Ellen White: Woman of Vision

The Night Of The Decision

It was an eager but subdued group of workers and members that gathered that Saturday night in the Mountain View church. The outgoing president, who presided throughout the assembly, opened the meeting and then called Elder Irwin to the chair. Irwin reviewed the experience of the church in arranging in the 1890s for the education of physicians at the American Medical Missionary College in Chicago. He pointed out the church's responsibility in providing medical education for its youth under favorable spiritual conditions. Elder Burden followed with a review of the developments at Loma Linda. The letter to Ellen White and her response were read. WV 522.6

Burden was followed by I. H. Evans. The latter, on his way from Washington to Mountain View, had spent a few hours in Chicago conferring with the officers of the American Medical Association. This is the body that is recognized in the United States as establishing standards to be followed in medical education and practice. When Evans had presented the proposal that he had in mind, the medical men in Chicago laughed at the proposition, declaring that it was useless for Seventh-day Adventists, with their limited finances, personnel, and facilities, to consider starting a medical school.”Why,” they said, “the best you could do would be to start a ‘C’ grade school, and we are closing all ‘C’ grade schools.” WV 523.1

But Evans was a man of faith. He opened his remarks in the Mountain View Saturday night meeting by saying: WV 523.2

I am deeply interested in what has been read to us tonight from the Spirit of Prophecy. The question before the meeting is one of great importance, and needs most careful consideration from every standpoint.... WV 523.3

Now, if we always were wise-hearted, and saw everything as the Lord would have us view it, there would be no need of further light through the Spirit of Prophecy; but we are mortal, and our vision is limited, and we often see things in a perverted light. Because of our lack of clear perception, the Lord in mercy speaks to His people through the Spirit of Prophecy. He has had to do this in the past, and we may well hope that He may long continue speaking to us concerning our duty and the needs of His cause. WV 523.4

Most earnest attention was paid as this representative from the General Conference pressed the matter: WV 523.5

Someone may say, “The time is most inopportune.” But the question is, When the Lord reveals to us His desire that we shall establish a medical school and do it soon, is the time inopportune for doing such a work? WV 523.6

I can conjure up many reasons why at this time we are ill-prepared to establish and operate a medical school. It is not hard for any man to say that we have not the money at hand. Any man need not be very wise to say, “We do not know where we shall get medical men trained and qualified to take up this work.” WV 524.1

But the question is, Will we establish this medical school, when the Lord has indicated so plainly our duty? I believe, brethren, if we step forward in the fear of God, and make an effort to establish this school, the Lord will help us and make the way clear. WV 524.2

W. C. White, in the last speech made, declared: WV 524.3

Brethren and friends, I believe that the Lord God of Israel is leader of this people, and I believe that it is He who is leading us to undertake this tremendous enterprise.... WV 524.4

And while the world will continue to say to us, as it has said in the past, “Ye are not able to go up and possess this field of usefulness,” I believe that our people will unite in saying, “We are well able to go up and possess it, and do this great work” (Pacific Union Recorder, February 3, 1910). WV 524.5