Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 17 (1902)

Ms 97, 1902

Talk/Medical Dispensary Work

Petaluma, California

June 12, 1902

Portions of this manuscript are published in LLM 72-72b.

Remarks of Mrs. E. G. White at the Petaluma, California, camp-meeting, June 12, 1902, after a short talk by Elder W. S. Sadler on the advantages of having a medical dispensary in the basement of the San Francisco church. 17LtMs, Ms 97, 1902, par. 1

I am very thankful to hear what I have heard today, because it is an evidence that the hand of Providence is guiding the wheel, in order that a deeper impression shall be made upon minds than has hitherto been made in regard to the gospel medical missionary work. 17LtMs, Ms 97, 1902, par. 2

From the light that has been given me, the medical missionary work and the gospel ministry are never to be divorced. They are to be bound together as one work. Christ is the head of the body—the Church, and we are to work unitedly with Him. Referring to our relation to Him, the apostle says, “We are laborers together with God.” [1 Corinthians 3:9.] 17LtMs, Ms 97, 1902, par. 3

Some have inquired why the Saviour came at the time that He did. He came at that time because He saw that it was necessary for Him to be on the earth in person to dispute Satan’s authority, which had become almost supreme. He joined issue with Satan, but He never trusted to human words to meet the enemy’s temptations. He always met temptation with the words, “It is written.” Thus He conquered after His fast of forty days and forty nights in the wilderness. 17LtMs, Ms 97, 1902, par. 4

In the days of Christ there were no sanitariums in the Holy Land. But wherever He went, He Himself was a sanitarium. The Great Physician carried with Him the healing efficacy that was a cure for every disease, spiritual and physical. This He imparted to those who were under the afflicting power of the enemy, healing their diseases and infirmities. He worked so incessantly, so intensely—and often without food—that some of His friends feared He could not much longer endure the constant strain. 17LtMs, Ms 97, 1902, par. 5

His brothers heard of this and also of the charge brought by the Pharisees that He cast out devils through the power of Satan. They felt keenly the reproach that came upon them through their relation to Jesus. They decided that He must be persuaded or constrained to cease His manner of labor, and they induced Mary to unite with them, thinking that through His love for her they might prevail upon Him to be more prudent. 17LtMs, Ms 97, 1902, par. 6

Jesus was teaching the people when His disciples brought the message that His mother and His brothers were without and desired to see Him. He knew what was in their hearts, and “He answered and said unto them that told Him, Who is My mother? and who are My brethren? And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, Behold My mother, and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.” [Matthew 12:48-50.] 17LtMs, Ms 97, 1902, par. 7

The enmity kindled in the human heart against the gospel was keenly felt by the Son of God, and it was most painful to Him in His home, for His own heart was full of kindness and love, and He appreciated tender regard in the family relation. But with their short measuring-line His brothers could not fathom the mission that He came to fulfil and therefore could not sympathize with Him in His trials. 17LtMs, Ms 97, 1902, par. 8

Some of those whom Christ healed He charged to tell no man. He knew that the more the Pharisees and Sadducees and rulers heard of His miracles, the more they would try to hedge up His way. But notwithstanding His precautions, “so much the more went there a fame of Him abroad: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.” [Luke 5:15.] Again and again He was followed by the priests who expressed their violent sentiments against Him in order to stir up the enmity of the people. But when He could no longer safely remain in one place, He went to another. 17LtMs, Ms 97, 1902, par. 9

In doing medical missionary work we shall meet the same opposition that Christ met. He declares: “Ye shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of Man be come.” [Matthew 10:22, 23.] 17LtMs, Ms 97, 1902, par. 10

Christ’s claims as the Redeemer of the fallen race were substantiated by His resurrection. Satan did everything in his power to prevent men from learning that Christ had risen from the grave. He inspired the priests to place in the lips of the Roman guard who acted as watchers around the sepulcher the lie that Christ’s disciples had come and stolen away His body. But the truth could not remain unknown. For forty days after the Saviour rose from the dead, He tarried on the earth and during that time He appeared among men and wrought miracles. 17LtMs, Ms 97, 1902, par. 11

We have a risen Saviour, One who proclaimed over the rent sepulcher of Joseph, “I am the resurrection and the life.” [John 11:25.] He is the Sent of God. In the sixth of John He declares: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. ... Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” [Verses 51, 54.] 17LtMs, Ms 97, 1902, par. 12

We are to teach others how to obtain eternal life. And we should ever remember that the efficiency of the medical missionary work is in pointing sin-sick men and women to Jesus. We are to call upon them to “behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” [John 1:29.] 17LtMs, Ms 97, 1902, par. 13

The life of Christ and His ministry to the afflicted are inseparably connected. And today He is the same compassionate Physician. We should let all the afflicted understand that in Him there is healing balm for every disease, restoring power for every infirmity. The world has departed far from true principles of restoration and health. Perverted appetite and base passion have taken control of the minds of many. Too often inclination to be irritable is strengthened by cultivation. Ill-temper, cherished, destroys the delicate, pure, holy perceptions of the soul. Satan desires to cause us to be worried and harassed over mere trifles, so that we shall lose sight of the weighty matters pertaining to our eternal welfare. 17LtMs, Ms 97, 1902, par. 14

The Lord desires every one to do his best. You may think that you can do very little; but remember that in the parable of the talents, Christ did not represent all the servants as receiving the same amount. To one servant was given five talents; to another, two; and to still another, one. If you have but one talent, use it wisely, increasing it by putting it out to the exchangers. Do what you can to roll back the wave of disease and suffering that is sweeping over our world. Come up to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty powers of darkness. 17LtMs, Ms 97, 1902, par. 15

This medical dispensary work that Brother Sadler has outlined to us is similar to the work that we did in Australia. While we were in Cooranbong, there was no physician within many miles of us; and my nurse, a woman of experience in treating the sick, took the place of a physician in our community. She responded to the many calls made, traveling from place to place and doing the work that God wants many others to do. In this line of work some cannot do as much as others, but every one is to do what he can to relieve suffering. God desires every one of His children to have intelligence and knowledge, so that with unmistakable clearness and power His glory shall be revealed in our world. 17LtMs, Ms 97, 1902, par. 16