Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 25 (1910 - 1915)

Ms 86, 1912

Interview/Regarding Loma Linda

NP

Circa 1912

Previously unpublished.

An Interview Between C. C. Crisler and Ellen G. White Regarding Loma Linda

[Ellen G. White:] The Lord will lead us when we want to blend, but when we get into a position when they want everybody to blend to their ideas, as though there was no danger of making any mistakes, that is a great mistake on their part, 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 1

[C. C. Crisler:] Contrary to the way our work has been carried on. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 2

[Ellen G. White:] Yes, we have got to work with a diversity of minds, in the idea of bringing a unity of minds; and they cannot all see just exactly as one and another may see; but they have got to yield to the good judgment of the many. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 3

[C. C. Crisler:] That really makes necessary a group of men to act as counselors, instead of one man outlining the whole policy. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 4

[Ellen G. White:] No such thing exists as one man's outlining the policy, as large as that represents. There are representations that have got to be made in accordance with situations. There are situations that they cannot always apply to everybody's mind, to find out what is the right. They have got to go by their best judgement. They are separated from them, and if they should differ from their brethren, it is not because they want to get up a something of themselves. If they get up something for themselves, the blessing of God will not attend them. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 5

Unless they are willing to accede their own special strong views. They want to carry them. The Lord doesn't bless such efforts. They cannot, and no one man is to be a dictator. No one man is safe to be a dictator. One man's mind and one man's judgment is not safe to be a dictator. But you take the minds together, and a little explanation will show that they can blend—an explanation of their ideas and their manner of dealing. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 6

This point I have had to labor with more than any other point that I know of, and it was so hard, it nearly killed me. I nearly lost my life in trying to show them a difference of opinion [between] you and me, that that difference of opinion, if it did not blend, why, it would be no union. That never must be. We have had to labor on that point very, very much, until we had got it so they knew that if one man stood for his own idea, and was determined to stand for it, that is the positive reason that idea should not be carried. It would appear to him to be pretty good, to the one man; but they can see if that is carried out strenuously, according as they want the work to go, why, if that one idea is carried out and made prominent, it brings many minds into a controversy. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 7

[C. C. Crisler:] It causes many discouragement, too. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 8

[Ellen G. White:] Yes; and the discouragement that will come in consequence of one man pressing his ideas strenuously, will work detrimentally; therefore, if he has to accede and keep silent, if he cannot give it up, accede, and keep silent, and see how the action comes out. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 9

[C. C. Crisler:] Should he, while keeping silent, whisper things as to how things are not going right? 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 10

[Ellen G. White:] He should keep perfectly silent until this company that he has confidence [in] shall come to a correct understanding as he views it; but all these things we have got to weigh in different lines of education. And Brother Burden's education as such that he had a pretty hard time of it in his life. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 11

He has had to stand stiffly for right and truth, and right principles; and now it is hard, it is very hard for him to blend with his brethren. His brethren must understand that he has had to stand—that God has led him to stand—right against his [their?] course of action; and [while] children are exhorted to be obedient to these higher powers, he could not be obedient to those higher powers. (That has made him a strong man.) 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 12

Yet, he should not make it such as to ventilate these strong points only when he sees that the cause is going to be damaged unless he did it. When he does that before a group of counselors, and they do not see just as he sees, then, as I understand the matter, it is his privilege to keep silent. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 13

I know my husband got up night after night when they had come to a point where he could not make them understand. He had labored at night—this is one cause of his losing his life. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 14

There is a great blessing before those who will work together at Loma Linda. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 15

They have not the same stamp of mind, you know. The mind that they inherit from their parents—they do not have the same stamp of mind. And their parents did not have the right stamps of mind, nor did [they] have the right ideas. If they would have introduced their ideas, it would have created a division in the family, and it would have created great difficulties. They have come to me, and I have told them, Keep silent. My message from the Lord is for you to keep silent, and you go where your conviction teaches you is the correct course, but don't keep ventilating it all the time. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 16

[C. C. Crisler:] Even if they whisper it among their best friends? 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 17

[Ellen G. White:] Silence is eloquence. It is not a life and death question, but give them a chance to associate with different influences, and they will be converted themselves. The Lord will impress the mind in His counterworking, but it cannot be forced. The more you force it, the more they will stand for it. Silence is eloquence. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 18

Many wrongs would be righted, if men would not assume such determined ideas that are not a life and death question anyhow. The idea that one man must rule a large number, you know, to come to his idea, it is not God's plan. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 19

[C. C. Crisler ?:] Never was. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 20

[Ellen G. White ?:] Or never will be. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 21

