A Response to an Urgent Testimony
By Doctor Charles Stewart
12
Judge Arthur's Reply
JUDGE ARTHUR'S LETTER TO W. C. WHITE
- ELDER W. C. WHITE,
- Sanitarium, Napa Co., Cal.
- My Dear Brother White:
I find it possible at this time to make for you the long-promised statement in reference to the action of the Board of Trustees of the American Medical Missionary College in the spring and early summer of 1899, looking to the erection of a large medical college building in the city of Chicago. The facts are as follows:
During the last of May, 1899, Dr. A. B. Olsen, who was then Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the American Medical Missionary College, prompted by Dr. Bayard Holmes of Chicago, urged upon the Board the necessity of the Medical College becoming a member of the Association of American Medical Colleges in order to give it an assured standing and position among the medical institutions of this and other countries.
In furtherance of this object, Dr. Olsen was appointed a delegate to attend a meeting of such Association which was shortly afterwards to take place. in the city of Columbus, Ohio, and make application in behalf of our medical college for membership. This he did, and such application was laid over to be acted upon at the next regular meeting to take place a year from that time.
Upon Dr. Olsen's return, he reported that the principal objection urged against admitting our medical college to membership was the want of a suitable building in the city of Chicago. It was then determined by the Board to take steps at once looking toward the erection of such building. A building committee was appointed and consisted of A. B. Olsen, W. K. Kellogg, and myself. Dr. Olsen was chosen secretary of such committee and I selected chairman.
The committee met and immediately formulated plans for the purchase of a site and the erection of such a building, I was instructed as chairman of the committee to open negotiations looking either to the sale or mortgaging of No. 28 Thirty-third Place which the College owned, and otherwise taking steps to raise the necessary funds to purchase the site and erect the building contemplated. Dr. Olsen was instructed to procure suitable plans for the Co1lege building, which he did. The cost of the site and improvements was to be somewhere in the neighborhood of $100,000.00 or possibly more. The committee went to Chicago, looked over several sites, and finally settled upon one on Thirteenth Street, and negotiations were opened for its purchase.
All this took place while Dr. J. H. Kellogg was absent from the United States in Europe. After our plans were quite well completed for the going on of the work, it was thought advisable to await Dr. Kellogg's return to this country before proceeding further with the matter. I learned through others that after the Doctor did return and was advised of what had been done, that he discouraged going on with the project. Just what reasons he assigned for doing so I don't think I ever knew.
Confirmatory of what I have stated, I enclose here with copy of two notes written me by Dr. Olsen, one under date of May 30, 1899, and the other under date of June 25 of the same year. I also enclose copy of the minutes of a meeting of the committee held on the 26th day of June of the same year.
The plans for the building were in my possession at one time, but I think were returned by me to Dr. Olsen and I have no doubt can be found among the archives of the Medical College now in the possession of Dr. Stewart.
If I have omitted anything that is important for you to know in connection with this matter, write to me and if possible I will explain the omission.
Yours very truly,
JESSE ARTHUR.
Nearly two years later at the General Conference held in Battle Creek, April, 1901, at which you were present, quite definite plans were formulated to secure from the people not $65,000 but $100,000 or more for the purpose of erecting buildings for the Medical College. Several hundreds of dollars were raised at this time, and several thousands of dollars pledged.
In the first attempt to erect a college building, it was definitely understood that the money was to come from the sale of No. 28 Thirty-third Place, and that the amount expended was not to exceed $65,000 in all. It was impossible to sell the place for over $50,000. Not a single dollar was raised in cash or pledges, for no effort was made at this time to secure the necessary funds except by Selling the property referred to, which was not accomplished, so the matter was dropped. At the General Conference in 1901, a plan was set on foot whereby it was thought a large sum of money could be raised for the purpose of securing the necessary buildings for the college, the records of the meeting which are quoted in this connection are ample evidence of this and also of the fact that there were others besides Dr. Kellogg interested in the project. In this connection it might be proper to ask if the testimony in question would be applicable to W. C. White, A. G. Daniells, and O. A. Olsen, since they took such a prominent part in the effort to raise the money referred to.
