Earlier text: Feeding on AshesWashington, D. C.
By J. S. WASHBURN
SUNDAY afternoon, March 29, I spoke to the Secular League of Washington, D. C., on the subject of “Present-Day Monopolies, National, Financial, and Religious.” This was the second time I had been invited to speak to this society, which is made up almost entirely of infidels, atheists, and freethinkers; but among them I am sure there are many who have been driven by the inconsistency of so-called Christians, by the bigotry of National Reformers and Romanists, to this position of doubt and denial of all divine revelation. My first talk before this society was on January 3, on the subject of the United States in prophecy. This first invitation was the result of the public hearing, in May, 1902, before the District Commissioners, on the proposed District Sunday law. At that hearing there were three classes of opposers—Jews, infidels, and Seventh-day Adventists. Although the chief commissioner of the District is an avowed champion of Sunday legislation, the other two commissioners were against the proposed law, and the strong opposition killed it. It will doubtless be revived soon. The International Reform Association is represented at the capital by Rev. W. F. Crafts, now a resident of Washington, D. C., who is working more quietly than formerly, but none the less energetically, to get the national Congress committed to Sunday laws and all manner of religious legislation. By some means, Senator Wellington was persuaded to introduce into the United States Senate a document entitled “Patriotic Studies,” which contains old-fashioned “National Reform” in a new dress, but “National Reform” none the less, and of a most pronounced and dangerous kind. In it is found Dr. Haegler’s Chart, which boldly designates Monday as the first day of the week, Saturday as the sixth, and Sunday the seventh, and Sabbath. In this document Mr. Crafts argues the absolute physiological necessity for a compulsory Sunday law to save the people and the nation. The Crafts’ adage, “The liberty of rest for each demands a law of rest for all,” is boldly advocated. “My ‘Sabbath for Man,’ ‘Civil Sabbath,’ and other Sunday literature,” it tells us, “is widely advertised.” This document goes so far as to advocate the Russian system,—that children of parents who do not train them according to the ruling of this National Reform hierarchy should be taken from their parents and properly trained by the state. This document was ordered to be printed at public expense, Dec. 20, 1902. There are men of education and deep students of history in the Secular League, who see the danger, and yet do not know exactly how to meet it. January 3, when I spoke on the United States in prophecy, there was a deep interest. General Birney, a leading member, spoke most highly of our people; he said that Seventh-day Adventists had done more than any others to open the eyes of the people to the dangers of religious legislation; that he had received more benefit from reading The Sentinel than from any other publication he had ever read. They see the danger, but hope it may be avoided in some way. I spoke for forty-five minutes, there was public discussion for an hour, and then I had fifteen minutes in which to answer questions. While some spoke strongly against the Bible, yet they listened with kindest attention to all I had to say from the Bible and all I read to them. Some said they once had faith, and had given it up with regret. I knew that God had placed in the heart of every one of them a yearning for something better than this life, a longing for the love of God now, and an earnest desire for eternal life hereafter; and as I considered these men, many of them truly noble men, yet without light, without hope, without God, without chart or compass, driven by the wind and tossed, drifting swiftly toward eternity, toward the eternal darkness of death, I was drawn out to make a strong appeal to them. The Spirit of the living God spoke to them, and I knew that impressions were made that would never be forgotten, and will, I trust, bear eternal fruit. I spoke strongly from the Bible, and I did not know whether they would ever wish to hear me again. I was much pleased to receive an invitation to speak a second time to them. There was, if possible, a more decided victory than on the first occasion. While there was some sharp criticism and opposition, yet at the last the tender Spirit of the Lord took strong hold, and all were most cordial, and there were urgent invitations to speak to them often. These men will for a time help to stem the swelling tide of religious oppression at the capital. We are, in this matter at least, brethren, and I truly believe that among them are those who will see the light of the glory of the truth, and will stand among the one hundred and forty-four thousand. One man in this city, who had once kept the Sabbath while in the army, and had been a member of the church in Denver, Colo., but who, having become discouraged, drifted into utter infidelity, burned up “Great Controversy” and all our books in his possession in 1896, has now heard the call of God again, has given up infidelity entirely, and is preparing to keep the Sabbath, accepting the whole truth and loving it as never before. This is wholly and directly the work of the Lord. Never have we seen so clearly as here in many ways the direct working of the Spirit of the living God. I have begun meetings at the home of the soldiers of the regular army, which is located in