White, J. E.
“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California
March 1, 1904
Portions of this letter are published in 1MR 397; 4MR 24; LLM 51; 5Bio 319. +NoteOne or more typed copies of this document contain additional Ellen White handwritten interlineations which may be viewed at the main office of the Ellen G. White Estate.
My dear son Edson,—
I should be very much pleased to see you. I should like to visit you in your own home. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 1
Edson, I do not want you to censure your brother in any way in regard to my going to Washington. You must not do this: for it is not right. Do not blame him at all; for I gave him encouragement to think that I would make the trip. Willie is very desirous that the work in Washington shall be established on right lines, that it may prove to be a complete success. And I have received letters saying that if I could make my home in Washington for a time, the confidence of our people would be established in the work there. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 2
But I cannot expect that my life will last long, and I cannot think of following out the plan that we had made. At first it was thought that I would go East, leaving my family here. Then the plan grew, and we talked of taking my workers and spending a year in the East. But, I am free to say that the Lord does not call upon me to take upon myself the burden of doing pioneer work in a place where there have been Sabbathkeepers for years, and where there are two classes of believers, white and colored. We had some experiences at St. Louis that I can never think of without a feeling of dread. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 3
It will be impossible to adjust all matters regarding the color question in accordance with the Lord’s order until those who believe the truth are so closely united with Christ that they are one with Him. Both the white and the colored members of our churches need to be converted. There are some of both classes who are unreasonable, and when the color question is agitated, they manifest unsanctified, unconverted traits of character. Quarrelsome elements are easily aroused in those who, because they have never learned to wear the yoke of Christ, are opinionated and obstinate. In such, self clamors with an unsanctified determination for the supremacy. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 4
I wish you to understand that at first I favored the idea of making a visit to the East, and of visiting Boston, Melrose, Washington, Portland, and other places. I wished particularly to visit Nashville, and this I was planning to do. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 5
We planned to spend about a year in the Eastern states, making Washington our headquarters. This I desired to do, and as I said nothing against the plan, Willie thought that my silence was consent. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 6
One day I was praying about the matter, and presentations were made that I could not but understand. I could then see plainly that to move my family to Washington would be unwise and expensive and would greatly retard the work that I so greatly desired to do—to gather up the writings that contain instruction correcting the errors of ministers, physicians, and church members, and put them in such form that the people can have them. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 7
I now have round me a family of workers who do not burden me at all. We labor in unity, and with W. C. White to act in his father’s stead in selecting from the copied testimonies that which is most suitable for publication for our people, we can accomplish much. The great majority of our people are ignorant of the light that has been given to our different institutions—the instruction by which he has sought to lead in straight paths those connected with these institutions. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 8
For years these testimonies have not been published, because both you and Willie were called away from me to attend important meetings, and without help I was unable to do what needed to be done in getting the matter into proper shape. The churches have become confused through the lowering of the standard by those chosen to carry responsibilities in our publishing work and in the medical missionary work. Commercial matters have been mingled with the medical missionary work, which has not exerted the pure, holy, uplifting influence that its name signifies should be exerted. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 9
Testimonies clearly specifying existing errors have been sent to the men occupying responsible positions in our institutions. Definite instruction has been given concerning the part that the medical missionary workers are to act in the work of God. They are to stand as God’s witnesses, to represent the work of the great Medical Missionary, Jesus Christ—God’s Gift to our world to save men from the very mistakes that have brought the rebuke of God upon this people. Not a thread of selfishness is to be woven into the web. But some occupying positions of responsibility, by their transgression of God’s law in their business dealings, and by the wrong spirit they have manifested toward the apprentices placed in their care, have demonstrated that they are not fitted to deal with human minds. Their own characters are warped, and they are unsafe guardians of the young. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 10
In response to the messages sent by the Spirit of God, some have realized the evil of their course and have made efforts to repent and change their policy. Others have been obstinate, determined to carry out their worldly plans. They have despised and rejected all the reproofs and warnings that God has sent them. What more could the Lord do than He has done to show that He cannot justify the works that He has so often condemned? Again and again the warning was given that unless an entire change should take place in the lives of the managers of our institutions, the Lord could not approve of or prosper them. But they persisted in walking in their own ways, and the Lord sent His fires to purify His institutions. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 11
Instead of a large number of buildings being erected in Battle Creek, the work of our institutions there should have been divided and subdivided. Small plants should have been made in many places where they could have been as lights in the world. This counsel has been often repeated. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 12
The instruction that has been given should be placed in the hands of the people. Many of our people have no idea of how the Lord has sent message after message to His institutions. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 13
Our work was begun by self-sacrificing effort amidst hardship and privation. But as buildings multiplied, they were established according to their money value, and the love of God began to leave the hearts of the workers. A spirit of rivalry, a feeling of superiority, began to come in, which did not rightly represent the truth. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 14
The printing office failed to train the youth connected with it by patient effort to work in missionary lines in different parts of the world. The Spirit of God was grieved, and Satan exulted in the course of men whose lives were an offense to God. The Lord God of heaven was dishonored as worldly policy was mingled with His work. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 15
The Lord desires those connected with His work to seek Him with the whole heart. He will be to them a present help in every time of need. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 16
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ: even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” [Ephesians 1:3, 4.] This should be the condition of the men whom God has placed in His churches and institutions. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 17
“Having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Christ Jesus unto Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: in whom we have our redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, making known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Him unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ; the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in Him, I say, in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His will; to the end that we should be to the praise of His glory, we who had before hoped in Christ: in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of God’s own possession, unto the praise of His glory. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 18
“For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which ye show toward all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him; having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of the strength of His might which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and made Him to sit at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.” [Verses 5-21.] 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 19
My Instructor read the second chapter of Ephesians and then made a strong appeal that every effort should be made to guard against connecting with the institutions, to be established in Washington, men who have not a deep and thorough knowledge of the truth. There is danger of bringing in men who seem to be well qualified for some lines of work, but who, before they are placed in important positions in the work of God, need to show in their lives an entire reformation of character. In every business transaction there is to be a strict observance of the Word of God, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” [Leviticus 19:18.] 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 20
“And you did He make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins, ... doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.” [Ephesians 2:1, 3.] This evil spirit will reveal itself in every one who has not been made alive through the power of Christ. But we cannot allow this influence to work as leaven in any of our educational centers. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 21
We have seen enough of the work of men who are neither cold nor hot. There is more hope for acknowledged unbelievers than for such men. Through those who have a form of godliness, but who have not submitted to Christ, Satan works to discourage souls that are seeking to do God’s service. Such men are just as surely doing the work of Satan as is the most open sinner. If given an opportunity, they will, in the institutions at Washington, repeat the history of the past. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 22
I feel sad as I see how many have not the qualifications demanded by Christ. He says, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” [Matthew 11:28-30.] When Christ is received in the heart, self is completely humbled. 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 23
“Ye are the salt of the earth,” Christ says to His disciples: “but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” [Matthew 5:13.] 19LtMs, Lt 105, 1904, par. 24