Arthur, Brother
NP
Circa late 1904
Previously unpublished. Not sent.
Dear Brother Arthur:
I wrote you a few lines this morning, thanking you for your letter. We see much to do in this period of the world’s history. There has been, I understand, a call made for a meeting of our ministers and officials to Battle Creek to consider important matter, but I think we sent you a copy of the letter written. The men in the field cannot be called from their important work, as they have been time and again, to spend precious time to amount to nothing. Dr. Kellogg is surely unbalanced in mind, and our brethren should see this and not receive everything he presents as that which is truth. He deceives his own soul and then, through his masterly sophistries, he bewilders the minds of others by his continual talk, talk, talk, early and late. 19LtMs, Lt 405, 1904, par. 1
It is Satan’s theories that are now coming to the front from the lips of Dr. Kellogg. He is lost and has been lost for a long while in the misconceptions that he has long cherished. If he had walked humbly with God, he would have stood on vantage ground. 19LtMs, Lt 405, 1904, par. 2
In the providence of God, you were present to hear, I think, written matter [read] in the sanitarium at St. Helena, and the talks in regard to the danger to the whole cause through his constantly seeking to carry out his own devising in regard to the medical missionary work, the ministry, and the sanitariums, all binding up to Battle Creek—which God forbids. 19LtMs, Lt 405, 1904, par. 3
He has not been set over the ministry or any [other] lines. He is not appointed for any such work. Nor is he, as one man, to control the medical missionary work and sanitariums as he has taken it upon himself to do, because one man’s mind and one man’s judgment is incapable to do this work. Dr. Kellogg must himself be under the control of the Holy Spirit of God and himself be taught of God, else he will surely lead the people of God into false paths. He is not a man well-balanced in religious principles. He is not a man versed intelligently to carry the work. 19LtMs, Lt 405, 1904, par. 4
This was the representation given me, and I had the burden at that gathering to present the matter before you and all present. You were convinced that I spoke under the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Nothing was in my words; but the Lord gave the words. I shall, if I can, take time to hunt for the very matter talked at the meeting. The Lord gave the message for your benefit. Dr. Kellogg was taking responsibilities and lifting burdens that would spoil him in more ways than one. Dr. Kellogg has not manifested an earnest desire to know, What will God have me to do? Asking of God, with a heart submissive to learn of the Great Teacher, would always have been to his advantage and is essential to every soul who walks with God as humble, obedient children. But oft it has been that Dr. Kellogg has followed his own counsel, his own preferences, and in his plans he has oft been shortsighted and made grievous blunders. 19LtMs, Lt 405, 1904, par. 5
Understanding this, it would have been altogether wise for him to be as willing to hide the mistakes of his own brethren as to cover his own errors. But the time has come when it must be known how the Sanitarium stands. What is its showing? How much money has been invested? How much has it advantaged this new Sanitarium—the general workings of sanitariums? We have come to a period, (and it has been specified by the One who owns every sanitarium), for all to give account of the stewardship, that everything may now be arranged on a proper basis. This need not require that all responsible men shall be called to Battle Creek who have had no special hand in its running. Now is to be ascertained the true standing of one of the Lord’s institutions that has had invested in it the talents of God entrusted to men to use to His name’s glory, not according to one man’s ideas. This Sanitarium must now be understood in its true relation to the cause and future working. What is its true bearing? What is its future work? Who is to stand in the responsible position to determine what shall be its future history? To delay this business is not wise. 19LtMs, Lt 405, 1904, par. 6
God calls today to Dr. Kellogg, Whose talents have you been using? This is the work that the Lord would have entered into and not stand in uncertainty. The Lord would have all His institutions open as the day, but not to unbelievers, for God forbids anything of this work. God’s denominated people have a deep interest in the Sanitarium and have a right to know all his workings. The time has come for things to be made plain and clear. Dr. Kellogg has now a work to do. He cannot be acknowledged as a safe teacher for our people. He has given heed to seducing spirits. 19LtMs, Lt 405, 1904, par. 7
Shall our people have an influence exercised in various churches to draw men and women to Battle Creek? I have had the case opened before me so distinctly that I saw from the light given there is not to be a drawing of people to Battle Creek. Dr. Kellogg. needs a most thorough conversion himself. He is not fit to control. The larger the number drawn and centered in Battle Creek, the more will a demoralizing influence come in, because Dr. Kellogg stands as supreme, and he has lost his balance. God has specified his appointed work as His physician, and by in engaging in the manufacture of food and commercial business, [for which] he has not been appointed by God, he has put his neck under a yoke God has not asked him to wear, and he will meet with loss. 19LtMs, Lt 405, 1904, par. 8
My brother in Christ Jesus, I speak now to you and the medical fraternity. Keep your integrity. Let there be no entering into any species of devising to rob the cause of God of any facilities that is its due [so that you may have means] to open new fields and engage in an aggressive work that is not after the Lord’s order. I was referred to the institution in Mexico. There is something from the beginning of its establishment that is not after the Lord’s order. Yet that institution has been brought before the world in a false light, as doing a great thing, a great work. This has been misrepresented. 19LtMs, Lt 405, 1904, par. 9
