The Review and Herald
January 20, 1910
From Colorado to California
W. C. White
At the close of the Colorado camp-meeting, Mrs. E. G. White was urged to make an appointment to speak in Salt Lake City, when she passed through Utah on her way to California. RH January 20, 1910, par. 1
The train leaving Denver Monday morning was due to arrive in Salt Lake Tuesday at 2:45 P.M. a meeting, appointed for four O'clock, would bring together the members of the Salt Lake Church and representatives from near-by churches. A sleeper on the Oregon short line could be boarded at nine O'clock, which would run to Ogden, and stand there till morning, making easy connection with the through train to San Francisco. The plan was excellent, but there were disappointments. RH January 20, 1910, par. 2
There had been washouts on the road, and the train ran slowly over many miles of reconstructed track; and so we reached Salt Lake City at 7:45 P. M. At the depot Elder S. G. Huntington met our party, and reported that a large congregation was at the church waiting our arrival. They had met at the time appointed, and held a meeting; and hearing that the delayed train would arrive at seven O'clock, they had gathered again, hoping to hear Mrs. White. Hastening to the church, she found an eager audience, to whom she spoke for nearly an hour upon daily Christian experience and the training and education of the children. RH January 20, 1910, par. 3
After reading portions of Isaiah 54:1 and 55, Mrs. White said: RH January 20, 1910, par. 4
“‘All thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.’ Do we give heed to this promise, and are we seeing to it that our children are taught of the Lord? Are we making them understand the requirements of God in the earliest years of their lives? Christ gave his precious life that they might be partakers of the divine nature, and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. The Lord wants the hearts of these children from their very babyhood to be given to his service. RH January 20, 1910, par. 5
“Parents, you know something of the inducements by which Satan tries to lead your children into folly. He is working with all his powers to lead them astray. With a determination that many do not dream of, he is seeking to gain control of their minds, and to make the commandments of God of no effect in their lives. RH January 20, 1910, par. 6
“He leads them to grieve the hearts of their parents. Never let the parents at such times manifest anger, never strike a blow in passion. While they are too young to reason with, divert their minds as best you can; and as they become older, teach them by precept and example that you can not indulge their wrong desires. Instruct them patiently. Sometimes they will have to be punished, but never do it in such a way that they will feel that you have punished them in anger. By such a course you only work a greater evil. Many unhappy differences in the family circle might be avoided if parents would obey the counsel of the Lord in the training of their children. ‘In righteousness shalt thou be established,’ God declares; that is, in doing the works of righteousness. RH January 20, 1910, par. 7
“We need to present to the youth an inducement for right-doing. Silver and gold is not sufficient for this. Let us reveal to them the love and mercy and grace of Christ, the preciousness of his Word, and the joys of the overcomer. In efforts of this kind we shall do a work that will last throughout eternity. RH January 20, 1910, par. 8
“When the work of the judgment is finished, and decisions have been made for eternity, it will be seen that those who have given themselves whole-heartedly to the service of God are the ones who stand right with heaven. Some of these may not have been able to leave their families to go to distant mission fields, but they have been missionaries in their own neighborhood. Their hearts have been so filled with the love of God that their great anxiety has been to win souls for him. This has been more to them than silver and gold and the precious things of this world. And as they have labored in simplicity to minister the word of truth, the Spirit of God has sent home the word to the hearts of the people. RH January 20, 1910, par. 9
“My brethren and sisters, let us study the simplicity there is in the Word of God. Let us see what we can do to advance the cause of Christ in the earth. Christ was in this world as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. There were many who set themselves against his work. There will be those who will oppose you. But your work is to preach Christ and him crucified; and when you do this, the salvation of God will be revealed in the conversion of souls. RH January 20, 1910, par. 10
“Since I left my home in California in April, I have visited many places, and have spoken to thousands of people. This is the last stop I expect to make before reaching my home again. I would leave these words with you: Carry forward the work in faith and humble dependence upon God. Let each believer have light in himself; then the blessing of God will rest upon you, and you will see the salvation of God in the advancement of his work in this field.” RH January 20, 1910, par. 11
