Loma Linda Messages

A Plain Statement of Facts Regarding the Establishment of the Paradise Valley Sanitarium

During the thirty-third session of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, held in South Lancaster, Mass., early in 1899, several communications were received from Mrs. E. G. White, then living in Australia. Among these was an appeal for means to be used in strengthening institutional work in the Australasian Union Conference. Particular reference was made to their need of a thoroughly equipped medical institution, suitably located. It was urged that such an institution might be made a center of training and of influence in that field. LLM 394.5

It will be remembered by many that one of the principles brought out in the course of Sister White's plea for means, was that her continued presence in a field, is an indication that a special work is to be done there. LLM 395.1

Here is a portion of the testimony read at the South Lancaster Conference, and published on pages 130 and 131 of the 1899 “Daily Bulletin:” LLM 395.2

“The Lord says to His people in America: ‘When I send my servants to establish My work in a new field, and build up the interests essential to give it character, I call upon My people to sustain that work with their prayers and with their means.... LLM 395.3

“‘When My servant whom I have called to make known My will was sent to Australia, you in America should have understood that you had a work to do in cooperation with her. Who was it that carried out My directions in laying the foundation of the institutions in America, which have grown to such large proportions? And when My servant was sent to establish the work in a new field, could you not see that He who owns all the gold and silver was calling for your cooperation? You had obtained a standing fully abundant and ample. And when the work was to begin in another field, I would be with My servant to indicate the work; and you should have been ready to aid.... LLM 395.4

(708)

“‘Place your money where the work of God demands help, that the medical missionary work in that new field may be made a success. The work in Australia should have been placed on such a basis that after a time it might have become self-sustaining. LLM 395.5

“‘When My servants were sent to Australia, you should have understood that God would work through them, and you should have exercised liberality in apportioning means to advance the work.... LLM 395.6

“Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying: ‘I have spared your life to do My work, and wherever I send you, go, and I will send My angel with you. In no case should you be feeble in your request for the advantage of means. Wherever I send you, go, and speak My words. I will be thy mind, I will be thy judgment. All the advantages are mine. The means and facilities are Mine, and there should be no withholding. But selfishness, a desire to control, has kept the advantages in one place, so that everything is overbalanced. Call for the means God designed you to have long ago. Hold up My banner. Give honor to no human instrumentality, but to God, that My name may be a praise in the earth. The Lord, He is God, and before Him there is no other. My work in Australia has been greatly hindered.... But go not forth in hesitancy. I will be with you. Ask of My people the means that should have gone to advance the work in the Australasian field, the new world to which I have sent you.’” LLM 395.7

Sister White continues: “The work should be established in this country, and it will be; for thus the Lord has said. We might be years in advance if our brethren in America had stood unflinchingly to their duty, to hear and obey the word of the Lord. Let no more time be lost. You who have so many advantages, do your work unselfishly. It is God's work we are doing, and you will not find the work in your hands restricted, if you follow the will and word of God. Share your advantages, with us in the field, that the work may stand on a true basis, and have the influence and character it should possess. Your minds may not now be prepared to see the importance of surrendering yourselves to do what ought to have been done when we were appointed to come to this field. You may not be able to see all the particulars involved in this request of God to impart. But the special work has been laid out, and you are called upon to do your God-given duty in our onward march in this country by furnishing us with facilities for our work. LLM 396.1

“Our brethren have not discerned that in helping us to do this work, they would be helping themselves. That which is given to start the work here will result in strengthening the work in other places. As your gifts free us from continual embarrassment, our labors can be extended; there will be an ingathering of souls, churches will be established, and there will be increasing financial strength. We shall have sufficiency, not only to carry on the work here, but to impart to other fields. Nothing is gained by withholding the very means that would enable us to work to advantage, extending the knowledge of God and the triumphs of truth in regions beyond.” LLM 396.2

(709)

In the above quotations, note particularly (1) The principle that wherever the servant of the Lord is sent to strengthen certain lines of work, God's people should stand ready to aid in bringing to pass that which is called for. Those who are familiar with Sister White's experience in Australia, and with the later development and prosperity of that which she was led to urge her brethren to establish in days of doubt and [severe] adversity, know that this principle is sound. LLM 396.3

