Loma Linda Messages

W. C. White to H. W. Cottrell, Oct. 3, 1907

Sanitarium, California.
Oct. 3, 1907.

Elder H. W. Cottrell,
Mountain View, Calif.

Dear Brother:

Last night I hurried off to you copy of a testimony Mother has sent to ministers, teachers, and physicians in Southern California. I think I also sent you copy of a letter just written to Elder Reaser. I did not send the letter to him last night, but waited for Mother to see it this morning. As a result of this interview, I had the last page rewritten and send it with this. Please substitute it for the second page of the copy received last night and destroy the old one. Then it will correspond with the original. LLM 285.1

A few days ago Mother received quite a lengthy letter from Eld. Reaser, presenting his views regarding many matters in Southern California and asking her several questions. When the letter was first received, Mother felt that she could not answer it. Elder Reaser's views of the situation are so different from the view presented to Mother that she knew not how to answer so that he would understand. In a letter to me, dated Sept. 29, Eld. Reaser presses the matter of having an answer from Mother. I will enclose the letter to you; also copy of his letter to Elder Burden, dated Sept. 30, which I received yesterday. LLM 285.2

In his third paragraph you will notice that he gives the following quotation from Mother's testimony to Eld. Burden, dated Nov. 1906: LLM 285.3

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“Through the light that has been given me, I know it is a mistake for him (Eld. Reaser) to be connected with our Sanitariums.” LLM 285.4

He follows this with the statement that “the brethren on the Committee accepted this yesterday as direct revelation from the Lord. It would therefore be inconsistent for me to be in any way connected with our sanitarium work hereafter.” LLM 285.5

By reference to Mother's letter to Eld. Burden, of November, 1906, p. 2, lines 6, 7 and 8, you will observe that the statement which she makes is as follows: “From the light that has been given me I know that it is a mistake for him to be connected with our Sanitariums; he should not be a manager.” LLM 285.6

It seems to me that the closing words, “he should not be a manager,” explain what goes before. But this, in Elder Reaser's letter, is adroitly omitted. LLM 285.7

If it is a settled conviction with Eld. Reaser and his associates from a general study of the situation, that he ought to withdraw from the Sanitarium Boards, I would not wish to interfere. But for him to make his withdrawal upon the ground that it is demanded by the testimony, unfairly quoted as above, I would object. LLM 285.8

It seems to me that the brother has gotten into the dark and is blind to what he is doing. For two years he has labored industriously to get our people to believe that their only safety was in trusting in him, and now to lead the work into a crisis and then suddenly withdraw, basing his action upon a testimony misquoted, will naturally create a sentiment which has elements of danger in it. I pray the Lord to give you wisdom to give wise counsel. LLM 285.9

This morning I received from Eld. Daniells copy of his letter to you of Sept. 27; also a letter to myself of the same date, expressing his desire to attend our Union Conference and stating quite clearly that he could not attend both the Union Conference and the Medical Convention unless they were brought closer together. LLM 286.1

There is much work that Eld. Daniells and I ought to do together. He could spend two or three weeks here with us to great profit. Would it be possible for you to bring the Union Conference into the last of November or the first of December? Then we would plead with Eld. Daniells to remain between the two meetings. We would furnish him a stenographer and a place to work and do everything we could to help him with his general responsibilities. LLM 286.2

The Union Conference in Nashville comes the fourteenth of January. Last year Eld. Daniells did not attend. He has promised the Southern brethren a visit to their field. If we could bring our Union Conference meeting early in December, he might be able to go from here to the South and attend their general meeting. LLM 286.3

What can be done? LLM 286.4

Yours very truly,
W. C. White.

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