Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)

Ms 197, 1907

Remarks/Remarks at the Paradise Valley Sanitarium Board Meeting

National City, California

May 2, 1907

Previously unpublished.

May 2, 1907

Remarks at the Paradise Valley Sanitarium Board Meeting

Christ in His teaching drew lessons from nature. In a study of His life we may learn from His actions principles that are far-reaching. Upon one occasion after they had said there was nothing there to feed the five thousand except a few loaves and fishes, He said, Bid them sit down. Well, they sat down. Now, as they sat down there was a hymn sung and then He took and broke the bread, giving the blessing upon it as He broke the bread, and the fishes. The pieces of the fishes He placed in the hands of His disciples, and as they put them in the hands of the hungry ones, they came back to get more, and so they kept imparting and imparting and imparting of what they received and all were satisfied. Now, He says, gather up the fragments, let nothing be lost. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 1

There is something that we must learn. There is the burden that is on my mind that there should be in the building of our sanitariums no extravagance in anything. Make it plain and simple. And yet in some places it will have to be more room than it is in other places. There will have to be room to take care of the parties to be impressed. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 2

Now all those that are healed and that have seen these miracles are in that position where the impression of truth will always remain in their minds. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 3

Now, He says, gather up these fragments, let nothing be lost. Now, did He mean just these little fragments of food? No. It is to be a lesson. Every action of a like character is to make an impression on human minds so that they never would lose it. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 4

Now, the light that I have is that every soul of us must cling together in harmony. Every one of us must work so that we will have an intelligence of what Christ means in these lessons that He gives. When the disciples started out from place to place, and the sick were healed they returned all full of joy, saying, “Even the devils are subject unto us.” [Luke 10:17.] Then Christ showed them that they need not be glad for that, but they could be glad that their names were written in the book of heaven. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 5

Now the people were so surprised to hear the disciples, those that were visited, the Jewish people were so wonderfully surprised at the readiness of the light that they embraced, and could go forth, “Let your light so shine before men that they by seeing your good works may glorify your Father which is in heaven.” [Matthew 5:16.] Now there is our work. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 6

We need not think that we have too many sanitariums. We need not feel that; although I think many times there is more put into the sanitariums than need be, but still the different places where the sanitariums are, it makes a different impression upon the minds. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 7

But when they write to me about the sanitariums: “I heard you say, Sister White”—this came from Nashville—“I heard you say that we must build up the work in Nashville proportionate and calculated according to the place, to give it reputation.” Well now, you see, they got two or three things all hitched together. What I did say was this: They had the colored people into a little hole, as you may say, in Nashville, a miserable little place. It was dark, very dark in the rooms, and a few little rooms, yet the high class colored people came there to receive treatment, and were greatly benefitted. Now they wrote to me, What shall we do? Shall we buy this? Said I, No, no, no. Get a piece of land that will recommend our work, that will give it the influence, the exalted position of the truth. Well, it was in comparison with the miserable place that they had there, that they must begin to get a place that would better recommend it. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 8

Now, here were the teachers all around in their schools, and they wanted to come so much, they would often come there. Well, in consideration of this, I said, if they had some such place as Edson’s place, where he was established—I was greatly desirous that they should have a little place out in the country, not too far from Nashville, and let the Nashville colored people come into that. Then our people that want to build the grand thing used that: They must build, Sister White says, according to the situation of the city, and according to the city they must have it. Now, you see it had nothing to do with that. Well, they bought quite a large place, but they had to put on quite a large addition, and that addition cost money. They could have done better if they had done as I told them to do, that the Lord designed that the sanitarium and the school interest should be on the same premises. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 9

Now, I advised that they put their building of a good sanitarium right on that ground. You see what an outlook it would have. One could educate the other, and the other educate the other, so these two blending together, there would be a double and treble interest in these schools that they would have. I advised it. But you see, Brother Butler found this place, and he was so struck with it, that it was cheap, that he took it. But after all, they will get through with it. But still they might have saved quite a little money if they had planned to put their building right on the school ground, the very same advantages, 400 acres of land, beautiful land, most of it. One could have helped the other, and advantages that would be for one would be for the other; and they could be instructing the men and women, so that they would have an uplifting influence. Now there was the blending that should have taken place. But now, you see, it is no use to come out and make a drive against them, because that would not do. They have got in and now they have got to get out with their money. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 10