- General Conference Bulletin, April 15, 1901, p. 289:
- Fifth meeting of Int. Med. Miss. & Benev. Ass'n.
- Dr. David Paulson:
"We have an old building in Chicago. We do not know how soon we will have to move out of it. It is utterly unfit for sick persons. . . . I believe that God will move upon the hearts of some people to help us secure new quarters. I trust that God is speaking to some in this audience to interest them in this project."
J. H. Kellogg, p. 290:
"I ask you, my friends, what are you going to do? This denomination has not done a thing, has not raised a penny, has not invested a single penny in the Medical Missionary College. We want one hundred thousand dollars. We are not going to be bashful. We want one hundred thousand dollars. We need twice that sum. You ask what we would do with it? We would put up a building in Chicago." . . .
At this juncture considerable money was donated for this purpose, among the donors being Elder J. N. Loughborough and other ministers.
At the sixth meeting of the I. M. M. B. A., April 17 (See Gen. Conf. Bulletin, p. 341) still more definite plans were laid for the purpose of securing funds for the erection of medical college buildings.
W. C. White: "I am intensely interested in our schools and in no school am I more interested than in the Medical Missionary College. Our schools should have their buildings without rent, and therefore I offer a resolution:
"Resolved, That we proceed to raise a fund for the purpose of providing necessary buildings for the American Medical Missionary College.
"I move the adoption of this resolution."
A. G. Daniels: "I second the motion."
W. C. White: "This idea is not new to you. But, brethren, the question with us is, Has the time come to make an earnest effort to lift in this matter, and put our medical missionary school where it will not have to pay rent? It seems to me that we can not fail to be proud of this school, or to appreciate the work it has done. . . . Shall we not manifest our interest in the Medical Missionary College by raising a fund that it may own its buildings, and thus be free from rental and interest? I believe that we would receive a great blessing in doing this." . . .
O. A. Olsen: "I can heartily second all the remarks made by Elder White. It has been my privilege to be connected with the Medical Missionary College since its beginning, and I have always taken the deepest interest in it and its work. I am more glad than I can express in words to see the good that has been accomplished, the way that the work is opening and the indications that are coming into the meeting of a united effort in this line of work of spreading abroad the whole gospel in all its parts. The move to give this aid to the Medical College by securing it a place to work in, is just as God would have it, and we shall all rejoice to see it. I am glad for this motion, and I am heartily in favor of it. I believe it is the right thing to do, and God will bless us in carrying it forward.
"The question was called and carried, unanimously by acclamation— a rising vote was then taken, which was also unanimous.
In your testimony, given, in June, 1902, you state as follows: "Some time after this I was shown that the vision [concerning the erection of buildings Chicago given three years before]. . . , was an object-lesson for our people warning them not to invest largely of their means, in property in Chicago, or any other city." W.C. White stated to Judge Arthur that his statement about the Medical College building "somewhat explained to him a mystery" connected with a testimony coming from you, referring to the erection of certain buildings in Chicago for medical missionary work.
Was this vision so mysterious to both yourself and your son that you did not comprehend its, significance for, nearly three years, and not until Judge Arthur incidentally mentioned a contemplated plan to, erect a medical college building in Chicago?
Since you yourself, were ignorant of the facts how can the medical leaders be so severely criticized for failing to recognize a statement so plain as "The Lord has shown me that you have taken money from the Battle Creek Sanitarium to erect buildings in Chicago, when it was known beyond any question of doubt that no building had been erected, and consequently that no money was taken from the Battle Creek Sanitarium for its erection. Furthermore the managers of the Battle Creek Sanitarium have never contemplated the erection of any sort of a building in Chicago for any purpose whatever."
