Loma Linda Messages

A. G. Daniells to W. C. White, Aug. 9, 1912

Takoma Park, August 9, 1912.

Elder W. C. White, Sanitarium, California.

Dear Brother White:

I have just looked over what you have written me about the report that was circulated among the people at Loma Linda during the Spring meeting of the Medical College Board last March. In this you state that it was reported that a number of the General Conference men from Washington came to that Council with their minds made up to eliminate from Loma Linda three or four of the workers who had been connected with the institution from the start. LLM 608.7

This is a great surprise to me, and I wish to tell you that it is untrue. As for myself, I can say, that I did not have one thought in my mind about eliminating any one from the institution when I went to Loma Linda. I had heard a little about perplexities and disagreements; but I had no idea that any of the brethren connected with the work there would be removed. And I may say more, that I did not hear any other members of the General Conference Committee suggest anything regarding the removal of any one. And more still, I had no thought that Brother W. D. Salisbury would be retained as business manager. Elder Andross and other members of the Glendale Sanitarium Board had talked with me about electing Brother Salisbury manager of that institution. I gave him the highest recommendation, and fully understood that they had decided to call him to that position. If I am not mistaken, after counseling with Elder Knox and me about Brother Salisbury, the Glendale Board voted to request him to take the management. LLM 608.8

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I will tell you when the first suggestion came into my mind with reference to asking Brother Burden to take the field as solicitor of funds for the Loma Linda sanitarium. It was in that sitting of the full Medical College Board when we were discussing the matter of not adding to the indebtedness of the institution, and of how we would secure the funds required to go on with the improvements. You will remember that I placed before the members of the Board the importance of having a solicitor devoting his entire time to raising funds. I advocated this for the General Conference, and suggested that the first work of the solicitor might be in behalf of Loma Linda, and as the matter was discussed, someone suggested that we might have two solicitors, one working east of the Rocky mountains, and the other west, and that the one working in the western side could work especially for Loma Linda. LLM 609.1

While this was being discussed, the question was raised as to who could be found to do this work, and it was further suggested that we write down on slips of paper the names of individuals that we felt might be successful in this line of work. I think you will remember this, and you will further remember that without one word of private conversation, the great majority of the votes cast were for Brother Burden. The fact is, his selection for that line of work was made without one single word of private or of secret conference on the part of the body. LLM 609.2

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If ever the minds of a body of men were brought together and centered on an individual for a line of work without private or preliminary counsel or suggestion, this was done regarding Brother Burden. I do not know how a more genuinely fair and honest decision could possibly be reached than we came to at that time. LLM 609.3

Now,Brother White, while speaking on this, I wish to say that I have been very much pained by the wretched stories that have found their way to me from Loma Linda since that meeting. It is hard for me to understand how these stories have originated and gained currency. I thought there was such a strong, healthy, moral influence prevailing at Loma Linda, that such reports could neither be originated nor accepted. LLM 609.4

As far as I know my own mind, and the minds of our Union Conference presidents who gathered at Loma Linda last spring, I can honestly say that we went there with sincere desires to be of service to our brethren who were struggling with the great difficulties involved in getting a medical college on its feet. We are not hostile to that enterprise. It is true that some of our brethren do not fully understand all that pertains to the establishment of that institution. They do not know how the plans are going to be carried through. They have question marks in their minds just as they have about other matters relating to different enterprises. LLM 610.1

But as I wrote Dr. Ruble, I am sure that there is no more uncertainty, nor difference of opinion among the General Conference men regarding the Medical College than there is among the Doctors (1010) and other individuals connected with the institution itself. In fact the diversity of views, and the strong opposition to each other which was brought to light in our board meetings, was a great surprise to our brethren who came in from different parts of the field. And from what I heard them say, I know that this added to their perplexity and to the question marks of some. As for the Washington members of the General Conference Committee, I may say that they are not hostile to the Medical College enterprise. Some are not as sanguine about it as others; but they do not oppose it. In fact they give their influence to every measure brought forward to aid the institution. LLM 610.2

The other day Dr. Ruble was with us, and we spent hours together counseling about the institutions. We had the doctor place before us as fully as he desired, the situation, and we asked him to make such requests as he felt that he should. When the meeting closed, the Doctor expressed himself very warmly toward the members of the committee, and stated that we had done everything he could expect, and that he felt confident in his own mind that this friendly attitude we had shown was our real attitude. LLM 610.3

You have been connected with large committees long enough to know that no one man can hammer his personal views into the minds of his associates. The Chairman may be very confident and very honest in his views; but he has no power to make every other member of the Committee feel exactly as he does. (1011) I never try to force my wishes upon my brethren. I lead them as far as I can, and when I cannot lead, I let the matter work out as best it can. I will say, however, that my associates in Washington have been kind enough to never block any proposal that I have made to them regarding the Medical College at Loma Linda. We cannot do all that we would like to do for it. We have tremendous burdens pressing upon us. No field and no enterprise gets all that it would like. We are obliged to distribute our limited resources around the best we can, and we are also obliged to divide our time and our strength to the various fields and enterprises. But we shall go on doing all we know how to do for the Medical College, and I sincerely hope that our brethren in Loma Linda will not make our work harder by believing reports that may be started and circulated by irresponsible parties. May the Lord help us in our great struggle. LLM 610.4

Your sincere brother,
(Signed) A. G. Daniells

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