Washington, and is probably the finest soldiers’ home in the world. About one thousand veterans of three wars and many years’ service, are there. At the first meeting there was an excellent and intelligent interest, as I spoke on our own country in prophecy, and the dangers that confront the nation. What may develop from this I can not say. Since January 20, with the exception of Sunday, when there is no mail delivered in Washington, we have received money for the Memorial Church every day without fail up to the present day, April 1. This is generally in small sums, but enough has been sent to pay $6,200, in all, on the church, which cost $12,900, leaving $6,700 yet to be paid; but, as I have $1,300 on hand toward another payment, which will be made in a few days, the debt actually stands at $5,400, with interest at 5½ per cent, or eighty-one cents a day. When we consider that since Nov. 1, 1902, in five months, more than $7,500 has been paid, we thank God and take courage, hoping that in a few weeks the building of this memorial for God will be finished. We have received the mites of many widows, and we deeply appreciate these gifts, and especially the prayers that have followed them. Verily, none who have given shall lose their reward. Yet are there not several of our people who will come forward with a gift of one thousand dollars, as our sister in St. Louis has done, or at least with five hundred dollars, so that the work may be quickly finished, and we have time to attend to the many calls that are pressing us? May the Lord’s call be heard and answered quickly. In the appeal by Mrs. E. G. White, which all have seen, are these words, which show how easily the church could be paid for if all will give as they are able, “and the amount given by each would scarcely be missed.” “If all will give what they can, the indebtedness will soon be liquidated. We pray that those who can help in this enterprise may be constrained to do so by their love for Christ.17We regard the purchase of this church property as a wise step, and your co-operation in assisting the brethren there to pay for it will bring you into harmony with the beneficent purposes of the gospel.” Below is given a list of donations, all of which, with the exception of the first, reported in the Atlantic Union Gleaner, and one third of the second donation, were sent directly to me, and so not reported in the REVIEW:— A friend, $144.34; Hattie G. Weller, $1,500; Dr. and Mrs. Copehart, $225; Wm. Hurlock, $100; H. W. Cottrell, $100; D. E. Scoles, $30; W. W. Conkling, $10; Geo. W. Countryman, $25; H. H. Bosworth, $3; Mae George, .25; Mr. and Mrs. H. Webber, $2; Fred Webber, $2; Jessie V. Bosworth, $1; Dr. A. W. Hurr, $1; T. S. Johnson, $1; Sac City (Iowa) church, $1.85; A. Ridgely, $25; Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Landu, $2; Nellie Freel, .01; Vintie McCann, .25; W. B. and N. J. Dana, .50; W. Rutherford, $1; Jane Burkhard, $1; Fred Burkhard, $5; J. N. Loughborough, $5; F. W. Mace, $25. Total, $2,211.20. Other names may appear later. T. H. PAINTER
By T. H. Painter
BEDFORD CITY.—I came to this place March 8, and immediately began to place some of our good books in the homes of the people, such as “Bible Readings” and “Coming King,” also “Gospel Primer,” and have sold thousands of pages of tracts, and distributed many of our papers. The people are glad to get this literature, and I am making many friends among those of influence. God is blessing me and my work. I am holding meetings in a large school building in a thickly settled country district. The house is filled to overflowing at each service. I speak on Friday evening and the evening after the Sabbath, also on Sunday and Sunday evening. Many are deeply stirred, and some have accepted the truth as far as it has been presented, and seem much in earnest. They have come through mud and rain, some of them a distance of three or four miles, to attend the meetings. Some who seldom go to church are regular attendants at these services. I believe the Lord directed me to this part of the State, and to this town, and that if more work was done in the country places in Virginia, the message would advance more rapidly, and the results would be greater numerically as well as financially. May God raise up more laborers whose hearts are filled with his Holy Spirit, that the last message may be carried to the thousands in darkness. If all our churches in Virginia would do their duty, God would bless them, and they would be a blessing to others. Truly the Lord is good. JOHN HOFFMAN
By John Hoffman
THE work in Finland is the Lord’s work, and will therefore triumph in the end, although we now have to meet trials and difficulties. We are aware that we live in the sifting time; for not all who start out on the heavenly way persevere in it; when trials come to test them, some step aside into the downward road to ruin. But others only gain strength from every trial that meets them. These shall triumph with God’s people. Praise God for his wonderful kindness to the children of men. Times are hard, and business suffers on account of the crop failure of last summer. In the northern part of this country the people suffer for want of food and clothing. Donations are coming in from America and other countries, so the people are kept alive. This condition hinders our book work to some extent, but still our few canvassers sold books to the value of $4,978.68 last year. The tithe received amounted to $791.62; Sabbath-school donations to missions, $40.71; other