Ellen G. White: The Later Elmshaven Years: 1905-1915 (vol. 6)

Linking Up With Unbelievers

One week later she wrote to Doctors Wade and Hills: 6BIO 42.1

The Lord has repeatedly instructed me to say to His people that they are not to bind up with the world in business partnerships of any kind, and especially in so important a matter as the establishment of a sanitarium. Believers and unbelievers, serving two masters, cannot properly be linked together in the Lord's work. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” God forbids His people to unite with unbelievers in the building up of His institutions.

She laid out clearly the involvements: 6BIO 42.2

One of the dangers to be met if we should link up with unbelievers is that we cannot depend upon the opinions and judgment, regarding the sacred interests of the Lord's work, of men who, with the Bible open before them, are living in open transgression of the law of God. We cannot depend upon them, because the enemy of Christ influences their minds.

They may be ever so favorable to our work now, but in the future there will come times of crisis, and then our people will be brought into a position of extreme trial, if they are bound up in any way with the worldlings. Our people may think that they can guard against these difficulties that would naturally arise in their union with worldlings, but in this they will be disappointed. 6BIO 42.3

In connection with any combination with outside parties, there will be disappointment. It behooves us to move very guardedly, for thereby we shall save ourselves much burden and trouble, for the light given me is that to link up with them and to lean upon them is folly and disappointment. 6BIO 42.4

“Wait,” she counseled. “Wait until the Lord shall manifest Himself in a more distinct and striking manner than He has done.” 6BIO 42.5

She reminded the two physicians: 6BIO 42.6

Our health institutions are of value in the Lord's estimation only when He is allowed to preside in their management. If His plans and devisings are regarded as inferior to plans of men, He looks upon these institutions as of no more value than the institutions established and conducted by worldlings.—Letter 283, 1905.

The Canon City enterprise was reluctantly abandoned. Boulder Sanitarium survived. 6BIO 43.1

To place in permanent form before church members throughout Colorado the history and the testimonies concerning the Sanitarium matters, a pamphlet of eighty pages was published at Pacific Press in the late fall of 1905. It carried the title “Record of Progress and an Earnest Appeal in Behalf of the Boulder, Colorado, Sanitarium.” The pamphlet was designated as Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 5. This made it a part of a growing series of special testimonies, issued to meet special or local situations. The next year, after some developments in the situation in Colorado, a second printing was made with added material bringing the presentation up-to-date. 6BIO 43.2