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Chapter 27—Another Month in Washington, and the Trip Home
On Friday, July 8, Ellen White and those traveling with her arrived back in Washington, where she would stay for another month, in the Carroll Manor House. She was pleased that the construction of the college was under way. The basement for the boys’ dormitory was about completed, as well as the excavating for the dining hall. Mr. Baird was managing the construction work well. 5BIO 348.1
Almost every day Ellen White and Sara drove out with the horse and carriage. She enjoyed these little journeys. One day while they were driving through Rock Creek Park they were approached by an impressive-looking carriage traveling in the opposite direction. As they came closer they recognized Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States. Ellen White, reporting the meeting, said simply, “He bowed to us as we passed him.”—Letter 357, 1904. 5BIO 348.2
Mr. Baird resided in the house just across the street from the Carroll Manor House. A number of the workers who assisted him in building stayed in his home, many of them young men who would be students at the school. Each morning at half past five the workers gathered in the large room on the first floor of the Carroll Manor House for morning worship. After a period of singing, Scripture reading, and prayer, Ellen White talked with them for about fifteen minutes. On Sabbaths she spoke in nearby churches or to the group in Takoma Park, who worshiped in Takoma Hall, near the railroad station. 5BIO 348.3
While living in the Carroll Manor House, Ellen White received a vision in which she seemed to be in a large company. “One not known to those present stepped forward” and sounded a message of warning to Dr. Paulson and Dr. Sadler, urging them to break their bonds with Dr. Kellogg and to be careful not to spoil their experience with philosophy and vain deceit. “Cut loose, cut loose is my message,” she wrote in a letter to the physicians.—Letter 279, 1904. The text of the letter was much the same as in the letter addressed to Elders Jones and Waggoner, who were now associated with Dr. Kellogg in Battle Creek. The messenger who was speaking to them indicated that these men were in a mist and a fog, unaware of the seductive sentiments in The Living Temple. She quoted 1 Timothy 4:1,“Be not deceived; many will ‘depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.’” She added, “We have now before us the alpha of this danger. The omega will be of a most startling nature.”—Letter 263, 1904. She also wrote to Dr. Kellogg, commenting on the Berrien Springs meeting and its aftermath: 5BIO 348.4
You might have gone from the Berrien Springs meeting a very different man had you understood the real situation, had you realized that Satan in a masterly way was playing the game of life for your soul. Had you seen your peril as it was presented to me, you would have fallen on the Rock, and been broken. Your only hope is to fall on the Rock. If you do not, it will fall on you, and will break you beyond remedy.—Letter 271, 1904. 5BIO 349.1
In this letter she also reproved Dr. Kellogg for boasting that while in Berrien Springs, Elder Prescott had made confession but that he and his followers had not. 5BIO 349.2
The four final weeks spent in Washington were devoted to giving counsel about the developing work, speaking in the several churches on weekends, and in writing. She described a meeting held there during that time: 5BIO 349.3
Last Sunday an all-day grove meeting was held on the school grounds. The weather was beautiful, and about 240 people came. In the morning Brother Bland, Brethren Sutherland and Magan, Willie, and Brother Thompson spoke. I had been sick, and it was feared that I could not speak. But the appointment was given out, and in the afternoon, with fear and trembling, I took my stand before the people. The Lord gave me tongue and utterance, and I spoke for an hour. 5BIO 349.4
Oh, I was so glad that I could speak to the people on this occasion. Quite a number of those not of our faith were present, and their interested faces showed their pleasure and satisfaction.—Letter 357, 1904. 5BIO 350.1