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

The Search for Money

But there was no money in sight. On Thursday, May 25, Elder Burden and a close friend, Elder R. S. Owen, a Bible teacher at the San Fernando school, took the inter-urban electric car down the coast to call on a farmer who was thought to have some means. He lived about a mile and a half from the car stop. When they got to his cabin, no one was at home. A neighbor thought he was most likely somewhere on the ranch, but search as they would, no sign of the man was found. The two men returned to the car stop and waited. 6BIO 17.1

It was dark now, and as the inter-urban car sped toward them, they failed to signal it for a stop, so it did not even slow up. There would be a two-hour wait for another car, so the men went back to the cabin, which now had a light in it. Finding the farmer, his wife, and daughter, they introduced themselves and soon explained their mission. Elder Burden reports that as the telegram from Mrs. White and the letters that followed were read to the farmer, he suddenly exclaimed, “Praise the Lord!”—The Story of Our Health Message, 355. 6BIO 17.2

He had been praying that the Lord would send someone to buy his place. It had been sold a few days before and now he was ready to make available $2,400 for the Loma Linda enterprise. The next day Elder Burden phoned the representative of the Loma Linda Association that he was ready to do business. The $1,000 was paid, and work was begun on a contract. This was finished the following Monday. Four thousand dollars more had to be on hand by June 15 to make up the first payment of $5,000 or the deposit would be lost. 6BIO 17.3

Now all awaited the return of the California workers from the General Conference. Ellen White was detained in Washington for a week until W. C. White finished special General Conference Committee work. Travel plans called for them to reach Redlands at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, June 12. Local and union conference workers would come out from Los Angeles and meet them at Loma Linda. A great deal depended on this meeting. Would approving action be taken, or would Elder Burden lose the borrowed $1,000 given to bind the contract? 6BIO 17.4