With tears he expressed his anxiety for our institutions at Battle Creek. Said he: “My life has been given to the up-building of these institutions. It seems like death to leave them. They are as my children, and I cannot separate my interest from them. These institutions are the Lord’s instrumentalities to do a specific work. Satan seeks to hinder and defeat every means by which the Lord is working for the salvation of men. If the great adversary can mold these institutions according to the world’s standard, his object is gained. It is my greatest anxiety to have the right man in the right place. If those who stand in responsible positions are weak in moral power, and vacillating in principle, inclined to lead toward the world, there are enough who will be led. Evil influences must not prevail. I would rather die than live to see these institutions mismanaged, or turned aside from the purpose for which they were brought into existence. {1T 106.3}

Med tårer udtrykte han sin bekymring for vore institutioner i Battle Creek. Han sagde: "Mit liv er blevet givet til at opbygge disse institutioner. Det synes at være som døden at forlade dem. De er som mine børn, og jeg kan ikke skille min interesse fra dem. Disse institutioner er Herrens redskaber til at udføre et særligt arbejde. Satan søger at hindre og tilintetgøre ethvert middel, ved hvilket Herren virker (107) for menneskers frelse. Hvis den store modstander kan forme disse institutioner efter verdens standard, er hans mål nået. Det er min største bekymring at have den rigtige person på det rigtige sted. Hvis de, der besidder ansvarsfulde stillinger, er svage i moralsk kraft, vaklende i principper og tilbøjelige til at lede hen mod verden, er der tilstrækkelig mange, som vil lade sig lede. Ond indflydelse må ikke få overhånd. Jeg vil hellere dø end at leve og se disse institutioner styret forkert eller vendt bort fra den hensigt, de blev til for.