From a testimony dated, Elmshaven, Sanitarium, Cal., Oct 28, 1903, we quote as follows: "In the visions of the night a view of a large building was presented to me, I thought that it had been erected and wrote you immediately in regard to the matter. I learned afterwards that the building which I saw had not been put up." At the time of the vision you were evidently mistaken, for you thought that a certain thing which had not been done, had been done, and stated so in a testimony. Since the building was not erected, the statement about the expenditure of money for its erection must also be a mistake. You must also have thought that the money had been expended, and also thought that it had been taken from the Sanitarium.
Since you wrote in such it positive manner that the Lord had shown you so and so with reference to the above matter it, but later having learned that this was a mistake, you state that you thought so and so about it. Is it not possible that a greater mistake was made in condemning the Sanitarium managers for doing something, that you thought had been done, when in reality it had not, neither had such a thing been contemplated by them?
While Dr. Kellogg was in Europe, there was some talk of attempting to erect a medical college building in Chicago, a committee was appointed, and some sites looked at, and some rough sketches made, but further than this nothing was done, for there seemed to be no possibility of securing the money with which to erect it, and besides, when Dr. Kellogg returned from Europe, he was opposed to going ahead with the plan.
The following, taken from the records of the American Medical Missionary College, will show just what was done with reference to the building just referred to:
"The Board of Trustees of the American Medical Missionary College met Monday at nine o'clock, June 19, 1899, in the Hospital Committee Room, Battle Creek, Mich. Present, trustees Judge Jesse Arthur, Dr. H. F. Rand, and Dr. A. B. Olsen. Present on invitation, Dr. Wm. A. George and Dr. J. M. Craig; Judge Arthur being president pro tem., presided at the meeting.
"The meeting was opened by prayer by Dr. H. F. Rand. Dr. Olsen then made a brief statement of his visit to the meeting of the Association of American Medical Colleges and stated that the American Medical Missionary College was not voted upon at the meeting, but action was deferred until another year. He then emphasized the importance of securing a suitable building for the College to be located in Chicago; he stated he believed that this would aid greatly in putting the College on a favorable basis before the world and secure a desirable recognition. That it should be remembered that the chief reason why the Board of Health of Illinios did not recognize our school fully was because it had not a suitable building for clinical work and instruction.
"After a free discussion of the matter, Dr. Rand offered and moved the adoption of the following resolution, which motion was seconded by Dr. Olsen, and unanimously carried and said resolution adopted; said resolution as follows:
"Whereas, It is the sense of this Board of Trustees that this College should be provided with a suitable college building in the city of Chicago, as soon as possible, therefore be it resolved, That as soon as practical, a suitable site in said city be procured by lease or purchase and a college building be erected thereon, to be completed within a year from this date, and to cost not to exceed the sum of $65,000 in all; and that the property of this College known as No. 28 College Place, Chicago, Ill., be disposed of as soon as it can be sold at a reasonable price, and the proceeds of such sale be used in procuring such site and erecting such college building; and further, that a committee composed of Chairman Jesse Arthur, and the Secretary, Dr. A. B. Olsen, and Will K. Kellogg, who is invited to act as a member of the committee, of which invitation the secretary is directed to notify him, is hereby appointed to carry into effect the objects and purposes of the resolution with full power and authority to act in the premises, and further that said committee is requested to have prepared plans and specifications for said building and submit to this Board for consideration."
- JESSE ARTHUR, Pres. pro tem.
- A B. OLSEN, Secretary.
This action was taken several months after your testimony relating to the Chicago building was received, but it never occurred to the Board that it in any way referred to the Medical College building, because it stated that a large building had been erected, and that money had been taken front the Battle Creek Sanitarium for the purpose.
Since at the time your testimony was received, the college had not thought of erecting a building in Chicago, and no building had been erected, — how could one be justly criticized for saying that no building had been erected? And since the contemplated building of the Medical College was to be paid for by the proceeds of the sale of the property at 28 Thirty-third Place, which is worth about $50,000, and since no money was taken from or expected, from the Battle Creek Sanitarium for its erection, where does the misappropriation of funds by the Sanitarium Board come in? And furthermore, the plans adopted did not contemplate the erection of a large building, but to dispose of the building at 28 Thirty-third Place in order to secure a location and building better adapted to the needs of the medical students. It was never even suggested that the Sanitarium be in any way called upon to furnish the money for this enterprise.
