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- Dr. Lay and the Health Reform Movement
- Active Teachers of Health Reform
- Plans for Health Publications
- Ellen White's Appeal to Mothers
- An Expeditiously Timed Movement
- Life in the White Home
- Sabbath Readings, Compiled by Ellen G. White
- Preparing People to Meet Jesus
- Testimony for the Church No. 10
- Supplementary Income Aided White Family Finances
- Satan's Intent to Destroy James White
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- The Reform Dress
- Vital Principles of Inspiration Disclosed
- Ellen White Begins to Wear the Reform Dress
- Arriving at Style and Length
- The Final Outcome
- Skills in Public Speaking Acquired by Ellen White
- Farming in Greenville
- Thoughts on Revelation
- Getting in the Hay
- Meetings at Bushnell
- The Unforgettable Meeting the Next Sabbath
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- Invited to a Four-Day September Convocation in Wisconsin
- Preparing for the Confrontation
- The Crucial Weekend at Battle Creek
- The Wholesome Response
- Modest Plans Announced
- The Wisconsin Convocation
- The Disclosure of Strange Criticism
- The Iowa Convocation
- Testimony No. 12, and Battle Creek
- Significant Changes in Battle Creek
- “In This I Did Wrong”
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- Lessons Gained From Dreams
- The Difficult Position of a Messenger for God
- Loughborough's Dream
- The Glorious Fulfillment in Battle Creek
- Off on the Eastern Tour
- Labors in Maine
- J. N. Andrews and the Visions
- At Washington, New Hampshire, on the Homeward Journey
- Continued Evidences
- On to Vermont and West
- Back Home in Battle Creek
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- The Almost Fatal Accident of Seneca King
- Ellen White's Continued Ministry as God's Messenger
- The 1868 General Conference Session
- The Decision to Publish Personal Testimonies
- The Vision of June 12, 1868
- Impressions of Other Eyewitnesses
- Ellen White Overwhelmed
- The Broad Field Reached By Personal Testimonies
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- An Annual Camp Meeting
- Seventh-day Adventist Benevolent Association
- The Mission to California
- Work on Life Incidents
- Ellen G. White Busy Writing
- The Camp Meeting at Wright, Michigan
- The Hasty Trip to Battle Creek, and a Dream
- The Camp Layout
- Activities and Speakers
- Two More Camp Meetings Planned for 1868
- Involved Again in Important Interests at Battle Creek
- An Eastern Tour
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- Churches without Pastors
- Residing Again in Beloved Battle Creek
- The 1869 General Conference Session
- A Trying Time for Ellen White
- Camp Meetings Take Hold in Earnest
- “A Delightful Kind of Labor”
- Europe Looms as an Important Field of Labor
- Testimonies Published in 1869
- The Continued Buffetings of Satan
- Acquaintance With Ellen White Allayed Prejudice
- In Defense of James and Ellen White
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- A Full Financial Disclosure Promised
- James White's Real Estate Transactions
- The Sale of Writing Paper and Envelopes
- The Many Responses
- Wild Rumors Concerning Ellen White
- James and Ellen White in Battle Creek
- J. N. Andrews on the Visions
- The Searching Messages of Testimony No. 18
- Preparation for the 1870 General Conference Session
- James and Ellen White Entrenched Anew in Battle Creek
- Camp Meeting Again
- Camp Meeting Travel Vignettes
- On to the Kansas Camp Meeting
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- Problems in Adopting the Vegetarian Diet
- A Pamphlet on Raising and Canning Small Fruits
- Meeting Problems in the Midwest
- Failure to Promote Health Reform Devastating
- The Dietary Program in the White Home
- Extremes Taught in the Health Reformer Bring Crisis
- Ellen White's Moderate Positions
- Back in Battle Creek for the Winter
- Lifesaving Therapy for the Health Reformer
- Mrs. White's Department
- Struggling with Copy Preparation
- The Journal Revived
- A Marriage in the White Family
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- The “Hygienic Festival” of July 27, 1871
- The New Review and Herald Building
- Special Healing Blessings Signal God's Power
- The September Michigan Camp Meeting
- The Tour Through New England
- Vision at Bordoville, Vermont
- The Tenth Annual Session of the General Conference
- Young Men Called to the Ministry
- George I. Butler Replaces James White
- Seventh Day Baptist Delegate
- The Dedication of the New Review Building
- The Seventh-day Adventist School
- Eyes to the West
- An Encouraging Word for Wives Whose Husbands Must Travel
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- James White Declares His Relation to the Visions and the Testimonies
- Forgiven and Accepted
- The Picture in the Summer of 1874
- The Three Sensitive Letters, July 2, 8, and 10
- Putting the Finger on the Basic Cause
- A Second Candid Letter
- Another Straightforward Letter
- James White's Potential
- The James White Letters Take on a Positive Tone
- James White Arrives in Battle Creek
- A Relapse During the Ensuing Years
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- An Unexpected and Significant Turn in Affairs
- Facing Large Responsibilities
- The Eastern Camp Meetings
- California and the Publishing Interests
- Concern for the Most Effective Work in California
- The Winter—Michigan or California?
