Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 25 (1910 - 1915)

Ms 2, 1911

Talk/Men and Women Physicians

Loma Linda, California

April 4, 1911

This manuscript is published in entirety in 13MR 113-119.

(Remarks by Mrs. E. G. White to the Board of Directors, Loma Linda, California, April 4, 1911.) 25LtMs, Ms 2, 1911, par. 1

2 Peter 2:1-12, quoted. Now here is a rule for us that we can carry out if we will. I am so thankful that the Lord is so gracious to us, that He has given us Jesus as a pattern. He did not exalt Himself; He came to this earth and was meek and lowly in heart. He traveled around on foot from place to place, and yet He was the greatest teacher that has ever stepped on the soil. Now, the Lord would have us in the position of learning from Him and of being just what He would have us to be. I want to speak something of how the Lord would have us carry on the work of God sensibly, men and women connected in the work, and each carrying their part, but in a way that God will be glorified. 25LtMs, Ms 2, 1911, par. 2

The time has come now when there are to be—and there should have been long ago—sensible changes. Men have their appointment to take care of the men, and the women are to take care of the women. But when it comes to bringing the men and women together in private practices of childbirth and such cases, to have them associated right together, I should say it is not right nor to be justified. Women had their appointed work in the Bible times, and these women took charge of the women; and there was a special understanding that that was the way it should be. And that is the way it should be now in childbirth. Let the women be as thoroughly trained as the men, and let them take charge of these matters. I speak intelligently. I speak because I understand what I am speaking about, that there is too great a commonness. 25LtMs, Ms 2, 1911, par. 3

Now the Lord would have us pursue a course that can be an example to others. We are right in the last days. The women should take charge of the women and the men take charge of the men whenever they are sick and privately sick. Do not in such cases mix up men and women. See that you remove temptations. I cannot tell you how many have come to me with their complaints and wanted me to heal these difficulties, but I felt as though I was not prepared to do it. But recently the light has come to me that too great commonness has been practiced. It must be that the women will take charge of the women and the men take charge of the men. Of course there are some things in which they have to mingle. Women will have to do some things. But it is too great commonness that has been brought in, and this has been brought before me several times. But I felt as though I could not rein myself up to touch the point. 25LtMs, Ms 2, 1911, par. 4

But I have felt recently, now that you are about to make some moves here, that it is time that I should bring these things out, that it should be so arranged that the women will have greater responsibilities. It is their privilege to be educated just as thoroughly as the men are educated in some lines of work. In Bible times the women always took charge of the women, and the Lord worked with them. I want to say there are many temptations presented to me by individuals, that I have kept my own counsel. I have not said anything, but it has been sins brought in by this commonness and the temptations that come in. Now I know of some that have been tempted over matters. I know the women for myself. I know the women are clear, and they are not to be censured, only in one point, and that is to take their stand of propriety and not to mix and mingle right together, the men and the women taking charge. 25LtMs, Ms 2, 1911, par. 5

The physicians may have to be there, but there can be women physicians just as thoroughly trained as men. The Lord would have us to do everything possible to close the door of temptation. If you knew how many letters that come to me, asking what they shall do; and one man offered me a large sum of money if I would give him advice. I did give him advice, but it did not meet his mind. He was leaving his wife and giving his attention to another woman, and I wrote him a letter. He had quite a large sum of money I suppose he was prepared to give me if I favored his action, but I came right out and took my position in the letter that I wrote. But I have not seen the money yet, and I do not want to see it unless it is pure money. There was a feeble wife, sick, and I wrote to him as I thought was appropriate; but I have not received a letter since I wrote so plainly as I did. 25LtMs, Ms 2, 1911, par. 6

I want to say that from the light the Lord has given me, we must remove temptation. We have come out of the Bible order. The women in Bible times were to take care of the women, and in childbirth cases they should be educated to take their position. We want to be fitting for heaven. We do not want to open any door of temptation. We do not want to do this, but to take the position that right is right, and that we can manage this matter if we will. We should have the women educated to do their work intelligently, and we need not speak of the men because they are already provided for. But then men should not take what belongs to the women’s work, and that was God’s plan. 25LtMs, Ms 2, 1911, par. 7

