An Open Letter Concerning Battle Creek College
By Frederick Griggs
THE circumstances in the opening of Battle Creek College are such as to lead me to say a word regarding it. I am a member of the Board of Trustees of this institution, and was a member at the time it was closed, and its work moved to Berrien Springs. While the matter of thus moving the College was being discussed, I did not see light in such a move, and was opposed to it until the instruction from the spirit of prophecy was received indorsing it. Since this instruction was given, I have ever believed that it was a wise and right thing that Battle Creek College should be closed, and its work transferred to a place where different influences would surround the school; and now I can not consent in my own mind to the reopening of this school, and the calling again of our young people to Battle Creek. I have hesitated much about saying anything in a public way concerning this matter; for I feel no disposition to encourage anything like a spirit of controversy in regard to this or any other question relating to the interests of our educational work or of the work of the cause of truth in general. But being a member of the Board, I am naturally held responsible, both legally and morally, to a certain extent at least, for its action. However, no such responsibility can be reasonably attached to me in this matter; for not only did I not receive a notice of any of the meetings of the Board at which the question of reopening the College was to be considered, but I was not apprised officially or otherwise of what had actually been done until I received the twenty-sixth annual Calendar of the College. I do not mention these facts from a personal feeling in any sense whatever, but because I believe what the spirit of prophecy has said concerning our school work in Battle Creek, and feel that a serious mistake has been made in again presenting to our young people opportunities for obtaining an education at Battle Creek under conditions against which the Lord has directly spoken, and thus calling them from places and surroundings where the environments are far more conducive to spiritual growth and to the preparation required to fit them for service in the cause of present truth.