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by Ellen G. White (Author)
This last volume of the series Testimonies to the Church (by Ellen G. White) covers the time span between 1904 and 1909. As the Seventh-day Adventist church and its institutions continued to grow and evolve, continued counsel was needed on a number of issues. During the time that the work was being established in the nation's capital, Mrs. White even made her home there for a period of several months. From there, in the closing years of her ministry, she could give counsel as the new headquarters were being erected, a college established, a new sanitarium constructed, and a new home found for the Review and Herald printing operation. The presence of Mrs. White in the area at that time, helped establish the confidence of church members that God had led in the transfer of the administration and publishing interests to the nation's capital.
While progress was being made in the East, the Adventist medical work was rapidly advancing in the West. Sanitariums were established in National City, Glendale, and Loma Linda, California. From the first, Loma Linda seemed destined to become a training center for medical workers at some future time to do the work for the denomination begun at Battle Creek. During the critical years of the establishment of the medical college, Mrs. White made frequent visits to Southern California, where she could give personal counsel and encouragement, and could assist in the laying of plans for the advancing work.
Because of her many other commitments, "The Ministry of Healing" was the only book issued by Ellen White during the time period covered by Testimonies Volume 9.
The work of the denomination had by this time grown too large for us to mention in detail the various advance steps. The message was now belting the globe, missionaries were being sent out in increasing numbers, more institutions devoted to educational, publishing, and medical interests were being established. The message was truly reaching the ends of the earth.
From the early struggling days addressed by earlier volumes of the Testimonies, the church had grown to include 85,000 members and 1,200 ministers. As the work progressed, Mrs. White continued to encourage the church in the lines of medical missionary work, evangelizing the large cities, home missionary work, and the circulation of literature. In volume 9, Mrs. White also devoted considerable attention to the work among African Americans (which were then known as the "colored people") and also to religious liberty work.
The nine volumes of Testimonies for the Church, of which this is the last, were written over a period of fifty-five years during which the Seventh-day Adventist church continually grew, developed, and prospered. While the counsel given in those testimonies provided safe guidance, the reproof and correction led many straying feet back to the paths of righteousness. The words of cheer and encouragement also revived many a faint heart, and the picture of the reward of the faithful spurred thousands to reach the goal set before them-a work they continue to do today.