But wherever it can be, from the light that I have, a school and a sanitarium should be nigh together, that the school shall be educating, and the education shall be going on with both parties. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 11

And there is going to be quite a work yet at Madison that is going to be done. There is where they bring in and make my words a strength to points where they should not make it, and I have to come in and tell them it was not for that purpose. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 12

Now Christ says, Gather up the fragments, let nothing be lost. What fragments could be gathered up with two institutions nigh each other, in one the black and the other a white, but all white where Brothers Magan and Sutherland are. Now that could be a strength. They spoil these things through their desire to make a big thing. Now, they cannot stay in Nashville for a great while. That is as though it was a settled thing about the colored people. It is a settled thing with the great men what they are going to do; they are going to arrange it so that they will not have an education. They are working at that now. The years have passed by that they should have had an education, but they are working it so that they shall not have an education at all. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 13

Well, all these sanitariums that are established, we do not need to feel they are too many. We have got to build up something to accommodate the sick, and let the miracle-working power of Christ be seen in the truth that we shall advocate, and in the light that shall shine forth from us in a dark place. “Let your light ... in heaven.” [Verse 16.] They can see something of these sanitariums. And the greatest burden, Brother Burden, is to so manage that Loma Linda Sanitarium, you have it fixed convenient and nicely, but the great burden is to let the lamp of light from the Word of God shine forth unmistakably. The school is there, and there is a sanitarium. Both can let the light shine forth, and if it is not done in a few months, or as soon as you may desire to do it, let patience have her perfect work. Go right on, and do not be disturbed. That is the way we had to work in Australia. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 14

W. C. White: Have you any advice about the educational work here, about the education of nurses, or about our working San Diego from here? 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 15

E. G. White: Yes, I have. There is a line of work to be done in school interests in connection with the education of those that should connect with our sanitariums. We must keep the sanitariums high in the esteem of the people, everything orderly and neat. It must be carried on in such a way that it has a constant lifting influence. And then the school, there will be more and more that will come out here in the country for the benefit of their health. That will be so, and we must let out light shine. Down here in National City, wherever there can be a chance to have our people get a hearing, there is an opportunity for us to let the light shine forth. And in San Diego, there the work will certainly increase. There new members are coming in all the time, and this is an important center. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 16

Now every soul that is attached to the work here, they must stand in that position to “let your light ... heaven.” [Verse 16.] 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 17

Now, I should not have planned for quite so much as they have planned, but it is no use to say so. It is done now, and we will every one of us go to work for an interest, that it shall not lie heavy on the Ballengers. We will find an interest to apply in the right direction that will not discourage anyone. The buildings are here, and there are some things that I see have to be done. They have got to begin right here. There are things of education that we cannot neglect. We must have schools. I did hope that the buildings that were there, I did hope that they would be obtained, and I am disappointed every time I think of it. Our people need them, and the education of the schools and the children that shall come in we have not begun yet. We have only made a beginning of our work here. And everyone must be in a position to dig in and to do everything possible that they can do to bring light in right here. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 18

I was perfectly astonished to come through San Diego and see what it has grown to. Now, many of them have not heard anything. The truth must be proclaimed in this place, and the salvation of God must be revealed, and we must stand just as true as the compass to the pole. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 19

My husband used to say, “What shall we do, Ellen? What shall we do? Now we have come to a strait place.” “Well,” said I, “James, what shall we do?” Then he would laugh. Said he, “Wife, we will pull together. And we will get out of this right side up with care, and we will have an influence here.” Well, so we have had. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 20

The Lord called for them to get out of Battle Creek, but they were not ready to get out, and the buildings were burned up, to give them a notice it was time to get out, but still they did not get out. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 21

Now, right here is a large party drawn into San Diego, they settling there. They must have the truth, and this sanitarium is in its place. It is right that we should have it, and the Lord will work for us. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 22

Now one thing I want to say, For Christ’s sake let us not discourage one another. For Christ’s sake let us hold firm, by watching and praying and working as well, and everybody striking to the very highest cord of influence, and then they will increase in influence, and that is how the Lord wants us to work. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 23

Now, I do not feel one particle discouraged about the surroundings. If we can only keep ourselves on the right platform to give us an influence that will ever be uplifting, uplifting, we want to increase in influence all the time. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 24