donations to missions, $31.92; to the home work, $43.84, making, in all, $908.09 received in this field; besides about one hundred dollars raised for the material fund of “Christ’s Object Lessons.” Large numbers of young people emigrate to America. Some of our Finnish books are shipped to America, and sold to these; just lately we have filled an order for a brother working in northern Michigan. We also publish an eight-page monthly paper in the Finnish language. It is called Aikain Vartija. In order to place this paper before the Finnish people, both here and in America, we have decided to print an extra this coming fall. In this effort we invite the co-operation of our brethren and sisters everywhere, and especially of those who have Finnish neighbors. The paper will consist of sixteen pages, besides cover, will be well illustrated, and filled with as much of the present truth as such a paper can contain. We will send these papers in large or small clubs, postpaid, to America for five cents a copy. Should there not be many of the readers of the REVIEW who would order large clubs of this paper to sell or give away, thus bringing the truth to their Finnish neighbors? Should those having no Finnish neighbors, wish to help, cash will be gratefully received. Orders should be sent in as soon as possible, as the number of these will determine, in some degree, how large an edition shall be printed. All correspondence should be addressed to Aikain Vartija, Jägaregatan 2, Helsingfors, Finland. Our Duty to Leave Battle Creek
By Ellen G. White
Talk by Mrs. E. G. White, Friday Morning, April 3 It will be impossible for me to do justice to the question before us unless I take some time. The question is one that should be clearly and distinctly understood by us all. Few of our people have any idea of how many times light has been given that it was not in the order of God for so much to be centered in Battle Creek. Much was gathered there; many meetings were called there. A school, and a sanitarium, and a publishing house were there. These institutions had an influence upon one another. If this influence had always been good, more of a missionary spirit would have been developed. There would have been a clearer understanding of what must be done in the various cities of America. It would have been seen that in every city the standard must be planted and a memorial for God established. It is God’s design that our people should locate outside the cities, and from these outposts warn the cities, and raise in them memorials for God. There must be a force of influence in the cities, that the message of warning shall be heard. For years the warning has been given to our people, Get out of Battle Creek. But because of the many interests established there, it was convenient to remain, and men could not see why they should move. At last Brother Magan and Brother Sutherland began to think of the advisability of moving from Battle Creek. They came to me, asking what they should do. I said: ‘Take the school out of Battle Creek, if you can possibly do so. Go out into a place where there are no people who believe as we do, and there establish the school on a location with plenty of land, that the students who come may be educated in right lines.’ They obeyed the instruction given. This was the first move made. It has been a success. God has been pleased with it. He indorsed the effort made to get away from the congestion of Battle Creek. For the last fifteen or twenty years, light has been given that our people, by crowding into Battle Creek, have been leaving their home churches in a weak state. Some seemed to think that when they reached Battle Creek, they would be near heaven, that in Battle Creek they would not have many temptations. They did not understand the situation; they did not know that it was in Battle Creek that the enemy was working the hardest. Again and again testimonies were given in regard to the principles that were coming in to leaven the publishing house. And yet, though the messages kept coming that men were working on principles which God could not accept, no decided change was made. The apprentices in the Office were not given the advantages that they should have had. They were not being prepared to go out as missionaries into various places as they might be called. They were not being prepared to stand as God’s representatives. The influence of the Office was not what it should have been. God declared that this institution should be a sacred place, that angels of God were walking up and down through it. The words of contradiction spoken in the Office, and the general irritation shown, were condemned. He designed that it should be a school where workers should be trained to uphold the principles that God had ordained should ever be maintained by his people. Before the fire came which swept away the Review and Herald factory, I was in distress for many days. I was in distress while the council was in session, laboring to get the right matter before the meeting, hoping, if it were a possible thing, to call our brethren to repentance, and avert calamity. It seemed to me that it was almost a life and death question. It was then that I saw the representation of danger,—a sword of fire turning this way and that way. I was in an agony of distress. The next news was that the Review and Herald building had been burned by fire, but that not one life had been lost. In this the Lord spoke mercy with judgment. The mercy of God was mingled with judgment to spare