Battle Creek College Again
By Editor
In other parts of this paper there will be found two articles which deal with the reopening of Battle Creek College and the training of our young people for usefulness in this work. One is written by Dr. J. H. Kellogg, and is printed on page 20. The other is written by Mrs. E. G. White, and is printed on page 8. A comparison of these two articles will show that they differ widely in the views presented upon these questions. The one explains and defends the policy adopted of providing special educational facilities for young people in Battle Creek; the other sets forth an entirely different policy, and gives the reasons for this counsel. There are three definite propositions in the instruction given through Sister White which stand out clearly, and which demand careful consideration:— 1. Our young people should be not “trained to enter the field as missionary nurses, some as canvassers, some as evangelists, some as teachers, and some as gospel ministers. The Lord has plainly instructed me that our young people should not be encouraged to devote so much of their time and strength to medical missionary work as it has been carried forward of late.”4“It is not necessary for so many of our youth to study medicine.” 2. Provision should be made in places away from Battle Creek for giving the necessary preparatory training to those who ought to take up the study of medicine. “From the light that the Lord has given me, I know that our training schools in various parts of the field should be placed in the most favorable position possible for qualifying our youth to meet the tests specified by State laws regarding medical students. . . . But let not the young men and young women in our churches be advised to go to Battle Creek in order to obtain a preparatory education.” 3. The reasons given for this counsel are that the influences which prevail at Battle Creek are such as to make it an unfavorable place for the proper education of Christian workers, and the character of the teaching imparted there is such that it does not give the young people a proper preparation to give this message to the world. “There is a congested state of things at Battle Creek that makes it an unfavorable place for the proper education of Christian workers.” “The instruction they [our young people] receive regarding Bible doctrines is not such as to fit them to perform properly the work that God has entrusted to his people.” With this instruction before us, setting forth the matter in such a definite way, it will be a simple thing to understand our duty, and to know how to relate ourselves to this issue. There is no argument or explanation which will justify parents, or our young people, or the managers of our institutions in departing from the plain counsel which has been given concerning the plans which should be followed in preparing our young men and women for “doing the very work that needs to be done now, just now.” Let us have peace with God and peace with one another by walking in the counsel of the Lord. There is no other basis for peace.