[C. C. Crisler ?:] It is simply a repetition of some of the principles that have had to do with our organized work from the very beginning. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 22

[Ellen G. White:] Yes, and we can close the door, even if the man that was holding for those principles would give up the faith, because it means a great deal. God does not place them in any positions where, if they differ with their brethren, they are to bend themselves away from their convictions, because God will give them the right conviction. If it is for a little time, He will give them the right conviction that we are to be a unit, and they will be a unit. Oh, I have had so many things of those to deal with. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 23

[C. C. Crisler:] A man can adapt himself to the minds of his brethren, and yet be true to principle. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 24

[Ellen G. White:] He thinks he is true to hold out against [his brethren]; and in that he has rent many, many a church, and brought in many, many difficulties that never could be healed; when, if he had yielded, and said, I will go accordingly; it is not a life and death question; it is not something that is a determined thing that God has told them to do, but it is their own ideas, their hereditary tendencies, and the education they have had. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 25

For instance, if Brother Burden and some of his close friends who have stood by him, were to withdraw and refuse to work with their brethren, refuse to sacrifice, refuse to be misunderstood, and refuse to suffer (in their minds), there will come in something that will place those very ideas that they will think were so valuable, and testing, that it is not necessary at all. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 26

[C. C. Crisler:] If they were to withdraw, then that would make your work more difficult? 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 27

[Ellen G. White:] The people would not understand why they could not work with their brethren. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 28

A good many have held on to a precious idea they have had, that they thought they had got to carry out. but it is an impression in their minds. The Lord has not made that impression, but it is their own traits of character that they have developed for a long time, and they think that if they should let go of their ideas that we will giving up the faith. (They are honest in their convictions, they do not realize that they are that way.) 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 29

Now if persons could go and talk with Brother Burden in the right way, and show him that he cannot set himself up as unerring—he cannot do it—therefore he should be very delicate about the sentiments that he presents before others. They follow his example, you know, and it means a good deal in regard to this matter of standing just as stiff as possible to stand when the question does not admit it. God would not have it admitted, even if they thought conscientiously it was all right. But time shows what is right. The Lord will open the understanding to be convicted. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 30

[C. C. Crisler:] Supposing he is right, and [he] finds it impossible to force the minds of his brethren? If he keeps quiet and prays, won't the Lord in His divine providence help the man to see the right thing, if they will keep quiet, and not force in this thing that his brethren cannot see? 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 31

[Ellen G. White:] But the Lord will bring it around in such a way that it will appear different to his brethren, so that they can bear it, but not through him. Maybe they can get it by their own study of the things he has studied. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 32

Brother Burden's mind is of a peculiar make. Somehow he and I have got along pretty well together. That peculiar bent of mind has helped him through many hard places. It has enabled him to stand stiffly in strait places, but now where he is associated with his brethren, he has opportunity to blend his talents with their talents. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 33

God can put His stamp not the human stamp. God can put His converting stamp upon the mind of men, where if he should take his peculiar stamp and try to put it on, why, he would be despised. They would not have any fellowship with him. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 34

If he and his brethren take counsel together on some things, and disagree on other things, cannot they go forward on the things on which they are willing to agree? The Lord will bring circumstances around so that they will see that they are justified in making that change; but if they stand right up—these ideas that they have had—and they are going to carry it out, never mind that. I have said over and over again, never mind that. If you cannot see all these particulars, said I, never mind that. You carry out the light that you must be a unit; you must blend. And then, said I, you can see where you can blend. It is a matter of faith. They can see where they can keep silent, too, on those points until they can blend. But not to keep those points up all the time; they cannot blend. God does not want any such to come into our ranks. That is what I have been afraid of, and I have felt ever since I left Loma Linda that I have got to go back there again. You see I did not bear any testimony there. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 35

(The Sanitarium needs Bro. Burden. He could lift that Sanitarium up if he would keep quiet on some of these things and work with his brethren.) 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 36

That is just the work that God wants him to do. He wants him to present a noble, uplifting character that will blend, and make the things that are of great consequence a certainty and a force. And he could make it, but if he is going to have every jot and tittle come to his idea, there will be a break. But there need not be at all. It is just the man that is unyielding, and yet that yielding ought to be. It is some phase in his character that has brought upon him great trials and great difficulties that might have been avoided; but if he would only yield some things that are not of great particular consequence, then he could yield some other things in a yielding frame. A great blessing would come to him, as he would yield on some of these things, and throw himself heartily in cooperation with his brethren. 25LtMs, Ms 86, 1912, par. 37