Ellen G. White: The Australian Years: 1891-1900 (vol. 4)

The Burden of Heart Not Lifted

Her messages to the General Conference penned during the early weeks of 1899 did not lift from her heart her concern for Kellogg. Through the year 1899 she wrote another twenty-six letters to him, averaging nine pages each. Not all were sent at the time of writing, for she could see that her messages of counsel were not accomplishing what they should and she wrestled to find a way to save the doctor from shipwreck. When she could, she wrote and spoke with commendation and encouragement. It was so as she related to workers in Australia the manner in which God especially blesses the work of consecrated physicians: 4BIO 398.4

I have seen Dr. Kellogg fall on his knees in an agony of distress when an operation was to be performed which meant life or death. One false movement of the instrument would cost the patient's life. Once, in a critical operation, I saw a hand laid upon his hand. That hand moved his hand, and the patient's life was saved.... 4BIO 399.1

The medical work has been represented as the right hand of the body of truth. This hand is to be constantly active, constantly at work; and God will strengthen it. But it is to remain a hand; it is not to be made the body. I desire that this point shall be understood.—UCR, July 21, 1899. 4BIO 399.2

Her message to him written April 17 was one of encouragement. In this she declared: 4BIO 399.3

On no account should you be entangled and woven up in any work that will endanger your influence with Seventh-day Adventists, for the Lord has appointed you to fill a place of His appointment, to stand before the medical profession, not to be molded, but to mold human minds.... He has a work for you to do, not separated from Seventh-day Adventists, but in unity and harmony with them, to be a great blessing to your brethren in giving to them that knowledge which God has given you.—Letter 73, 1899. 4BIO 399.4

But at this time Kellogg was not prone to receive messages of caution and reproof. He took offense at the cautions Ellen White sounded and declared that she had turned against him. He threatened to resign from his work and all connection with Seventh-day Adventists. This almost stunned her. On August 15 she wrote in her diary: 4BIO 399.5

I lose my courage and my strength and cannot call to mind the very things I ought to say and the many things I ought to write. I have a letter—two, yes, three—written for Dr. Kellogg, but I am so afraid of being misunderstood that I dare not send them. I feel intensely, and want to help his mind in many things, but how can I do it? My words are misapplied and misunderstood, and sometimes appear to be so misunderstood by humans that they do more harm than good. This has been the case with Dr. Kellogg.—Manuscript 189, 1899. 4BIO 400.1

The next day she wrote in her diary: 4BIO 400.2

The mail went this morning. There are the letters to Dr. Kellogg, uncopied, unsent. Perhaps it is well. I do not think we see things alike, and he feels sure his work has been under the leading of the Lord. I see his dangers, which he does not see. The Lord has presented his case before me, and the result must, I fear, come upon him.

He is carrying the responsibilities he has been accumulating for years. If he falls under the load he has piled upon himself, he will leave the impression it is because he was left without the cooperation of those who ought to have helped him. May the Lord have compassion upon Dr. Kellogg is my prayer. May the Lord help him to see he is accumulating too many responsibilities in the medical missionary work.—Ibid. 4BIO 400.3

Some months after this, in a letter to George Irwin, Ellen White pointed out the critical nature of Dr. Kellogg's case, and spoke of the terrible crisis that must be met: 4BIO 400.4

He is writing Dr. Caro letters which declare he is going to give up and separate from Seventh-day Adventists. This is the result of his getting himself overloaded and so crowded with financial embarrassments he does not know what to say or to do to extricate himself. I am so sorry that things are as they are—but Satan has played his cards well, and the game is falling into Satan's hands unless something can be done to save Dr. Kellogg.—Letter 170, 1900. 4BIO 400.5

To see the man who had been used so mightily by God and by whose side she had stood through the years veer away from the message and lose sight of the real objectives of medical missionary work tore Ellen White's soul. Nonetheless, she continued to labor and pray and to communicate through letters. As the materials were assembled for Testimonies, volume 6, a section of nearly one hundred pages was devoted to medical missionary work and the balance that should be maintained in carrying forward its many features. The later compilation Welfare Ministry also carries a section on working for the unfortunate, appropriately titled “The Outcasts.” 4BIO 400.6