unless he is led to realize his true spiritual condition, he will walk away from Christ into false paths. I am greatly burdened by the thought that those connected with the doctor in medical missionary work do not see that he is not standing on the platform of Bible truth. Unless there is a change, grave errors will be brought in. These will be rejected by some, but by others they will be accepted. Dr. Kellogg will have a sad account to give unless he sincerely repents for lifting himself up unto vanity and assuming over souls a power that has hurt them spiritually. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 17

Dr. Kellogg has favored those who have consented to follow his plans, and he has disparaged those who have differed from him in their understanding of what constitutes medical missionary work. Of those who have not shaped their course to suit his devising, it has been declared that they are not in harmony with medical missionary work. But these assertions are not always the truth. No man has the right to attach to the work his own plans and methods and then claim that those who do not in all things act in harmony with his ideas are not medical missionaries. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 18

Dr. Kellogg has woven so much of himself into some lines of the medical missionary work that it is sick, diseased, needing the care of the great Physician. When he does the work of a true medical missionary, as heaven designs he shall, the showing will be very different from what it now is. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 19

When the leaders of the medical missionary work see themselves as the Lord sees them, there will be sorrow and humiliation. All who are enlightened by the Holy Spirit will see that self-denial and genuine humility are the first requisites for the success of medical missionary work. God acknowledges only the work that bears His seal. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 20

Had our brother, who has assumed many responsibilities that God has not laid upon him, devoted his energies to that which for years the Lord has bidden him do, he would now be a much safer man to entrust with large responsibilities. But he does not discern the truth for this time. He has been framing false theories, and by these he governs himself. He thinks and asserts that he is right, but he does not understand the testing truth for this time. Unless he is converted, it will not be safe to accept him as a leader. He who stands as a leader of God’s people should do nothing that will mislead, nothing that will bring in false theories and sentiments. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 21

It becomes those who are associated with Dr. Kellogg to watch and pray, lest they be found building on sliding sand. It is not safe for any man to interpret the Scripture according to his own ideas. Whoever does this places himself where he is subject to strong temptations. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 22

The Lord has given me many messages for Dr. Kellogg, to encourage him, to point out his mistakes, and to place him where he would have clear light in regard to the testimonies that the Lord has been giving His people. But he did not take heed. The Lord gave him evidence of the truth of the testimonies that He was sending His people. But Dr. Kellogg has often disregarded the cautions and reproofs given him, when they did not coincide with his own ideas and judgment. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 23

When, during the General Conference of 1901, light came clearly to him, he should have confessed his mistakes and errors, that he might be converted. But instead of humbling himself, he began to build himself up in his own purposes. The work that he should have done at this meeting was not done. Had he at that time taken his stand as one determined to cleanse his soul from all iniquity, there would have followed a reformation that would have placed the medical missionary work on a proper basis, where it would have been all that the name includes. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 24

The Lord has a great work to accomplish through His faithful medical missionaries. But in order for them to do this work, they must be converted, body, soul, and spirit. God has made provision for every possible emergency. He will furnish help to all who walk and work in purity of heart. There is no lack to those who walk uprightly. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 25

Dr. Kellogg occupies a position of great responsibility. Many are looking to him as one able to comprehend the truth. But he often misleads minds in regard to his work. He cannot meet his high responsibilities unless he is converted. That which he most needs is a knowledge of God’s will concerning himself—a knowledge of how to speak, how to teach, how to control his spirit. He needs to learn how to place in the Lord’s ministers the confidence that he desires them to place in him. The Lord calls upon Dr. Kellogg and his associates to step into line with their brethren, to become united in spirit with the ministers and teachers who are carrying forward the work that the Lord has given them to do. Many of these workers are conscientiously trying to serve the interests of the cause of God, and they should have the sympathy and support of the medical workers. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 26

The rich and wonderful provisions of the gospel embrace the medical missionary work. This work is to be to the third angel’s message as the right arm is to the body. It is not to be made the head. Dr. Kellogg has endeavored to make it the head, but this is not right. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 27

The Lord reproves those who do not watch unto prayer, those who forget that they are wholly dependent upon Him and amenable to Him. He reproves those who misrepresent the great Medical Missionary, those who do not keep the way of the Lord, doing their utmost to prepare a people to become members of the family of the redeemed. He is dishonored by those whose course leads away from Christ and the truth for this time. The Lord desires that our medical workers shall proclaim the last warning message of the gospel. When they leave out the principles of present truth, skepticism runs through their work, and God cannot endorse it. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 28

The principles of present truth are to be studied and practiced by our people, that the line of demarcation between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not may be kept unmistakably distinct. A close examination of God’s Word will reveal the riches of the grace of Christ, which are to be received by God’s people, and by them imparted to those in need. 18LtMs, Lt 256, 1903, par. 29