the lives of the workers, that they might do the work which they had neglected to do, and which it seemed impossible to make them see and understand. Notwithstanding the condition of things at the publishing house, a suggestion18had been made to bring still more of our work to the Review Office, still more power into Battle Creek. This greatly alarmed me, and when the fire came, I breathed easier than I had for a long time. We were thankful that no lives were lost. There was a large loss of property. Again and again the Lord had shown me that for every dollar that was accumulated by unjust means, there would be ten times as much lost. God desired that every movement should be in accordance with Bible principles. There was to be no sharp dealing. But there has been sharp dealing, and God has been displeased. For the last twenty years God has been sending reproofs and warnings regarding this. The very worst thing that could now be done would be for the Review and Herald Office to be once more built up in Battle Creek. The way has been opened for it to break up its association there,—association with worldly men, which ought to be broken. Unjustifiable commercial business has been carried on, because the money that it brought in was needed. I saw One of undisputed authority go into the Office, and look over the accounts with the leading men, noting how much had been taken in for the publication of matter that should never have seen the light of day. He asked, ‘How much do you gain on this work?’ When the answer was given, he said, ‘The outlay necessary to do this work is larger than you estimate; but were your estimate correct, the loss in spirituality far outweighs the estimated gain.’ Pernicious matter has been published right in our Office, and if some part of the work had to be delayed, it was the work on the books containing the light of truth. This was greatly displeasing to the Lord. The apprentices were being educated in the false doctrines contained in the matter brought in. And the Review and Herald presses were sending these false doctrines out to the world. When the printing office was first established, in a little wooden building, the Lord showed me that its presses were to be used to send forth to the world the bright rays of truth. They were consecrated to the Lord. Light was to shine all through the Office, which was to be a school of training for workers. But as the result of association with the world, many in the Office grew worldly, and worked more and more on plans of worldly policy, and neither the discipline nor training of the youth employed in the Office was as it should be. I must say to our people that the Lord would have that institution established in an entirely new place. He would have the present influences of association broken up. Will those who have collected in Battle Creek hear the voice speaking to them, and understand that they are to scatter out into different places, where they can spread abroad a knowledge of the truth, and where they can gain an experience different from the experience that they have been gaining? In reply to the question that has been asked in regard to settling somewhere else, I answer, Yes. Let the General Conference offices and the publishing work be moved from Battle Creek. I know not where the place will be, whether on the Atlantic Coast or elsewhere. But this I will say, Never lay a stone or a brick in Battle Creek to rebuild the Review Office there. God has a better place for it. He wants you to work with a different influence, and be connected with altogether different associations from what you have had of late in Battle Creek. There has been an anxiety to adopt a worldly policy. Warnings and reproofs and entreaties—you would be astonished to know how many—have been sent in regard to this. But they have not been heeded. Many have come to the place where they do not care to follow the directions that the Lord sends. They have walked in their own counsel, until the Lord has come near by judgment, and swept away the printing plant. Will you build up again in the same place that you were before? I ask you, brethren, shall we, because our books and papers have long borne the imprint of Battle Creek, again lay the foundation in the very place where our work has been destroyed by fire? Will it make a confusion to move? Better to have a little confusion. Let us have another imprint. Let us see if we can not make a reformation. I need not speak any more on this point. I wish to speak now in reference to the Sanitarium in Battle Creek. Our brethren say: ‘Sister White has confused us. She said that we must not let this Sanitarium go into the hands of worldlings. And she said also that we must try to place the Sanitarium upon a right foundation.’ Yes, this I did say. Now I repeat it. For years light has been coming to me that we should not center so much in one place. I have stated distinctly that an effort should not be made to make Battle Creek the sign and symbol of so much. The Lord is not very well pleased with Battle Creek. Not all that has been done in Battle Creek is well pleasing to him. And when the Sanitarium there was burned, our people should have studied the messages of reproof and warning sent them in former years, and taken heed. That the lives of patients and helpers were spared was a providence for which every one of us should praise God with heart and soul and voice. He gave them an opportunity to live, and to study what these things mean. I had many things written out, but I thought, I will not say a word to condemn any one. I will keep quiet. When the planning for the new building was taken up, I think there were no questions or propositions sent to me about it, from those in charge. It has been stated that, when the Sanitarium was first established in Battle Creek, my husband and I indorsed it. Certainly we did. I can speak for my husband as well as for myself. We prayed about the matter a great deal. So it was with the printing office, which was first established in a little wooden building. As the work grew, we had to add to it, and later, when ambitious men came in to take part in the management, more additions were made than should have been made, because these men thought that the buildings would give character to the work. That was a mistake. It is not buildings that give character to the work of God, but the faithfulness and integrity of the workers. The Sanitarium grew, and, in 1887, Dr. Kellogg talked with me in regard to the necessity of having a hospital. I said, ‘Some months ago I was shown that we must have a hospital.’ Our brethren did not know what had been presented to me about this, and the opposition came hard and strong. They sat right down upon Dr. Kellogg. I took my position close by his side, and told them that the light God had given me was that we should have a hospital in Battle Creek. The hospital was erected, and it was soon full of patients.19 Understand, brethren, that at that time we had not numerous sanitariums, as in later years we came to have. The Battle Creek Sanitarium was almost our only place for the care of the sick. After a time the question came, ‘Shall we build a small, neat chapel in which the patients and helpers can assemble to worship God?’ As soon as I possibly could, I sent off a letter, saying, Yes. Wherever there is a sanitarium, there should be a church, to which the patients can go to hear the word of life, and God will soften their hearts, leading many to accept Christ as the healer of the soul. I was in perfect union with this move. But of late some things have been brought in that I could not indorse, and one of these is the attaching of many enterprises and lines of medical work to the medical association in Battle Creek. The Lord showed me that this should not be done. Many here know what I said to them,—that we must not center so much in Battle Creek; that if we did not take heed, God’s judgments would visit Battle Creek. When I saw such an earnestness on the part of the leaders to connect all branches of the medical work with the association at Battle Creek, I told the brethren that the instruction given me was that they should not make the scratch of a pen to bind themselves to the restrictions of the rules and regulations that were arranged for them to come under. God wants his institutions to stand in fellowship with one another, just as brethren in the church should stand in fellowship. But they are never to be bound by written contracts to any one man or any group of men. They are to stand in their own individuality, accountable to God. The Lord of heaven is to be the leader and guide and counselor of his people. His institutions are to be managed under his theocracy. His people are to act as a chosen people, a people who are to do a sacred and an unselfish work. When one institution gathers a large amount of responsibility and a large number of guests, the religious part of the work is in danger of being neglected. The managers of the Battle Creek Sanitarium have done nobly in the past in regard to trying to maintain a right religious influence in the Sanitarium. For a long time there were men connected with the institution whose work it was to hold Bible readings with the patients, as the way opened. Dr. Kellogg fully accorded with this. After the meeting at Minneapolis, Dr. Kellogg was a converted man, and we all knew it. We could see the converting power of God working in his heart and life. But as the institution has grown in popularity, there has been danger that the reason for which it was established would be lost sight of. Repeatedly I have given the instruction that was given to me,—that this institution should not be conducted after the manner in which worldly medical institutions are conducted; that pleasure-loving, card-playing20and theatrical performances should find no place in it. True piety was to be revealed in the lives of physicians and helpers. Everything connected with the institution was to speak in favor of the truth, and the truth in regard to the Sabbath would come to the patients. It was the piety of the workers, not the largeness of the buildings, that was to bring conviction to hearts. Many souls have been converted; many wonderful cures have been wrought. The Lord stood by the side of Dr. Kellogg as he performed difficult operations. When the doctor was overwrought by taxing labor, God understood the situation, and he put his hand on Dr. Kellogg’s hand as he operated, and through his power the operations were successful. I wish this to be understood. Over and over again I have encouraged Dr. Kellogg, telling him that the Lord God of Israel was at his right hand, to help him, and to give him success as he performed the difficult operations that meant life or death to the ones operated upon. I told the doctor that before he took up his instruments to operate upon patients, he must pray for them. The patients saw that Dr. Kellogg was under the jurisdiction of God, that he understood the Lord’s power to carry on the work