Ellen White: Woman of Vision

Battle Creek College To Move To Rural Location

One matter of great concern to Ellen White at this conference was the location of the three institutions in Battle Creek: the publishing house, the sanitarium, and particularly the college. In the 25 years since the college had been dedicated, city growth had produced a congested environment far different from that which God had revealed as desirable. WV 390.3

At the time of selecting a location on which to build Avondale College she had said: WV 390.4

Our schools should be located away from the cities, on a large tract of land, so that the students will have opportunity to do manual work. They should have opportunity to learn lessons from the objects which Christ used in the inculcation of truth. He pointed to the birds, to the flowers, to the sower and the reaper. In schools of this kind not only are the minds of the students benefited, but their physical powers are strengthened. All portions of the body are exercised. The education of mind and body is equalized (Ibid., 215, 216). WV 390.5

For some time the need for a change of location for the college had been the subject of discussion and correspondence between Ellen White and the president, Professor E. A. Sutherland, and the dean, Percy T. Magan. WV 390.6

At 5:30 on Friday morning Mrs. White dispatched one of her helpers to the Magan home with the message that she wished to see both men. They came at once. WV 390.7

Later that morning, in a meeting with the delegates, Magan gave his report on the relief book plan he was directing. Ellen White had dedicated her book, Christ's Object Lessons, to the financial relief of Seventh-day Adventist educational institutions. Thousands of dollars had been raised as church members sold the books to their neighbors and friends and used the proceeds for debt reduction. Mrs. White was seated on the platform with other workers who were leading out in this particular meeting. As Magan closed his report, he referred to the testimonies that called for a country location for Seventh-day Adventist schools and proposed that consideration be given to moving Battle Creek College to “a more favorable locality” (Ibid., 212). WV 390.8

Then Mrs. White rose to speak. After referring to the experience with Christ's Object Lessons, she challenged the audience with this declaration: WV 391.1

The light that has been given me is that Battle Creek has not the best influence over the students in our school.... God wants the school to be taken out of Battle Creek.... Some may be stirred about the transfer of the school from Battle Creek. But they need not be. This move is in accordance with God's design for the school before the institution was established. But men could not see how this could be done. There were so many who said that the school must be in Battle Creek. Now we say that it must be somewhere else (Ibid., 215, 216). WV 391.2

She urged: WV 391.3

The best thing that can be done is to dispose of the school's building here as soon as possible. Begin at once to look for a place where the school can be conducted on right lines. God wants us to place our children where they will not see and hear that which they should not see or hear (Ibid., 216). WV 391.4

At this point the meeting adjourned to 11:00 a.m., which left just a short intermission. Much of the rest of the morning was devoted to a consideration of the relief of the denomination's schools from their debts through the sale of Christ's Object Lessons and to the moving of Battle Creek College. WV 391.5

Elder A. T. Jones, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Educational Society, asked for the floor. After referring to the appeal that the college be moved out of Battle Creek, he called for the stockholders of the Educational Society present, who favored carrying out the instruction that had been given, to rise to their feet. The report is that there was a hearty response and that when the negative vote was called for, no one responded. WV 391.6

Then the delegates of the General Conference session were asked to vote. They voted unanimously to move the school. Finally a third expression was called for from the congregation generally. Rising to their feet, they gave a unanimous affirmation to the decision to move the college from Battle Creek. History was made that day at the General Conference session, and when school took up that fall, it was at Berrien Springs, Michigan. This was the second marked instance of a wholehearted and immediate response at the General Conference session of 1901 to counsel by the messenger of the Lord that called for sweeping changes. WV 391.7