I say to Bro. Arthur, Let not any man sway your mind to do an unjust action. This will be in a singular manner urged upon you by Dr. Kellogg and his special associates. I saw him bending over books with you, and evil angels were at work through him, for he is not true and to be relied upon. For your soul’s sake, Judge Arthur, do not allow complications that need not be to make an intricate case more intricate. Dr. Kellogg has taken on himself to patent right the Lord’s goods to be under his control, and the Lord has been greatly dishonored in this action. 19LtMs, Lt 405, 1904, par. 10
Now, if this Sanitarium has become entangled as it is because Dr. Kellogg has not been a faithful, wise steward, then let not the cause of God suffer at this time. All the time that has been diverted from the true issues is time lost. Warning after warning has been given to Dr. Kellogg to unload, to give himself to the legitimate work he should do. To fasten himself to an apparently endless car and flourish about like a man who has lost his mind does no good to the cause of God, nor will it make error or injustice truth and righteousness. I had many things presented to me that were not revealing the truth but raising a false flag of colors. 19LtMs, Lt 405, 1904, par. 11
The Lord is not pleased to have all His institutions under the doctor’s control; he has defects in character. God’s cause is not to be left strengthless, moneyless, and now His Sanitarium crippled. Unfair means will be resorted to to get away from the true issue. Now, my brother, this institution was mismanaged by Bro. Dan Jones. He was not in a condition to manage himself in any institution, and his spirit and his character of work the Lord will not approve in any man. If Dr. Kellogg is blinding your judgment, because it is Dr. Kellogg, God calls upon you to stand in your integrity if it cost you your life. Men have been bought and sold in many such transactions of trade with men who were buying and selling land. These real estate agencies the Lord has opened before me, and there is a long list of false dealing and money taken from men and women. They have been made poor by the transactions, and the Lord has shown me case after case who have ruined their own souls by these transactions. From the light given me their education in this line has so much unfair dealing, falsehood, and robbery that anyone who claims to be a church member is first to renounce this kind of business of speculation and causing so much suffering to human beings. They are not to be placed in church membership. 19LtMs, Lt 405, 1904, par. 12
Some have been placed in leading positions in the church who have received an education that was continually unfitting them to enter that city whose builder and maker is God. The medical fraternity, I have seen, was sick and needed a physician higher than any earthly skill can furnish to heal them of their wrong transactions. The record book in heaven will tell every transaction. I now, as God’s servant, tell you to break up your relationship with Dr. Kellogg. If possible, take your wife and family and move to California. But do not sell your soul to do an unfair action. All connected with that sanitarium in Mexico is wrapped up in papers that no one will want to bring to light; and there are many such things that have been done that God has condemned. Read Micah 6. This chapter testifies the mind of God. I shall only warn you to be guarded. If you have placed things in an uncertain light to do injustice to one soul, the Lord Jesus says, “Ye have done it unto Me in the person of my saints.” [See Matthew 25:40, 45.] We are now brought into terrible perplexities. Sanitarium after sanitarium has become loaded down with debts. Shall these institutions [be] tied up with the commercial work brought in so largely of the food enterprise? God did not place this upon Dr. Kellogg, and his mixing in this matter has been a mistake. His work, the Lord had signified, was to act as His physician. As a physician he was not to embrace such commercial business. The Lord is not honored or glorified. The Holy Spirit of God is misrepresented, and I am so sorry. May the Lord God reveal Himself and place His stamp so definitely upon that which is right that Dr. [Kellogg] will come to his senses is my prayer. 19LtMs, Lt 405, 1904, par. 13
*****
A scene in Battle Creek was presented before me. W. C. White was being interviewed. Dr. Kellogg and some of his associated physicians were present. I have had some things presented before me that have been Dr. Kellogg’s way but not God’s way. Dr. Kellogg has done much to present many things before the minds of the medical fraternity in the spurious light he views them. He keeps talking, talking to his associates, reining their minds up to certain ideas and certain things he wishes them to consent to carry; he makes his associates believe he is right when through his own course of action he would bring disaster to the cause of God. Angels true to their duty were in the company, and evil angels were also present. There was a voice of dissent that could not harmonize with the sentiments and principles that were outlined to be carried. 19LtMs, Lt 405, 1904, par. 14
One who has authority was represented as standing apart, and solemn words were spoken, “If ye love me, show that love by keeping my commandments. And I will pray the Father and He will give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever. You will decide yourself, by your own course of action, if you will be placed on vantage ground, but you are now on false ground. As a party you are sustaining yourselves with theories that closed the gates of heaven against the rebellious, [acting] as though you were in the narrow road and passing through the strait gate that I have traveled before you. You are not there. When you are in the narrow road cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in, the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him, [will come]. But all who keep my commandments know Him, for He dwelleth with you and shall be in you. And I will not leave you Comfortless. I will come to you, because you walk in obedience. Come out from the world and be separate. In bringing yourselves into harmony with the world you, even this company, have divorced yourselves from Me and agreed to take the side of the world in methods of dealing in temporal and in religious things. You cannot possibly expect the world, who have not a connection with God, will have correct judgment in regard to their own duty or in regard to the duty of any human being. Those who love My commandments understand their obligations, hopes, faith, and privileges.” 19LtMs, Lt 405, 1904, par. 15