Ellen G. White: The Lonely Years: 1876-1891 (vol. 3)

The College Problems Enumerated

As Butler gave his report in the Review of the action to close Battle Creek College, he designated some of the problems that led to the traumatic move. He stated that for some time a cloud had been gathering which threatened to destroy the usefulness of the college in performing the special work for which it was brought into existence. There was a lack of “cordial cooperation” on the part of a portion of the church with the authorities of the college in sustaining right influences and proper discipline. He continued: 3BIO 190.2

The policy of the school was gradually changing, becoming more like that of the worldly schools around it. This, of course, is the natural tendency unless a strong religious influence is maintained.... The past year this tendency has been more marked. New policies have prevailed. The discipline has been lowered. Insubordination became manifest among students, and to some degree among teachers also. The matters came to a crisis. 3BIO 190.3

The board of directors whom the stockholders placed in control found themselves powerless to hold in check these influences.... A majority of the faculty, sustained by a large portion of the church, threatened to resign in a body if certain measures taken by the board were not retracted. Mass meetings of the students were held to sustain their favorites in the faculty.... The board virtually had nothing to do with the management of the college for months during the past year.... 3BIO 190.4

The tide ran so high that those teachers who had done most in founding the college lost their influence, and were looked upon with dislike. Their lot was made very hard, and stories were circulated against some of them which were calculated to ruin their reputation as Christians, and even as moral men, and these have been circulated through the land.—The Review and Herald, September 12, 1882. 3BIO 190.5

Faced with these conditions and unable to see the possibility of operating “such a school as the Lord had shown we ought to have” with the present state existing, “the board finally [during the summer recess] decided to close the college,” with no definite plan to reopen. It was a sad day. 3BIO 191.1