Ellen White: Woman of Vision

A Charter Secured

On December 9, 1909, with the full approval of the General Conference Committee, a charter was secured under the laws of the state of California authorizing the College of Medical Evangelists to grant degrees in the liberal sciences, dentistry, and medicine (see The Story of Our Health Message, 383). WV 519.4

The biennial session of the Pacific Union Conference, held in the Mountain View church January 25-30, 1910, was a momentous meeting for the Seventh-day Adventist Church and one of deep concern for Ellen White. On the agenda was the matter of a medical school at Loma Linda. The future of medical education conducted by Seventh-day Adventists was in the balance. WV 519.5

In addition to the some 50 delegates in Mountain View for the opening meeting were both Ellen White and W. C. White; and from the General Conference, G. A. Irwin, vice president, and I. H. Evans, former treasurer, under appointment to a new assignment in eastern Asia. The usual reports, beginning with that of the union president, were presented and the various committees were appointed. WV 519.6

The nominating committee, working rather quickly, was ready with a report on Tuesday afternoon, but the secretary indicated that it failed to carry the signature of S. N. Haskell, a nominating committee member. Haskell was known to be a man of large experience and was the president of the largest local conference in the union—the California Conference—and someone proposed that the report, which included the name of the incumbent president of the union, be returned to the committee for further study. This was agreed upon. At this point the real issues, which had not been faced squarely earlier, came prominently to the front. In the nominating committee someone asked whether the incumbent “intended to stand as a stone wall to block the way of the Loma Linda College of Medical Evangelists” (WCW to AGD, January 28, 1910). WV 519.7

It was agreed that before proceeding further, consideration be given to the development of the work at Loma Linda in the light of the counsel received through the Spirit of Prophecy. All knew that the issue was whether the developing school should be a full-fledged medical school. All knew that if it was, the costs would be large and the involvement deep. WV 520.1