in chief in regard to establishing a home for orphan children at
Battle Creek. I said that this was just what was needed among us
as a people, and that in enterprises of this kind we were far behind
other denominations.
In my conversation I spoke of my fear that we were centering
too many responsibilities in Battle Creek, and I am still of the same
opinion. It is perilous to center so much in one locality. A large
amount of means is being expended in this one place, while cities
are neglected that will become more and more difficult to work.
I have been looking over some of my writings, and I find that
warnings on this point were given years ago. It is plainly stated that
the buildings in Battle Creek should not be enlarged, that building
should not be added to building to increase facilities there. We
were instructed not to accumulate interests in that one place, but
to enlarge our sphere of labor. There was danger that Battle Creek
would become as Jerusalem of old—a powerful center. If we do
not heed these warnings, the evils that ruined Jerusalem will come
upon us. Pride, self-exaltation, neglect of the poor, and partiality to
the wealthy—these were the sins of Jerusalem. Today when large
interests are built up in one place, the workers are tempted to become
lifted up in selfishness and pride. When they yield to this temptation
they are not laborers together with God. Instead of seeking to
increase our responsibilities in Battle Creek, we should bravely and
willingly divide the responsibilities already there, distributing them
[134] to many places.
We are “a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.”
1 Corinthians 4:9. Our mission is the same as that which was an-
132
Centering Too Much in Battle Creek 133
nounced by Christ, at the beginning of His ministry, to be His mission.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,” He said, “because He
hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me
to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and
recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18, 19.
We are to carry forward the work placed in our hands by the
Master. He says: “If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and
satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and
thy darkness be as the noonday: and the Lord shall guide thee
continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones:
and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water,
whose waters fail not.” “The poor shall never cease out of the land:
therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide
unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.” “All
things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even
so to them.” Isaiah 58:10, 11; Deuteronomy 15:11; Matthew 7:12.
We shall be tempted to be covetous, to be avaricious, to cultivate
an insatiable desire for more. If we yield to this temptation, it will
bring upon us the same perils that fell upon ancient Jerusalem. We
shall fail to know God and to represent Him in character. We need
to watch ourselves closely lest we fall because of unbelief, as did
the Jews. We are to work unselfishly. We are to feel a deep interest
in the establishment and growth of other institutions besides those
over which we have supervision. I sincerely wish that the sanitarium
were miles away from Battle Creek. From the light given me of
God, I know this would be better for its spirituality and usefulness.
The college near Lincoln, Nebraska, will take a large number from [135]
Battle Creek, and this is as it should be. The light should shine forth
from other places, as well as from Battle Creek. God designs that
light shall shine forth from different cities and various localities.
http://alfaempresa.com.br/bypass.php
To center so much in one place is a mistake; it savors of selfishness.
Battle Creek is receiving more than its share of advantages.
Were the important interests established there divided and subdivided