The Story of our Health Message

For a Clinic in Los Angeles

However, it was remembered that in 1901 Mrs. White had received instruction “that it would be a mistake to establish a sanitarium within the city limits” of Los Angeles. Would the establishment of a clinical hospital in that city for the purpose of giving practical experience to the advanced classes of students of the College of Medical Evangelists be a move contrary to that counsel? It was felt by some of the brethren that the testimony of 1901 had reference to “a sanitarium,” and not to a clinical hospital such as the needs of the medical college now required. SHM 398.1

In those days Elder W. C. White was an active member of the college board of managers and attended nearly all its important meetings. Because of his close association with his mother, he gave special encouragement and support to proposals which he knew to be in harmony with the instruction that the Lord had given to her. SHM 398.2

Late in March and extending over into the first days of April, 1912, the board of managers held a series of business meetings at Loma Linda. One of the questions under consideration was that of establishing the needed clinical hospital. During the forenoon of April 4 Elder White briefly informed his mother about the work that the board was doing at this time. In the notes made by him in Loma Linda at the time, he states that he first told Mrs. White about the board needing funds for the installation of a new heating plant, because the old boiler had broken down. “Then I told her briefly the story of our hospital plans,” he continues. “I spoke first of the necessity of medical students coming in contact with sick people before they go forth alone to take the lives of men and women in their hands. I spoke of the fact that there are hospitals connected with the larger medical colleges, and that the state licensing boards are demanding that those who ask for permission to practice medicine shall have an experience in dealing with sick people before they go out alone to bear responsibilities. SHM 398.3

“Then I spoke of the various plans we had before us; that we had sometimes thought of erecting a large hospital and endeavoring to give our students all of this experience here, that sometimes we had planned to take them to Los Angeles and let them get their experience there, and that sometimes we had planned to do part of the work here and part in Los Angeles. SHM 399.1

“Mother spoke up very cheerfully and promptly, and said that was the better way to do—part of the work here, and part in Los Angeles. Then I spoke at some length of the advantages of getting part of the experience here and part in Los Angeles, and she repeatedly spoke her approval of that plan.”—Ellen G. White Manuscript 14, 1912. (See also W. C. White’s article¹ “The Los Angeles Hospital” on page 2 of the The Review and Herald, September 28, 1916.) SHM 399.2

Mrs. White had been physically unable for several days to take an active part in the meetings of the board. But when requested to attend the meeting on the afternoon of April 4, she consented only on condition that Elder White should take the burden of stating to the brethren the facts regarding the interview which he had with her in the morning, and should give them the advice which she had given regarding the problems then discussed. This he did. SHM 399.3

The four years from 1912 to 1915 witnessed successive crucial decisions made in behalf of the College of Medical Evangelists. This period paralleled the last four years of Mrs. White’s life. Though physically weak, she manifested a keen interest in the development of the medical school. She made visits to Loma Linda and gave counsel and guidance that helped the leaders of the institution to make decisions far-reaching in their results. SHM 400.1