p. 16 | An Explanation

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 21, 1906

An Explanation

By GEO. F. WATSON; WATSON ZIEGLER; FRANCIS M. WILCOX; WM. F. KENNEDY; H. M. J. RICHARDS

The Proposal for the Purchase of the Boulder (Colo.) Sanitarium

The Colorado Conference Committee of the last conference year was concerned in the transmission of a certain offer made, through it to the General Conference Association, for the purchase and change of management of the Boulder-Colorado Sanitarium.

They had for a long time been considering the condition of sanitarium affairs in Colorado, which were in a state of financial embarrassment in consequence of the heavy interest-bearing debt contracted in the establishment of the work. There were also conflicting interests. These things caused much perplexity.

At this time Dr. O. G. Place, Dr. F. A. Washburn, and Brother A. W. Lane made a proposition for the purchase of the sanitarium, which, if accepted, would have at once paid back to the General Conference most of the amount now owed to it by the Boulder Sanitarium, and have lifted off of the denomination the heavy financial burden of this sanitarium debt. It is true the plan proposed, if accepted, would have made the sanitarium a semi-private institution.

This offer was thought by the local conference committee to be at least of sufficient excellence to warrant its consideration by the General Conference, although they might, by reason of greater experience, look upon the proposition with disfavor, and, pointing out its imperfections, counsel us as to a better way. Wise counsel was desired.

With this spirit, therefore, it was determined that, as there was to be a session of the General Conference at Washington, D. C., within a few days, this proposition should be laid before its proper officers at that time. It was also thought desirable to invite Dr. Place to attend this meeting of the General Conference, and personally explain his plan in addition to enjoying the spiritual benefits of the gathering. This was done. His offer, however, was not accepted.

It was not alone because his offer was considered too low that the proposition was rejected by the General Conference, but also because Sister White spoke very plainly against any plan to sell the institution, and called upon the whole General Conference assembled to rally to its relief and support until it should be made a success under purely denominational ownership. We have accepted this counsel, and are working in harmony with it.

The offer of Brethren Place, Washburn, and Lane was not made public by the Colorado Conference Committee until after it was placed in the hands of the proper officers of the General Conference, because it was honestly feared that such publicity might frustrate the plan, although, in its original or in a modified form, it should receive the approval of the General Conference.

It was understood that a large legal, or at least moral, long-distance control was still exercised over the institution, and it was not known that this would be friendly to a move which, in the minds of the majority concerned, had for its purpose the placing of the sanitarium more fully under local management.

The members composing the conference committee, both then and now, have fully received the counsels given regarding a different way to make the Boulder Sanitarium a success financially, and are moving in harmony with it. At the same time, they wish it to be known by all, that, in all their efforts to find a right solution of this problem, they have acted under the controlling purpose to do only that which, with the blessing of heaven, should further the work of the church of God and bring increased prosperity to the medical missionary work of the Boulder-Colorado Sanitarium, which is placed among us to be used as a right arm of missionary effort among suffering, afflicted humanity. In this they desire to be placed clearly upon record.

As many brethren have misunderstood the foregoing matter, and thought that the offer referred to was one to purchase the sanitarium for a hotel, it is only justice to the Colorado Conference Committee, and to those who made the proposition, to say that neither Dr. Place, Dr. Washburn, nor Brother Lane was in any way concerned in any proposition to buy the Boulder Sanitarium for a hotel. There were, however, such offers from persons not of our faith; such at least as would have resulted in turning the sanitarium into a worldly health resort hotel. The sale of the institution for a hotel was strongly condemned by the servant of the Lord; and the Colorado Conference Committee, with the sanitarium board, have ever been united to oppose such an alternative.

At a special council held in Denver, at which there were present, besides Elder W. C. White, a majority of our committee, and other leading workers of our conference, it was decided that a statement should be prepared for publication in our church paper, the REVIEW AND HERALD, that would set forth plainly the facts in this matter, and thus remove a wide-spread misunderstanding in regard to it.

At a full meeting of our committee held later at Palisade, Colo., this decision was reaffirmed by a unanimous vote, and it was further provided that this statement should be also contributed to the compilers of the pamphlet on the sale of “Ministry of Healing,” for publication in the same.

It was further unanimously voted, in order that it might be known what was the full and the true nature of the proposition considered by the committee, that it be incorporated in full in this statement. It therefore appears as follows:—

“BOULDER, COLO., MAY 5, 1905.

“The following proposition is made by the undersigned to the officers of the Colorado Conference of Seventh-day Adventists located at Denver, Colorado:—

“For a clear title and warranty deed to all buildings and real estate, located near Boulder, Colo., belonging to or controlled by the Colorado Sanitarium Company, used for sanitarium purposes, and also for the manufacture and sale of health foods, with all the appurtenances belonging thereto, including all water rights, personal property, equipment, furnishings, fixtures, books and records used in connection with both sanitarium and food departments, including live stock, conveyances, and implements now held and used by each department, we hereby agree to pay, upon the receipt of such a warranty deed and a bill of sale of above-mentioned property, the sum of ——, as follows: —— to be paid in cash, and the remaining —— on or before —— years from the date of the transfer, at six per cent per annum, provided, however, that the above proposition is accepted and the institution is delivered before the fifteenth day of June, 1905, at twelve o’clock noon.

“In consideration of the above purchase, we hereby agree that the said sanitarium shall be conducted along the same general lines as it is now being conducted, carrying out the original object for which the institution was established, and as far as is consistent with the best interests of the truth and the institution to carefully and wisely teach Sabbath and health reform, the moderate use of drugs, hydrotherapy, dietetic reforms, and the gospel for this time.

“We hereby further request and desire, in case such transfer is made, that the board of directors of said institution shall consist of at least two members of the State conference committee, together with the three legal officers of the company, namely, its president, vice-president, and secretary and treasurer.

“It is hereby further agreed that if at any time the institution or any stock of the same should be offered for sale, the Colorado Conference of Seventh-day Adventists shall be advised of the fact, and they be given the first chance to purchase the same.

“Further, in the event of death of any owner of stock or interest in the institution, such stock or interest shall then be offered for sale to the Colorado Conference of Seventh-day Adventists at fair market value.

[Signed] “O. G. PLACE, “F. A. WASHBURN, “A. W. LANE.”

It is only fair to state that the foregoing proposition made to the committee by the brethren named was made with the declared purpose of more fully uniting the work, and lifting the debt from the denomination.

According to counsels from Sister White, other plans have now been adopted—the reorganization of the sanitarium and the sale of “Ministry of Healing”—to accomplish the same purposes, and we are united in these things.

GEO. F. WATSON, WATSON ZIEGLER, FRANCIS M. WILCOX, WM. F. KENNEDY, H. M. J. RICHARDS, Colorado Conference Committee.

In signing the preceding statement, it is only proper that I should say that while I am a member of the Colorado Conference Committee at the present time, I was not a member of the committee when this proposition was made, at the time of the General Conference in 1905, hence in a personal way had no knowledge of the question at that time.

I am pleased to state, however, that I believe that the conference committee of last year acted in good faith in what they believed to be for the best interests of the work, and I am pleased to add further that I believe that our conference committee at the present time is seeking to act in harmony with the counsel which has been given, and that they stand together for the upbuilding of a united work in the Colorado Conference.

FRANCIS M. WILCOX.