In a recent letter from your son, W. C. White, referring to the Chicago work, we quote as follows: "You may ask, 'Why was Dr. Kellogg reproved for a work being done by his associates while he was in Europe?' Mother says in answer to this, that "it is Dr. Kellogg's plans which have shaped the medical missionary work in Chicago," and that as matters are presented to her, 'whatever is done, he is the doer of it! "
Does God accuse a man of being guilty of something he was entirely ignorant of and had no part in whatever except to disapprove of when he was informed of the facts?
- Hamilton, New Castle,
- Jan. 3, 1899.
- To the Sanitarium Board.
- Dear Brethren:
"I write to ask you if you will not make some substantial donations to our San. at Summer Hill, Sydney." . . . "Dr. Kellogg thinks he can raise a thousand dollars to furnish the building."
"I am directed by the Lord to call upon you to do something for us, and to do it now." "Some division of your funds must be made for this purpose."
An Appeal for the Work in Australia, 1899, p. 36:
"The B. C. San. has received thousands of dollars in donations which should be passed over to institutions of other countries which are struggling for an existence. And more than this, the profits at the San. should largely be used in helping similar institutions in needy circumstances. I am now directed by the Lord to call upon you to do something for us and to do it without delay. Some division of your fund must be made for this purpose."
Sanitarium Charter, 4595 - - Sec. 6. 3303:
"All the funds of said Corporation shall be faithfully and exclusively used for the purposes thereof, as set forth in its articles, and the same shall be wholly used within the State."
It might be of interest in this connection to state that you were quite a large stockholder in the Health Reform Institute, and that when it was proposed to reorganize, you were advised of the fact and you gave instruction to the managers of the Sanitarium as to the distribution of your stock. The minutes of the Sanitarium Board of June 25, 1899, contain the following:
"A list of thirty-nine names from Sister White to become stockholders was read by the secretary and accepted."
We also quote part of a letter from the secretary acknowledging the receipt of the names.
- BATTLE CREEK, Mich., June 6, 1899.
- ELDER W. C. WHITE, "Sunnyside," Cooranbong, New South Wales.
Dear Brother: I acknowledge receipt of your two blanks relating to Sister White's stock in the old Health Reform Institute. We are glad to receive the names sent, and will see that they are notified at once, as the time expires July 1st, but as the names have already been received and acted upon by the Board, we have dated them in June, and when signed and returned, they will be entered as stockholders in the Michigan Sanitarium and Benevolent Association. As you intimate in your letter, there are a number on the list who have had stock assigned them and certificates have been sent. We will forward to the others at once, also the Declaration of Principles. Elder Haskell sent us his name, and recommended a number who were already stockholders. We notice that your name is not on the list, but have included it. If you will sign the enclosed blanks, and also have the other parties sign and return, I will see that they are properly entered on our stockholders' book.
It would afford us pleasure at any time to keep you informed in reference to the progress and general outline of the work. Anything I can do for you at any time in reference to any matters mentioned above, I will be glad to do it."
"With kind wishes to your mother and all friends,
- Sincerely yours,
- (Signed) W. H. HALL, Sec'y."
When you authorized the distribution of your stock at the time of the reorganization, the Lord knew that one of the fundamental principles with reference to the distribution of the funds was that the same should be wholly used within the State.
The stockholders may have been at fault in permitting the managers to reorganize in the way in which they did, but since they did reorganize under a charter which demanded that all funds be wholly used within the State, were they not morally and legally bound to respect the regulation of the "powers that be." Had the managers acceded to the demand, "I am now directed by the Lord to call upon you to do something for us and to do it without delay," would they not have violated the Bible instruction given in Romans 13:1, "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God?"
While the demand, "some division of your funds must be made for this purpose," could not be granted, the managers of the Sanitarium did lend their best efforts toward securing money for you elsewhere and as a result several thousands of dollars were sent to you.