The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress

Dr. Trall’s Endorsement

In 1868 it was arranged for Dr. R. T. Trall, of the Hygieotherapeutic College of Florence Heights, N.J., to give a week’s course of lectures before our ministers in Battle Creek, Mich., the last of May. During the course the doctor was the guest of Elder White. Mrs. White did not attend the lectures, but as the doctor would ride out daily in the carriage with Elder White and his wife and Elder J. N. Andrews, it was understood that he was to listen to her ideas of hygiene, disease and its causes, the effects of medicines, etc. She simply talked what had been shown to her in vision, not telling, however, the source whence she derived her knowledge. The doctor stated that medical science was in harmony with the ideas expressed by her. Elder Andrews told me that on concluding the conversation of the second day the doctor asked Mrs. White where she graduated in medical science. He was surprised on learning that she had never studied these things, but was giving him the result of what had been shown to her in Ostego, Mich., June 6, 1863. He assured her that her ideas were all in the strictest harmony with physiology and hygiene, and that on many of the subjects she went deeper than he ever had. After about five days of such rides and talks the doctor wanted to know of Elder White why he was invited to leave his college to lecture before the ministers in Battle Creek. Said he, “Mrs. White is just as well prepared to give them the needed instruction in hygiene as I am.” GSAM 364.6