May 11, 1877, we left Oakland, Cal., for Battle Creek, Mich. A telegram had been sent to my husband, requesting his presence at Battle Creek, to give attention to important business relative to the cause. In answer to this summons, he went, and engaged earnestly in preaching, writing, and holding board meetings at the Review Office, the College, and the Sanitarium, often working into the night. This wore him fearfully. His constant mental anxiety was preparing the way for a breakdown. We both felt our danger, and decided to go to Colorado to enjoy retirement and rest.
(LS 219.1)
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While planning for the journey, a voice seemed to say to me: “Put the armor on. I have work for you to do in Battle Creek.” The voice seemed so plain that I involuntarily turned to see who was speaking. I saw no one; and at the sense of the presence of God my heart was broken in tenderness before Him. When my husband entered the room, I told him the exercises of my mind. We wept and prayed together. Our arrangements had been made to leave in three days; but now all our plans were changed.
(LS 219.2)
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The close of the school year of the Battle Creek College was at hand. I had felt very anxious for the students, many of whom were either unconverted or backslidden from God. I spent a week laboring for them, holding meetings every evening and on the Sabbath and first day. My heart was touched to see the house of worship nearly filled with the students of our school. I tried to impress upon them that a life of purity and prayer would not be a hindrance to them in obtaining a thorough knowledge of the sciences, but that it would remove many hindrances to their progress in knowledge. By becoming connected with the Saviour, they are brought into the school of Christ; and if they are diligent students in this school, vice and immorality will be expelled from the midst of them. These being crowded out, increased knowledge will be the result.
(LS 219.3)
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Our school is to take a higher position in an educational point of view than any other institution of learning, by opening before the young nobler views, aims, and objects in life, and educating them to have a correct knowledge of human duty and eternal interests. The great object in the establishment of our College was to give correct views, showing the harmony of science and Bible religion.
(LS 220.1)
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The Lord strengthened me and blessed the efforts made in behalf of the youth. A large number came forward for prayers. Some of these, through lack of watchfulness and prayer, had lost their faith and the evidence of their connection with God. Many testified that in taking this step they received the blessing of God. As a result of the meetings, quite a number presented themselves for baptism.
(LS 220.2)
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But my work was not yet done in Battle Creek. We were earnestly solicited to take part in a temperance mass meeting, a very praiseworthy effort in progress among the better portion of the citizens of Battle Creek. This movement embraced the Battle Creek Reform Club, six hundred strong, and the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, two hundred and sixty strong. God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Bible were familiar words with these earnest workers. Much good had already been accomplished, and the activity of the workers, the system by which they labored, and the spirit of their meetings, promised greater good in time to come.
(LS 220.3)
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