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Life Sketches of Ellen G. White
of their own weakness. We must not depend upon human judgment.
[392]
We must seek for the wisdom that God gives....
“In regard to establishing the institution in New York, I must say,
Be guarded. I am not in favor of its being near New York. I cannot
give all my reasons, but I am sure that any place within thirty miles of
that city would be too near. Study the surroundings of other places. I
am sure that the advantages of Washington, D. C., should be closely
investigated.
“The workers connected with the publishing house must be closely
guarded. Our young men and young women must not be placed where
they will be in danger of being ensnared by Satan.
“We should not establish this institution in a city, nor in the suburbs
of a city. It should be established in a rural district, where it can be
surrounded by land. In the arrangements made for its establishment,
the climate must be considered. The institution should be placed where
the atmosphere is most conducive to health. This point should be given
an important place in our considerations, for wherever the office of
publication is established, preparation must also be made to fit up a
small sanitarium and to establish a small agricultural school. We must,
therefore, find a place that has sufficient land for these purposes. We
must not settle in a congested center.
“My brethren, open up the work intelligently. Let every point be
carefully and prayerfully considered. After much prayer and frequent
consultation together, act in accordance with the best judgment of all.
Let each worker sustain the other. Do not fail or become discouraged.
Keep your perceptive faculties keen and clear by learning constantly of
Christ, the Teacher who cannot err.”
The Review and Herald, August
11, 1903
.
[393]
As the locating committee had found nothing in the vicinity of
New York City that seemed to meet their requirements, and as they had
been counseled in both letters to study the advantages of Washington,
some members of the committee decided to go to that city, although
with but little hope of finding the advantages desired. But they were
happily surprised.
“We had not looked about the place long,” wrote one of the com-
mitteemen, “before there began to steal over us a conviction that, after
all, Washington might be the place for our headquarters. The longer
we continued to search, the deeper this conviction grew. We found