successfully, and they had more confidence in him than in worldly physicians. God has given Dr. Kellogg the success that he has had. I have tried constantly to keep this before him, telling him that it was God who was working with him, and that the truth of God was to be magnified by his physician. God will bless every other physician who will yield himself wholly to God, and will be with his hand when he works. This was the light given. God worked that the medical missionary work might stand on the highest vantage ground; that it might be known that Seventh-day Adventists have a God working with them, a God who has a constant oversight of his work. God does not indorse the efforts put forth by different ones to make the work of Dr. Kellogg as hard as possible, in order to build themselves up. God gave the light on health reform, and those who rejected it rejected God. One and another who knew better said that it all came from Dr. Kellogg, and they made war upon him. This had a bad influence on the doctor. He put on the coat of irritation and retaliation. God did not want him to stand in the position of warfare, and he does not want you to stand there. Those who have turned away from the Battle Creek Sanitarium to get worldly physicians to care for them did not realize what they were doing. God established the Battle Creek Sanitarium. God worked through Dr. Kellogg; but men did not realize this. When they were sick, they sent for worldly physicians to come, because of something that the doctor had said or done that did not please them. This God did not approve. We have the authority of the Bible for our instruction in temperance. But God has nothing to do with making every institution amenable in some way to the work and workers in Battle Creek. His servants should not be called upon to submit to rules and regulations made there. God’s hand must hold every worker, and must guide and control every worker. Men are not to make rules and regulations for their fellow men. The Bible has given the rules and regulations that we are to follow. We are to study the Bible, and learn from it the duty of man to his fellow man. “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.” You were surprised to hear me say that we are not to let the Battle Creek Sanitarium go into the hands of the world; that we are to make another effort to place our institutions on solid ground. If you will trust in the Lord, this institution can be placed on vantage ground. When the Sanitarium is placed on its proper foundation; when our people can see it as it was when it was first established; when they can understand that the institution belongs to the work of the Lord, and can see that no one man is to have the control of everything in it, then God will help them all to take hold with courage to build it up. To-day you do not know just where it is. God wants us to know every timber of the foundation, where it is, and what it is; then he wants us all to put shoulder to shoulder, and labor understandingly. The Lord wants us to do our duty. He wants us to understand that Dr. Kellogg shall not be pushed out of his place, but that he shall stand acknowledged and supported in his God-given work. This he will be if his feet are planted on the truth of the living God. If they are not planted on this truth, specious temptations will come in, through scientific problems and scientific theories regarding God and his Word. Spurious scientific theories are coming in as a thief in the night, stealing away the landmarks and undermining the pillars of our faith. God has shown me that the medical students are not to be educated in such theories, because God will not indorse these theories. The most specious temptations of the enemy are coming in, and they are coming in on the highest, most elevated plane. These spiritualize the doctrines of present truth until there is no distinction between the substance and the shadow. You know that Satan will come in to deceive if possible the very elect. He claims to be Christ, and he is coming in, pretending to be the great medical missionary. He will cause fire to come down from heaven in the sight of men, to prove that he is God. We must stand barricaded by the truths of the Bible. The canopy of truth is the only canopy under which we can stand safely. Our leading brethren, the men in official positions, are to examine the standing of the Battle Creek Sanitarium, to see whether the God of heaven can take control of it. When, by faithful guardians, it is placed in a position where he can control it, let me tell you that God will see that it is sustained. God wants his people to place their feet on the eternal Rock. The money that we have is the Lord’s money; and the buildings that we erect with this money, for his work, are to stand as his property. He calls upon those who have the truth not to quarrel with their brethren, but to stand shoulder to shoulder, to build up, not to destroy. God would not have let the fire go through our institutions in Battle Creek without a reason. Are you going to pass by the providence of God, without finding out what it means? God wants us to study into this matter, and to build upon a foundation in which all can have the utmost confidence. He wants the interests started to be conducted in such a way that his people can invest their means in them with the assurance that they are part of his work. Let us labor intelligently and understandingly. There is altogether too little humiliation of soul. The crisis is coming soon in Battle