Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 19 (1904)

Lt 149, 1904

Butler, G. I.

“Carroll House,” Takoma Park, Maryland

May 2, 1904

Portions of this letter are published in SpTB #6 3. +^Note

Elder G. I. Butler

My dear Brother,—

I have read your article in The Watchman of April 26. I am greatly surprised to read in the latter part of the article your endorsement of the advertisement calling for young men and young women to come to the Battle Creek Sanitarium. I cannot endorse your words. The closing paragraphs of your article strike a false note, directly contrary to the message I have borne and am still bearing. 19LtMs, Lt 149, 1904, par. 1

Our ministers and other laborers are not to deviate from the line of duty and righteousness to conciliate or serve in any way the work that has been brought about by human agencies, contrary to the counsel of the Lord, thus creating an influence that the Lord has declared to be dangerous to our youth. 19LtMs, Lt 149, 1904, par. 2

We have no message to advise students to go to Battle Creek, to be leavened by the insinuations that have been and are still being introduced to weaken confidence in our ministers and our message. There are those who, whenever they can get an opportunity, are sowing the seeds of evil insinuations. And when temptation comes, those in whose minds these seeds have been sown will be wrought upon to divert others from the truths that the Lord has been urging us to bear to the world. 19LtMs, Lt 149, 1904, par. 3

Your letters to me have shown that you understood the work in progress at Battle Creek to unsettle the minds of our people in the foundation of our faith; and I am therefore more than surprised that you should now express such sentiments as those contained in your article in The Watchman. I must tell you that such advice is premature and ill-advised. If you have read Volume 8, how can you bear a message so opposed to it? In this book plain instruction is given in regard to our youth going to Battle Creek. My brother, if you have read this instruction, how can you seek to remove the barriers that the Lord has charged me to erect to keep our people from continuing to make Battle Creek a center? Why could you not have withheld your article until we had counselled together and after consideration and earnest prayer had decided what to do. Before we can consent to send our youth to Battle Creek, we must see what course Dr. Kellogg intends to pursue. 19LtMs, Lt 149, 1904, par. 4

Recently I received a letter from a sister whose husband is a laborer in the South, asking if it would be right for them to leave their field of labor and take a course in the Battle Creek Sanitarium. As I read this letter, I said, “I will not answer it just now. I will wait until the time has come to speak. Brethren Haskell, Butler, Prescott, and Daniells will be at Berrien Springs. There we shall counsel together and go over matters with prayerful, humble, contrite hearts. 19LtMs, Lt 149, 1904, par. 5

We must move unitedly if we would glorify God. At the Oakland Conference, light was given that the very first step to be taken was a thorough investigation of the standing of the Battle Creek Sanitarium. I have supposed that before now such an investigation would be called for. I have assured many that they must not worry, telling them that something would be done soon to ascertain the true standing of the institution. To the leading men in the medical work I have written of the need for such an investigation, but nothing has been done. 19LtMs, Lt 149, 1904, par. 6

I am continually receiving letters from our people, asking in regard to their children’s going to Battle Creek to work in the Sanitarium. For years God has been calling our people out of Battle Creek, and the instruction given me is that He will never counsel them to make Battle Creek an educational center. This is contrary to His plan. The whole field needs to be worked; and the calling of our youth from all parts of the field to the Battle Creek Sanitarium robs the field of its workers. 19LtMs, Lt 149, 1904, par. 7

While the Battle Creek problem stands as it is, no notices should be inserted in our papers which will take down the bars that hinder our young people from centering in Battle Creek. 19LtMs, Lt 149, 1904, par. 8

My brother, I do not believe that you would willingly utter or write words that would add to my burdens. I write this lest something more shall appear in The Watchman along the same lines as the one you have already written. I do not want you to lose the confidence of our people. 19LtMs, Lt 149, 1904, par. 9

I know the undercurrent that is at work. I know of some things that are being done in secret. I tell you that when certain of these things appear as they are, you would not desire to be responsible for that which you are now inclined to write. Be still, and know that the Lord, He is God. He will work out all problems to the glory of His name. He will be the defense of His people. 19LtMs, Lt 149, 1904, par. 10

My soul is deeply burdened. I shall now be obliged to speak as publicly as you have spoken—which I hoped I should not be obliged to do—and say to our people, “The Lord is not in the movement to gather our young people to Battle Creek.” 19LtMs, Lt 149, 1904, par. 11

My brother, when you have studied Volume 8 carefully, I think you will not want to repeat the things you have said in this article. Does not the Lord want those at Battle Creek to understand what was meant by the purging of His institutions by fire? Shall we make of no account that which is the work of God? 19LtMs, Lt 149, 1904, par. 12

If Dr. Kellogg ever finds his way to the light, it will not be through those who encourage him in his present attitude or through those who try to draw our best workers to Battle Creek when the Lord has instructed us that He desires them to labor in places where the truth has not yet been proclaimed. 19LtMs, Lt 149, 1904, par. 13