"I urge that our schools be given encouragement in their efforts to develop plans for the training of the youth in agricultural and other lines of industrial work. When, in ordinary business, pioneer work is done and preparation is made for future development, there is frequently a financial loss. But let us remember the blessing that physical exercise brings to the students. Many students have died while endeavoring to acquire an education, because they confined themselves too closely to mental effort. CT 317.1"
"For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."
Both passages discuss the value of physical exercise. The Bible verse states that bodily exercise profits little, but godliness is profitable. EGW highlights the blessing of physical exercise for students, especially in contrast to purely mental effort.
"***** Teachers will meet with trials. Discouragements will press upon them as they see their work unappreciated. Satan will strive to afflict them with bodily infirmities, hoping to lead them to murmur against God, to close their eyes to His goodness, His mercy, His love, and the exceeding weight of glory that awaits the overcomer. At such times let teachers remember that God is leading them to more perfect confidence in Him. If in their perplexity they will look to Him in faith, He will bring them from the furnace of trial refined and purified as gold tried in the fire. CT 317.3"
"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:"
The EGW passage explicitly uses the metaphor of being refined as gold tried in the fire, which is a direct allusion to 1 Peter 1:7.
"Let the hard-pressed, sorely tried one say, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” Job 13:15 ; Habakkuk 3:17, 18 . CT 317.4"
"Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him."
Ellen White directly references Job 13:15 in this passage.