After the meeting it was found that no place could be secured in the sleeping car on the Oregon short line, as it was full; and to make the morning connection at Ogden, we must take the Rio Grande train due at 10:45 P.M., but expected at 3 A.M. The party went home with Elder and Mrs. Huntington to spend a portion of the night while waiting for the train. Just before midnight we were aroused by a false report that the train was making up lost time, and would leave at 1 A.M. Just as Mrs. White was ready to step into the hack, a message came that the train would not arrive until 4 A.M. She returned to the house, but not to sleep. About 4:45 A.M. the belated train left Salt Lake City, and made the connection with the train to California. RH January 20, 1910, par. 12
The day following this almost sleepless night was uneventful. The train glided swiftly along through western Utah and Nevada. Shortly before daylight Thursday morning, September 9, when the train had passed the highest altitude, and was just finishing its run through forty miles of tunnels and snowsheds, Miss McEnterfer, whose berth was nearly opposite, and some others near by, heard agonized groans from Mrs. White. When asked what was the matter, she said she must have air, she could not breathe. But her window was open, and the berth was filled with smoky air from the snow-shed. RH January 20, 1910, par. 13
Knowing that we were then seven thousand feet above sea-level, and that we had been several hours in this high altitude, we recognized the difficulty as heart failure, and trembled for the outcome. Miss McEnterfer attempted to count her pulse, but found that impossible, as there was only a little quiver instead of a regular beat. This grew more and more faint. She asked her several questions, but there was no answer. Her hearing and her speech had gone. Her limbs were cold, and she seemed powerless. RH January 20, 1910, par. 14
The porter brought some hot water. Into this Miss McEnterfer put a little peppermint, and with much difficulty got Mrs. White to swallow a few spoonfuls. Then she vigorously rubbed her hands and arms and feet. After much delay bottles of hot water were secured and placed over her heart and at her feet. In the course of an hour her pulse began to grow stronger, and as we dropped into the lower altitude, her heart action increased. An hour later as we neared Colfax, she had so far recovered as to be able to speak and to hear what we said to her. During the day she was able to take a little liquid food, and at Oakland Pier and Vallejo Junction made the transfers with the aid of the wheelchairs furnished by the railway company. Arriving at St. Helena at 7 P.M., she walked from the train to her carriage, and was soon in her own home, from which she had been absent five months. RH January 20, 1910, par. 15
The new college site
At home it was reported that Elder G. A. Irwin was still at Angwin, the place just purchased for the new home of the Pacific College (Formerly Healdsburg College), and that he was going the following afternoon to the Fruitvale camp-meeting. On this, Mrs. White though still very feeble, decided to visit the place at once. So early on Friday morning, September 10, the big farm team was hitched to the easiest carriage, and Brother James drove slowly up the six miles of steep rocky road from Sanitarium to Angwin. Then, with Elder Irwin as guide, inspection was made of orchards and vineyards, hay-fields and gardens; the horse barn and carriage house, with their eight vehicles and nineteen horses and colts; the big cow barn, with its twenty cows and hundred tons of hay; then the big swimming pool, and the springs, and the recreation building which later was converted into schoolrooms; and last of all, the six cottages, with thirty-two rooms and the main building with twenty-nine rooms for students, besides kitchen, dining-room, and parlors. RH January 20, 1910, par. 16
The following Monday, at the Fruitvale camp-meeting, Mrs. White spoke of the new school site as follows: RH January 20, 1910, par. 17
“I was very happily surprised to find here a place where we need not wait to make great preparations before our school can be opened. Here we may call the students to come, and we can begin school work just as soon as they are on the ground. The advantages to be found here are many. A great deal of labor has been put forth to improve this property, which up to the present time has been used as a health resort. RH January 20, 1910, par. 18
“The Angwin place is more appropriate for our school work than was the property we were previously considering at Buena Vista, near Sonoma. There was on that place, it is true, one very large, expensive building, but this building was not so well adapted to our school work as the buildings at Angwin. At Sonoma other buildings would have had to be erected very soon; but at Angwin there are sufficient buildings for present needs, and our school work can begin at once. RH January 20, 1910, par. 19
“The buildings are substantial, and in good repair. The whole bears the appearance of good care and neatness. The large supply of good bedding and mattresses reminded me of what we found at Loma Linda when that property was purchased. The buildings are well adapted to our present necessities. Later on, more may need to be erected. Facilities will be added from time to time as they are needed. RH January 20, 1910, par. 20
“I am very glad that we need be delayed no longer in locating our school, and I am more thankful than I can express that our school and our sanitarium are near enough together so that their educational work can blend. The school can help the sanitarium by supplying it with fruit and vegetables, and the sanitarium can help the school by purchasing these things. And the students may receive advantages from both these institutions.” RH January 20, 1910, par. 21
Sanitarium, Cal.