Note also (2) the principle that our minds may not be prepared to see the importance of surrendering ourselves to do that which ought to be done when God's servant is located for a time in a certain field. “You may not be able,” she wrote, “to see all the particulars involved in this request of God to impart. But the special work has been laid out, and you are called upon to do your God-given duty.” LLM 396.4

And note further (3) the instruction that comes from a divine source to Sister White herself: “Wherever I send you, go, and I will send My angel with you. In no case should you be feeble in your request for the advantage of means. Wherever I send you, go, and speak My words. I will be thy mind, I will be thy judgment. All the advantages are Mine. The means and facilities are Mine, and there should be no withholding.” LLM 397.1

It is plain from these facts, that— LLM 397.2

1. There is a Providence over-ruling the movements of the servant whom God has called to make known His will. LLM 397.3

2. Of this divinely-appointed servant, the Lord has said: “I have spared your life to do My work; and wherever I send you, go, and I will send My angel with you.... I will be thy mind, I will be thy judgment.” LLM 397.4

(710)

3. When this servant of the Lord indicates that a certain work should be done, God's people should be ready to aid in an effort to do this work. LLM 397.5

4. The minds of God's people may not be able to see all the particulars involved in these requests for aid in the accomplishment of a “special work” that “has been laid out,” nevertheless, they are called upon to do their God-given duty. LLM 397.6

5. That which the Lord says is to be established, will be established, notwithstanding the fact that years may be lost through a refusal to follow the leadings of God's providences. This is revealed in the statement regarding Australasia reading thus: “The work should be established in this country, and it will be; for thus the Lord has said. We might be years in advance if our brethren in America had stood unflinchingly to their duty, to hear and obey the word of the Lord. Let no more time be lost.” LLM 397.7

6. For the accomplishment of definite lines of work pointed out by the Spirit of Prophecy, the Lord's servant has been instructed: “In no case should you be feeble in your request for the advantage of means.” And the people are instructed: “You may not be able to see all the particulars involved in this request of God to impart. But the special work has been laid out, and you are called upon to do God-given duty.” LLM 397.8

*****

When applied to the entire situation at Takoma Park, D. C., these principles stand out very clearly. But few, if any, understood all that was involved in the appeals to our people for means to establish a school and a sanitarium at this place, in connection with the denominational headquarters. It required large faith to (711) launch these enterprises; but the men in responsibility, while unable to “see all the particulars involved” in doing “the special work” that had been “laid out,” went forward in faith. The reasons for establishing a school and a sanitarium in connection with the new center at the capital of the nation, are now beginning to be understood. Those who had the faith and the courage to advance in response to counsel given through the Spirit of Prophecy, are not rejoicing over that which has been accomplished. LLM 397.9

When these principles are applied in a study of the history of our missions work in the countries of Continental Europe, it is evident that some of the foundations laid during the period when Sister White was stationed there—1885-1887—have had much to do with the building up of a substantial, solid work, in that field along right lines. There was a divine providence in Sister White's visit to Europe just at the time she did go there—when foundations were being laid for the magnificent superstructure that we behold today. LLM 398.1

And when we turn to Australasia, we learn that those acquainted with the struggles of the men and women of faith who led out in the establishment of the Avondale School and the Wahroonga Sanitarium, in harmony with the direct leadings of the Spirit of Prophecy, are able to appreciate fully the divine providence connected with the sojourn of Sister White in that center of the Island field just at the time she was permitted to labor there. LLM 398.2

*****

The time came when the servant of the Lord whom He had called to make known His will, was bidden to return from Australasia to America. Before leaving Australasia, she began to see the fruition of her hopes. The word of the Lord, as spoken through the (712) human agent was being vindicated in a marked manner. And those who remained to carry on the work that had been set in operation, have with the passing years seen evidence upon evidence of the providential leadings of the Spirit of Prophecy during the formative period of the work in the Australasian Union Conference. God's promises, as spoken through His servant, are fulfilling; His word has been vindicated. LLM 398.3