Record of Progress and An Appeal In Behalf of the Boulder-Colorado Sanitarium

Chapter 5—The Future of the Boulder Sanitarium

[Remarks made by Mrs. E. G. White at the General Conference, May 29, 1905.]

We all have great reason to praise the Lord. He has wrought wondrously for us in the transferring of the publishing work from Battle Creek to Washington, and in the establishment of a school here, that His purposes should be fulfilled. When we were first brought face to face with this matter, it looked like an impossibility, but at every step of our advance it has seemed that angels of God were at our side, leading, protecting, and helping. And those gathered at this meeting can see that the Lord has wrought upon minds, so that the funds necessary for the prosecution of the work are freely coming in. We thank the Lord for the liberality of His people. When the Lord graciously reveals Himself to us, we ought to praise Him. SpTB05 39.1

Difficulties may appear in our way. We may wonder how we are to accomplish this and that and the other thing. At times the future may look very dark. But, in many of these cases, it is our privilege to wait for the difficulties till they appear. Perhaps they will not appear at all, because the Lord is hearing and answering prayer. We need to pray much more than we do. We need to bring the promises of the Lord to Him, and thank and praise Him for what He has promised to give us if we will follow on to know Him. Then we shall know that His going forth is prepared as the morning. The path is prepared; the way before us is prepared; and when we stand where the Lord can open the way before us, He will do it, and will strengthen us for the duty of the hour. SpTB05 39.2

Recently the question has been raised, What shall we do with the Colorado Sanitarium? The light given me has been that the plans followed in the building up of this institution were not altogether in accordance with the mind and will of God. Too much money was invested in the building. But after the investment has been made, the buildings erected, and our workers have gone in there, and wrestled and wrestled to make the work a success, and the sanitarium has accomplished much good, shall we turn over the place to private parties? After the workers have wrestled all these years, shall those now connected with it give it up, and say they are beaten? We can not have it so. No such representation of our work is to be made before the world. Every soul connected with that sanitarium is to realize that the institution is to be made a success; and it will be a success if there be shown that faith in God which will enable the workers to take hold of His promises. SpTB05 40.1

The Boulder Sanitarium is not to go into the hands of unbelievers. It is not to be made into a hotel. It has cost altogether too much aching of heart to be lightly given up. At times, when God has revealed Himself, it has brought too much gladness for it to be given up for any worldly purpose. SpTB05 40.2

God wants this institution to stand as an educating power in the medical missionary work, and He desires that those who have been struggling with all their might to make it a success shall not have labored in vain. He desires that they shall rely wholly upon Him, and go forward to success and victory. He desires them to have faith in Him. Divine power stands behind all who are earnestly seeking to glorify God, and the Lord would be much better pleased if He should hear from our lips more words of encouragement, and a determination to make a success wherever we have put our hands to establish the work. SpTB05 40.3

The Lord is very gracious to us. He is very loving in His dealing with us, and He does not want us to be discouraged, so that we dare not keep hold on any enterprise for fear that failure will overtake it. SpTB05 41.1

The light given me is that we should not rest until the Boulder Sanitarium is a decided success. What we need is to gird on the armor, and advance in unity. SpTB05 41.2

It was not in the order of God that another medical institution was started in Boulder. God did not send this second sanitarium to Boulder. There are places enough in the world where the physician could have gone without establishing himself beside an institution which had cost our people so much, and which needed all the influence and patronage it could secure. It has been presented to me that God wants the one institution to stand there, and He wants it to make progress. The establishment of another institution so near left a sadness, a discouragement, and a gloom, on the minds of those connected with the Boulder Sanitarium. It brought burden of heart to those who were struggling hard to do their very best. SpTB05 41.3

The blessing of God will attend every worker who is governed by unselfish motives. The Lord will crown their efforts with success. Those connected with the Boulder Sanitarium may say, “Sister White says, God will crown our efforts with success; but how can the institution be a financial success when another sanitarium is established close beside us?” But who led to the establishment of that institution so close to our sanitarium? It was the plan of a counterworker, not a plan born of God. Shall this counterworking be encouraged, and shall there be a backing out on our part regarding an institution established by our people at great expense? SpTB05 41.4

It is true that more money was used in the erection of the Boulder Sanitarium than ought to have been used. If men had moved in the order of God, the institution would not have absorbed so large an amount of money, and we would not now have such a heavy burden of interest-bearing debts. Money was expended lavishly, in a way not in the order of God. And because of this, those who have come in to take charge of the institution have had to bear a severe test and trial. But when the burden and the test come, it is for us to ask what God means by the burden, and what He means by the test. There certainly is a work to be done by the Boulder Sanitarium, and a broad work to be done in the vicinity of this sanitarium. Laborers should be working all through that section of the country. There are souls there to be brought to a knowledge of the truth. SpTB05 42.1

God wants us never to do such a thing as to part with the Boulder Sanitarium. This institution will yet do its work, and will do it well. SpTB05 42.2

When discouragement comes, remember that the Lord's hosts are back of us. Remember that your strength is not found in words of discouragement. Remember that heaven is not lessened of any of its angels. These angels are just as ready to come to the help of God's people today as in the days of ancient Israel. SpTB05 42.3

On one occasion, when the armies of Israel were to go up to battle, the Lord commanded that they take with them singers and instruments of music. They went into the battle singing the high praises of God. When their enemies heard this music, the Lord caused fear to fill their hearts, and they fled. We need to have more music and less groaning. May God help us to put faith into our work, remembering that if trial comes, it will be because we need it. SpTB05 42.4

God will be our helper and our strength. He will be our frontguard and our rearward. We may lean upon an arm that is almighty. With a sympathetic Saviour looking upon us, and pleading in our behalf, how can we lose faith? I ask you to pledge yourselves before God that you will not talk discouragement. Be determined never to go back on anything that you have tried to carry forward in the fear of God. SpTB05 43.1

May the Lord help you to carry the work forward in the name of the Lord God of Israel, saying, “We shall triumph in the name of God.” When you have faith, it pleases God. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” James 1:5-7. Truth and light will shine into the hearts of those who say, “We will triumph in the God of our salvation, and He will give us the victory.” SpTB05 43.2