- The Pressing Need for a Well-Trained Ministry
- Planning for a Biblical Institute
- 150 Attend the Institute
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- The Fourteenth Annual Session of the General Conference
- The Remaining Eastern Camp Meetings
- The New York Camp Meeting
- A Call for Colporteur Ministry Evangelism
- Unexpected Revival in Battle Creek
- Hastening to the West Coast
- The California Publishing House
- The San Francisco Tent Meeting
- A Dedicated Working Force in the Oakland Office
- The Angel's Special Message for James White
- The Call for a Day of Fasting and Prayer
- Looking Ahead
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Chapter 14—(1867) Battle Creek and the Health Institute
In response to the instruction given to Ellen White that the Seventh-day Adventist Church should own and operate a medical institution, the Western Health Reform Institute was brought into being, but rather precipitously. It would have been well if the health of James White had been such that he could exercise his cautious managerial experience, and Ellen could have been in a position to give closer attention to the project. In the absence of this, men in all sincerity but with limited experience moved ahead, sometimes inadvisably. This led to many unforeseen problems.2BIO 192.1
Ellen White did not have time to write out fully the instruction given to her in the vision of December 25, 1865, before she presented it publicly at the General Conference session in May, 1866. When the financial support initially called for, so essential to the development of the enterprise, lagged, the leading workers pleaded with her to write out the instruction that led to the institution's launching, hoping it would strengthen financial support. Yielding her better judgment, she sent for publication that portion of the instruction that called for such an institution before she could write out in full all that had been shown her regarding the enterprise. Her incomplete presentation appeared in Testimony No. 11.2BIO 192.2
The enthusiastic response from the general public led to premature plans for the rapid enlargement of the institution to accommodate all who applied for admission as patients.2BIO 192.3
“What shall be done?” queried Dr. Lay, medical superintendent, in an article in the Review in early 1867. The article opened:2BIO 192.4
Patients are coming to the Health Institute so rapidly that we are already being crowded for room. We do not dare to advertise the institution to any great extent, for fear we shall not have place for those that may wish to come. In addition to the three buildings which are wholly devoted to the wants of the institution, every room of which is occupied, we are fitting up a cottage for lodging rooms, which, according to present prospects, will be filled with patients in a few weeks. And the question arises, What shall be done?—The Review and Herald, January 8, 1867.2BIO 193.1
Dr. Lay called for $25,000 to erect a new building. He wrote, “We can take care of at least one hundred more patients than we now have, just as well as not,” and added:2BIO 193.2
There is need of another building being commenced as soon as early in the spring.... What shall be done?—Ibid.2BIO 193.3
He asked the question:2BIO 193.4
Shall we continue to do business on as limited a scale as at present, and in a few months from now not be able to receive at the Health Institute but a very small portion of those that may wish to come?—Ibid.
James and Ellen White, in northern Michigan, watched the rapid developments with growing concern. It was clear to them that plans for expansion of the Health Institute were premature, and the way in which materials from Ellen White's pen were being used brought particular distress, for the testimonies written to bring the institution into being were now being used to support the plans for immediate enlargement.2BIO 193.5
Plans were drawn, an excavation was made, a stone foundation was laid, and materials were purchased for proceeding with the proposed enlargement. James and Ellen White watched at long range through the letters, the Review, and reports that reached them, and were greatly distressed. They were convinced that the denomination was quite destitute of what would be needed in skill, experience, and finance.2BIO 193.6
Then, by vision, God gave direction. Of this Ellen later wrote:2BIO 193.7
I was shown a large building going up on the site on which the Battle Creek Sanitarium was afterward erected. The brethren were in great perplexity as to who should take charge of the work. I wept sorely. One of authority stood up among us, and said, “Not yet. You are not ready to invest means in that building, or to plan for its future management.” At this time the foundation of the Sanitarium had been laid. But we needed to learn the lesson of waiting.—Letter 135, 1903.
In distress she wrote: “The disposition manifested to crowd the matter of the institute so fast has been one of the heaviest trials I have ever borne.”—Testimonies for the Church, 1:563.2BIO 194.1
In the August 27, 1867, Review, there appeared an appeal for $15,000. This was needed immediately to push forward with the enlargement of the Health Institute, to complete the work already begun on the new building. The author of the article, in an endeavor to loosen the purse strings of the believers, quoted at length from Ellen White's initial appeal for a health institution as published in Testimony No. 11.2BIO 194.2