The Story of our Health Message

“Courage and Joy”

The difficulties that arose between the decision to provide clinical hospital facilities in Los Angeles for the medical students and the accomplishment of this purpose, Mrs. White felt as a burden on her heart. But two months before her death she received information that was encouraging. On the morning of May 9, 1915, Elder W. C. White reported to his feeble, bed-ridden mother that Mrs. Lida Scott had given $5,000 for the purchase of land for the establishment of a hospital in Los Angeles. Of her joy at hearing the news, he said: SHM 400.2

“Mother’s lips quivered, and for a moment she shook with emotion. Then she said: ‘I am glad you told me this. I have been in perplexity about Loma Linda, and this gives me courage and joy.’ After a little further conversation, I knelt down by her side and thanked the God of Israel for His manifold blessings, and prayed for a continuance of His mercies. Then mother offered a very sweet prayer of about a dozen sentences, in which she expressed gratitude, confidence, love, and entire resignation.”—W. C. White, in The Review and Herald, September 28, 1916. SHM 400.3

The constituency meeting in the fall of 1915 authorized the erection of the hospital in the city of Los Angeles. Mrs. S. N. Haskell, Mrs. G. A. Irwin, and others untiringly led the womanhood of the denomination in the campaign to raise the $60,000 needed for the enterprise. The year 1916 saw the success of this campaign, and on December 1 there was sufficient money in sight to begin the erection of the first buildings of this institution, fittingly named “The Ellen G. White Memorial Hospital.” SHM 400.4