I have had this before me time and time again. I have put it in writing for fear I might be taken away. But I want to say that we must step up onto a higher plane of action, and if we will do this the Lord will let His blessing rest upon us. I have had so many letters from women and from men about their falling right under the temptations of the devil as they were brought in connection with the childbirth of women. I do not need to argue this because your own sense will tell you that we are in a world of temptation and trial. And we are to purify ourselves from every such thing. God help us. You have no need to have me dwell upon this any longer. The light given me is that we open the door to temptation and for transgression. Let us have just as much a duty to take the burden that rests upon the women for the women in childbirth as it is possible for us to do. That is the right as it is presented to me. 25LtMs, Ms 2, 1911, par. 8

I want to be in that position to carry out these things before our people. I shall do it privately as I can. If the husband cannot carry through the case himself, there should be women who can be called to take charge. We are to be refined and purified. We are to be made white in the blood of the Lamb, and we are to be tried. Each one of us is to be living on the plan of addition. “Add to your faith virtue ... if ye do these things ye shall never fall.” [2 Peter 1:5-10.] 25LtMs, Ms 2, 1911, par. 9

We are going to settle a good many questions here, and we want everyone to have his mind in a correct position. But here is light for us. And the great door of temptation that has been opened to so many I have not the courage to take up. I was afraid I should say something that I ought not to say, but I know of so many cases that have been brought to me, the wife suffering under the wrongs of the husband, knowing that he is not in the faith and cannot be in the faith because of his association with other women. I want to tell you that we must draw nearer to the Lord. We must give the women their chance and encourage them to do certain work that men need not do, except in trying circumstances. The men physicians will have to do something now because many of the women are ignorant. They certainly have not the light and knowledge to feel that there is any crime or sin in the matter. 25LtMs, Ms 2, 1911, par. 10

Midwives—it was their practice, their work, to take charge of the women in childbirth. Now I lay it open before you and tell you that we want to be prepared in thought, in word, in action, as you are about to work changes here and enlarge and have greater responsibilities come upon you. We want that you should every one feel the responsibility of searching the Scriptures, that you may stand firmly upon the true foundation and not be drawn from it. It will be quite a work to do that. As you are now enlarging, give the women such education that they can come in and that they can deal with these cases. Encourage them to do this. It is too painful to me to think of the many letters that I have received, and what could I do? I could not do anything. 25LtMs, Ms 2, 1911, par. 11

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J. A. Burden: You have spoken of the practice of their dealing with the sick. How about the education of young men and young women together? Is there any danger of commonness there? 25LtMs, Ms 2, 1911, par. 12

Mrs. E. G. White: Yes, there is. There is danger of commonness in having them associated together. There is danger, and I want to say that I have gone to several and, I think, written to several about this matter. I do not know whether it has done any good or not. I cannot tell. I would like to speak of it if I can, but I do not know that it has done any good. But I have felt intensely now that you are going to launch out in the medical line. Give the women a chance; encourage them. I should be willing to do something in that line. I should be willing to give of my means to do something for the women. 25LtMs, Ms 2, 1911, par. 13

J. A. Burden: From the light you have, do you feel that the same principles of separation in the delicate subjects should be maintained as are maintained in practice? Is there the same danger in studying together? Should there be classes formed in the delicate subjects for the women and classes for the men? 25LtMs, Ms 2, 1911, par. 14

E. G. White: If they have the same work to perform, they must. But I think there is a great deal to be done before they come down to it. 25LtMs, Ms 2, 1911, par. 15

J. A. Burden: The medical studies which they pursue, following along the lines of the delicate subjects of men and women—when it comes to studying these, should the classes be separated? Is it unsafe to keep them in the same classes? 25LtMs, Ms 2, 1911, par. 16

E. G. White: I do not think it is safe. I tell you we are in a world of temptation, and you get men and women dealing over subjects like these, and it is feeding evil ideas. I think it would be safe to separate them. I think the women have much more intelligence than they put into exercise. 25LtMs, Ms 2, 1911, par. 17