One point I want to speak of because here is Brother Burden. Where there are people that will come to the sanitarium, old ladies will come. Now they will plead for a cup of coffee, or they will plead for a cup of tea or something like that. Tell them, Yes, you can have it; take it right to your room. They have been used to it all their life, and it cuts them right off, where they might take hold of the truth if they stayed. I have known that to be a fact. Now, when they say, I have had my coffee all my life, now I am an old woman or an old man. Tell them, You can have it in your room, but not to place it on the table. Well, that will satisfy them, and when they are hungering and faint for their cup of coffee, thinking it will do them a world of good, they cannot see anything of the truth. But you let them have their cup of coffee and not disturb their habits and practices right away. But keep all the time talking and preaching the truth, and what these things do for us and what influence they exert that is in detracting from our strength and capabilities. Do that, and tell them what strict temperance will do. They think we know something about it. But we might drift one off, and that one would drift off twenty or perhaps more. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 25

I wanted to say that much, that we must act like sensible persons, every one of us, and think just how we would feel if we had been having stimulants and they were suddenly taken away. We could not think of anything, what advantage the truth was. But let them have it, and then let the truth come. Let the truth come, and many of them will accept it. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 26

One thing more. When anyone comes to you and talks discouragingly about the things in this institution or that institution or the other institution, and that they are going clear beyond the measure, tell them, I am sorry they are, but we will help them get out of it. I am very sorry they are going beyond the measure, but we will help them get through it. If you do that, then you take away all that evil that you might have done, saying, No, we cannot help them. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 27

They did something wrong some time ago at Madison. They did something wrong, so and so. “Yes,” said I, “what have you done? What have you done in withdrawing your influence?” They have confessed that they did take a wrong course there, in some points at Berrien Springs, but what about that? They made everything straight. But they would keep opening it. I laid it right open before them personally, then, after they have confessed and confessed, “Now, brethren,” said I, “do you believe the Lord heard your confession?” Yes, they did. “We felt blessed.” “Well,” said I, “do not mention it to me again. You will find I will stand just as straight by you as the compass to the pole. You just keep right on in an straightforward course, and do not let yourself be discouraged at all, because there is light ahead. And it is going to shine. You have done everything you can. We do not want you to confess any more to us.” 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 28

But after a time: “Well, I thought Brother Sutherland and Brother Magan made a mistake up there.” I turned right around, “Have you ever made any mistake, do you remember of ever making a mistake in your life?” “Yes, a good many.” “Do you want us always to keep it before your face?” “No.” “Then stop right where you are. Encourage these men, and lift just as hard as you can when they lift, and you will find that you will come into unity and God will let His blessing rest upon you. Now I beg of you, do not mention these things of these brethren again, because every time you do, the next piece that comes in the paper will be to speak encouragingly of Brothers Magan and Sutherland, and ask all to act a part, so if you feel disturbed at that, keep still, and do not keep bringing up something to object to.” It pained me to have them come to me and weep, these brethren, and ask me over and over and over to forgive them. Why, it was not me, it was the Lord. “Don’t you believe He will forgive you?” “Yes, I do.” “Then,” said I, “praise Him. Do not keep telling it over all the time.” 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 29

Now we want everyone to lift for all they are worth. Every one has an influence, and it will tell. These sanitariums are not any too many. There is a respect that they have for the sanitariums, in the people coming to these sanitariums and receiving health and healing. They remember it. There is a strength gained that cannot come to them in any other way. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 30

That is why we do not want Brother Burden to be burdening himself down too much. You will have too much “burden” to it. You take your name Burden, and carry your burden, but do not pile on until you cannot lift yourself. We are trying to work out where the Lord will help us, and He will do it if we will let Him. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 31

I think, Brother Burden, that your arranging to have the school of two grades is good. Now the ones that are teaching in the higher school, some of those could teach the lower school, so that the children can be taken care of. The children must be taken care of. When the children were brought to Christ, the disciples sent them away. “The Master is teaching.” He caught it. He had seen those mothers bringing their children through the dusty roads, and He told the disciples, said He, “Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” [Matthew 19:14.] Now we must think of this. We must educate, educate, educate, and the blessing of God will rest upon us in doing so. 22LtMs, Ms 197, 1907, par. 32