The Paulson Collection of Ellen G. White Letters

March 1, 1906

Sanitarium, California

March 1, 1906

My dear Niece Addie,

Loma Linda has a large, beautiful lawn, which is encircled with pepper-trees; and on it there are comfortable benches. I once spoke on this lawn to quite an audience, a number not of our faith being present. But the tops of the pepper-trees met over the stand, and the odor of these trees, which I thought would be most beneficial to me, was too strong, I find that we must live to learn... PC 211.2

Soon we shall begin evangelistic work in Redlands, a town about four miles from Loma Linda. Elder Haskell and his wife have come from the East to help us start this work. They spent a month with us here, and then visited Sister Haskell's sister at Armona. They are now at Loma Linda... PC 211.3

A few miles from Redlands, there are cities that have never been worked. Riverside is eight miles from Loma Linda. We have treatment-rooms there. They are not extensive, but are large enough to accommodate the people of that city. While we were in Redlands last year, we drove to Riverside, a distance of eleven miles, and I spoke to our church there. At this place our people have a very nice meeting-house. We drove over in order to see the country. We passed through acres of orange groves. It was a beautiful and interesting sight; for the trees were loaded with fruit. I never saw anything like it before. We returned to Redlands on the train, and again we passed through miles of orange land, the trees laden with their beautiful, golden fruit. We saw also large groves of grape fruit and lemon trees. PC 211.4

Our future effort must be to reach the people of these cities with the truth. At Fernando, ... we have a school ... This school is not far from Loma Linda and Redlands. PC 211.5

President Roosevelt, on a journey through Southern California when he first got a view of the city of Redlands and its surroundings, took off his hat, and said, “This is glorious. I never imagined such a sight.” The scenery is indeed charming. PC 211.6

In Redlands we have a splendid opening for work. Some time ago Elder Simpson held a series of tent meetings here, and a company of believers was raised up. They built a small but very neat house of worship, and in this church I spoke when I was in Redlands, a year ago. PC 212.1

It was in the providence of God that we obtained possession of Loma Linda. This property comprises one large building, five cottages, and a seventy-six acres of land, in a most beautiful location. The land was purchased and the building erected and equipped by a company of one hundred and fifty physicians, at a cost of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Under their management the institution did not succeed financially, and not long ago we bought it, furnished throughout with durable, high-grade furniture, for forty thousand dollars. Twenty thousand dollars of the purchase price was to be paid in several payments at stated times, with the balance in two years. But the former owners found themselves in need of money, and agreed to take off two hundred dollars interest, were a certain payment made at a date before the time agreed upon. Brother Burden raised the money, and thus saved two hundred dollars. PC 212.2

Once more these men found themselves in a strait place, and they said that if we would pay the remaining amount of indebtedness, they would throw off nine hundred dollars. Brother Burden paid the whole amount, some of our people taking stock in the institution, and some making gifts. This means to the institution a saving of eleven hundred dollars, which otherwise would have had to be paid. This was a great advantage. PC 212.3

In enabling us to obtain possession of this property, the Lord has certainly brought to the cause a most wonderful opportunity. We praise God with heart and soul and voice. There are five cottages, well fitted up, besides the large building. These are all furnished in the best of style. The smaller cottages are made with wide piazzas running round the four sides, and the windows are so arranged that the beds can be wheeled out on to the verandah. In each cottage there is a bathroom. The larger cottage has two stories, and is furnished throughout with solid red and black mahogany furniture. PC 212.4

All the mattresses, blankets, sheets, pillow slips, couch-pillows, and bedding in general were in excellent condition when we took over the property. There are about eighty towels besides those in the bathrooms, and about one hundred and thirty- five small linen towels. There are table napkins in abundance, and silverware of all description, as well as chinaware. PC 212.5

There is one room in which sun baths may be taken, and a large parlor, two sides of which are of glass. This is the most beautiful room I was ever in in my life. There is also another large, well-furnished parlor. Two rooms above this have in them twenty rocking chairs and reclining chairs, which are very comfortable. PC 212.6

Besides these buildings, there is another building, which was used as a recreation building. This will serve for a time as a meeting house. Both lower and upper stories are fitted up with rocking chairs. Those in charge seemed to have a passion for rocking chairs. PC 213.1

There are two barns and some carriages, somewhat worn, several horses, four cows, and a large calf, a good number of chickens and some turkeys. There were some hogs, but those have been disposed of. PC 213.2

Ten acres of the land is in oranges and apricots. The apricots are the largest I have ever seen. We only tasted the oranges when we were there, but Brother Burden has recently sent us several boxes of oranges and grape-fruit, which we find most excellent. The apples grown there do not amount to much. We secured the place last summer before the fruit was ripe, and more was put up during the season than they will be able to use this summer. We had to buy peaches for canning. I helped to pick some of them. We bought the fruit on the trees, and it was delicious. They are now setting out more grape vines and orange trees and other kinds of fruit, but these will not come into bearing for some time. PC 213.3

The main building stands on an eminence, and one must climb a long flight of steps to reach the front door. About two hundred rods from the building there is a little railway station. From here there is a drive of easy and gradual ascent, which encircles the rise of ground upon which stand the main building, the nine-roomed cottage, and the four smaller cottages. The hill is set out to ornamental and fruit trees. On it there is still another cottage, which has been used for the laborers. PC 213.4

The Loma Linda Sanitarium will be dedicated in four or five weeks. I hear that the institution is filled with patients. Every one who has gone there is delighted with the place. PC 213.5

Now I have written you the fullest description of Loma Linda that I have written to any one, as I thought you would like to hear about the place. I have never lost my interest in you; for you are one of my children, a member of my family. If you will love and serve the Lord I shall be grateful that in your childhood I consented to take charge of you. You are the purchase of the blood of Christ, and I do want you to find entrance into the city whose builder and maker is God. Let us all strive together to secure the immortal inheritance.... PC 213.6

Ellen G. White