The Story of our Health Message

A School of Health Needed

In the latter part of 1876, Testimonies for the Church, No. 27, appeared. In it reference was made to the combined work done by Jesus in healing the sick and preaching the gospel, indicating that He “devoted more time and labor to healing the afflicted of their maladies than to preaching.” It was also pointed out that Christ’s commission to the disciples, in sending them forth, included the healing of the sick as well as the preaching of the gospel. In caring for their physical health, the reception of truth into their minds was made more likely. When the Master shall come, it is recorded in Scripture, “He will commend those who have visited the sick and relieved the necessities of the afflicted.” “We are slow,” continued Mrs. White in this connection, “to learn the mighty influence of trifles and their bearing upon the salvation of souls.”—Testimonies for the Church 4:225. SHM 240.1

If these principles were to be carried out in the gospel work of the church, opportunity must be afforded whereby laymen and ministers might receive a broader education in health principles. It was natural that they should look to the sanitarium physicians for such training. Dr. J. H. Kellogg and his associates recognized the need and greatly desired to meet it, but for a time serious difficulties seemed to make it impossible. There was no place where there were facilities for the holding of a school of health. Moreover, the few physicians at the sanitarium were overwhelmed with the responsibilities of caring for the rapidly growing work. With the erection of the new building in 1877, however, the first of these difficulties was removed, and even before the work of building was completed, the medical staff felt sufficiently freed from responsibility to announce the opening of a “School of Hygiene.” SHM 240.2

The first notice of this new enterprise is found in the Review and Herald of December 20, 1877, where Elder S. N. Haskell referred to the move as another important step in the progress of present truth. In retrospect he reviewed the “broader plans” and the “additional helps” that had been progressively undertaken for the purpose of enlightening others “in regard to the solemn truths that relate to the time in which we live.” He could rejoice that the publishing work had expanded till it represented an invested capital of $150,000, and that there was an organized force of missionary workers to scatter the publications that came from the presses in Battle Creek, Michigan, and in Oakland, California. Battle Creek College, now in its third year, was attended by nearly four hundred students, and workers trained for the ministry were going forth yearly from its doors. The medical work was now represented by the largest sanitarium in the world, and the health journal was finding “more readers than any other similar journal in America.” After recounting these progressive steps, Elder Haskell continued: SHM 241.1