Creek. The trades unions and confederacies of the world are a snare. Keep out of them and away from them, brethren. Have nothing to do with them. Because of these unions and confederacies, it will soon be very difficult for our institutions to carry on their work in the cities. My warning is: Keep out of the cities. Build no sanitariums in the cities. Educate our people to get out of the cities into the country, where they can obtain a small piece of land, and make a home for themselves and their children. When the question arose in regard to the establishment of a sanitarium in the city of Los Angeles, I felt that I must oppose this move. I carried a very heavy burden in regard to the matter, and I could not keep silent. It is time, brethren, that we heeded the testimonies sent us in mercy and love from the Lord of heaven. Our restaurants must be in the cities; for otherwise the workers in these restaurants could not reach the people and teach them the principles of right living. And for the present we shall have to occupy meeting-houses in the cities. But erelong there will be such strife and confusion in the cities that those who wish to leave them will not be able. We must be preparing for these issues. This is the light that is given me. May God help you to receive the words that I have spoken. Let those who stand as God’s watchmen on the walls of Zion be men who can see the dangers before the people,—men who can distinguish between truth and error, righteousness and unrighteousness. The warning has come: Nothing is to be allowed to come in that will disturb the foundation of the faith upon which we have been building ever since the message came in 1842, 1843, and 1844. I was in this message, and ever since I have been standing before the world, true to the light that God has given us. We do not propose to take our feet off the platform on which they were placed as day by day we sought the Lord with earnest prayer, seeking for light. Do you think that I could give up the light that God has given me? It is to be as the Rock of Ages. It has been guiding me ever since it was given. Brethren and sisters, God lives and reigns and works to-day. His hand is on the wheel, and in his providence he is turning the wheel in accordance with his own will. Let not men fasten themselves to documents, saying what they will do, and what they will not do. Let them fasten themselves to the Lord God of heaven. Then the light of heaven will shine into the soul-temple, and we shall see the salvation of God. (For Summary of Daily Proceedings see last page) A. G. DANIELLS (addressing Sister White): A resolution was introduced into the conference yesterday, which some of the brethren wished me to place before you. It was not acted upon, but was left for further consideration to-day. The resolution was: “That the General Conference offices or headquarters be moved from Battle Creek, Mich., to some place favorable for its work on the Atlantic Coast.”
It is a serious thing for us to move the headquarters of our General Conference. Battle Creek has been the headquarters for many years, ever since you and Elder White went there in 1853. It is a serious thing to take this step. But some feel as if it ought to be done; that we shall never secure the reformation called for; that we shall never rise to do this work as God’s people, to finish it in the earth, until we can break up some of the conditions that now exist, and thus set the work free. We have felt from what has occurred during the last two years, and the counsels you have given, that the time had come to move from that place. But we do not want to do this unless it is right, and we felt that we would like to place the matter before you, and receive any counsel and light you could give us. On Delegations: S. H. Lane, J. M. Rees, J. N. Loughborough. On Institutions: C. H. Parsons, W. T. Knox, S. H. Lane, L. R. Conradi, W. D. Salisbury. On Nominations (the names are given20in the order in which the various union conferences handed them in): S. N. Curtiss, G. F. Watson, M. H. Gregory, G. A. Irwin, J. W. Collie, A. J. Breed, W. J. Stone, C. M. Everest, E. J. Waggoner, L. R. Conradi, J. D. Gowell. On Plans and Constitution: H. W. Cottrell, E. T. Russell, P. T. Magan, D. Paulson, C. W. Flaiz, W. C. White, W. T. Knox, E. H. Gates, G. E. Langdon, C. N. Woodward, E. J. Waggoner, Smith Sharp. On Credentials and Licenses: Wm. Covert, L. R. Conradi, R. M. Kilgore, W. A. Spicer, E. H. Gates. On Distribution of Labor: The presidents of the union conferences. Publishing Committee: W. C. White, E. R. Palmer, C. H. Jones, J. H. Kellogg, L. R. Conradi, W. D. Salisbury, A. G. Daniells, P. T. Magan, W. A. Spicer, J. E. White, C. P. Bollman, J. B. Blosser, A. F. Harrison, S. C. Osborne. On Finance: W. T. Knox, C. H. Parsons, S. H. Lane, L. R. Conradi, W. D. Salisbury, R. T. Dowsett, Miss E. M. Graham, P. T. Magan. On Education: L. A. Hoopes, M. E. Cady, E. J. Waggoner, E. A. Sutherland, H. A. Washburn, J. S. Osborne, S. M. Butler, R. C. Porter, E. K. Slade, Mrs. I. J. Hankins, and any other State church-school superintendents who may be in attendance at this conference. Committee of Counsel: J. W. Collie, W. A. McCutchen, H. Shultz, W. J. Stone, A. T. Jones, H. H. Burkholder, N. P. Nelson, R. A. Underwood, Wm. Covert, N. W. Allee, A. G. Haughey, A. J. Breed, C. H. Jones, E. H. Gates, W. W. Prescott, P. T. Magan, W. R. Simmons, W. D. Salisbury, David Paulson, C. Santee, G. B. Thompson, Lewis P. Johnson, J. H. Kellogg, G. F. Haffner, M. E. Cady.