General Conference Daily Bulletin
January 30, 1893
Extracts from Testimonies
“A responsibility to spread the knowledge of hygienic principles rests upon all who have enjoyed the benefits of health reform. This responsibility rests upon every man and woman who claims to be a Seventh-day Adventist, and much more by those who are connected with our health institutions. All should realize that this is an important part of the Lord's great work for the salvation of souls. Let it be the aim of all to be laborers together with God for the uplifting of humanity. All should be educators by precept and example. They should feel a personal responsibility to send forth fully instructed men and women who shall exert a direct and saving influence in the homes, the communities, and the churches to which they go. This would be the very best advertisement that any of our institutions could have.” GCDB January 30, 1893, par. 1
“God's blessing will rest upon every effort made to awaken an interest in health reform; for it is needed everywhere. There must be a revival in regard to this matter; for God purposes to accomplish much through this agency. Present temperance, with all its advantages in reference to health. Educate people in regard to the laws of life, so that they may know how to preserve health. The efforts put forth at the present time are not meeting the mind of God. Drug medication, as it is generally practiced, is a curse. Educate away from drugs. Use them less and less, and depend more upon hygienic agencies, then nature will respond to God's physicians,—pure air, pure water, proper exercise, a clear conscience. Those who persist in the use of tea, coffee, and flesh meats will feel the need of drugs, but many might recover without one grain of medicine if they would obey the laws of health. Drugs need seldom to be used.” GCDB January 30, 1893, par. 2
“My mind is much perplexed, my soul is burdened, because I discern many things which our brethren do not see in regard to the prosperity of our institutions. The medical branch of the work is the most difficult matter now before us. I have received letters from Presidents of Conferences and from men of property, and have also had interviews with these brethren, in reference to establishing health institutions in different States. I could not encourage this without a careful consideration of the wants of the cause of God in every branch. I have brought before their minds the difficulties we have had to meet in the institutions already established, the discouragements that came in because there was such a dearth of men of piety, of principle, of unswerving integrity, of well balanced minds, of unselfish interest,—men who were wholly consecrated to God. Men of this character are the only ones that should have a controlling power in our institutions. GCDB January 30, 1893, par. 3
“I have been shown that the matter of establishing and conducting health institutions should come under the supervision of the General Conference. Such institutions should be established, only when after careful and prayerful consultation it is decided to be essential for the advancement of the work of Bible hygiene and temperance, for the good of suffering humanity. GCDB January 30, 1893, par. 4
“Our schools are under the supervision of the General Conference. This body decides as to the advisability of establishing new schools, as to how much means it is wise to invest, and also as to the educational force to be employed. Our medical institutions should stand in the same relation to the General Conference and the great whole. The establishment of a health institution is too important a matter to be left to the independent management of a few interested individuals. If the enterprise is under control of the General Conference, the way is open for deliberate counsel and a careful consideration of the matter, and if it is undertaken, there will be a united force to give it influence and standing, and this will contribute largely to its success. Under such management, a class of workers could be enlisted that otherwise could not be secured, and thus the enterprise would prosper when it would prove a failure in ordinary hands. And furthermore, there must be an authority to guard such an institution, so that persons who are not qualified shall not be allowed to grasp responsibility through selfish ambition in their professional line as physicians. GCDB January 30, 1893, par. 5
“The Christian physician cannot maintain a supreme regard for his own individuality, acting in his profession without reference to his fellow-physicians, and indifferent or careless in regard to his accountability to God, or the relation he sustains to the cause of God at large. He should not enter upon important enterprises, such as the establishment of a Sanitarium upon his own independent judgment, pleading his desire to serve the cause of God, but in his works serving himself.” GCDB January 30, 1893, par. 6
“I have been shown that the physicians in our health institutions should feel that they are under the same obligation to follow Christ in all their devising, and in their connection with their medical line of work, as are the workers in our colleges or publishing houses. Not the least selfishness should be practiced in any one of these instrumentalities of God. Human reason and the world's customs are not to be followed. GCDB January 30, 1893, par. 7
“Men who are controlled by selfish desires should not remain connected with our institutions, and their course of action would better be exposed, that every church of Seventh-day Adventists may know what principles govern these men. This would be a wise and just precaution; for through their medical profession this class take advantage of interests which the Conference has built up at great labor, and sustained at great expense. Under the name of Seventh-day Adventists they establish themselves among our people, and represent themselves as working for the good of the cause. They are accepted as Christian physicians, and there is need that men and women should go forth into these various places, and act as missionaries in the capacity of Christian physicians; but they should be under the direction of the Conference. The people are so anxious to have institutions established, that they may encourage men who come among them to take upon them the responsibility of building institutions. But there are many who are practicing physicians who do not work with an eye single to the glory of God, but for the sake of gain to themselves.” GCDB January 30, 1893, par. 8
“I am much perplexed in regard to many matters concerning the education of men and women to become medical missionaries. I could wish that there were one hundred nurses in training where there is one. It ought to be thus. Both men and women can be so much more useful as medical missionaries than as missionaries without the medical education. I am more and more impressed with the fact that a more decided testimony must be borne upon this subject, that more direct efforts must be made to interest the proper persons, setting before them the advantages that every missionary will have in understanding how to treat those who are diseased in body, as well as to minister to sin-sick souls. The double ministration will give the laborer together with God, access to homes, and will enable him to reach the higher classes of society. An intelligent knowledge of how to treat disease upon hygienic principles, will gain the confidence of many who otherwise would not be reached with the truth. GCDB January 30, 1893, par. 9
“I have been surprised at being asked by physicians if I did not think it would be more pleasing to God for them to give up their medical practice and enter the ministry. I am prepared to answer such an inquirer: ‘If you are a Christian and a competent physician, you are qualified to do tenfold more good as a missionary for God than if you were to go forth merely as a preacher of the word. I would advise young men and women to give heed to this matter.’ GCDB January 30, 1893, par. 10
“Guilt rests upon us as a people who have had much light, because we have not appreciated or improved the light given upon health reform. Through misunderstanding and perverted ideas many souls are deceived. Those who teach others and who should be shepherds of the flock will be held accountable for their willing ignorance and disregard of nature's laws. This is not a matter to be trifled with, to be passed off with a jest. As we approach the close of this world's history, selfishness and violence and crime prevail as in the days of Noah, when the old world perished in the waters of the flood. As Bible believers, we need to take our position for righteousness and truth. GCDB January 30, 1893, par. 11
“As a people, we are not doing one fiftieth of what we might do as active missionaries. If we were only vitalized by the Holy Spirit, there should be a hundred missionaries where there is now one. In every city there should be a corps of organized, well disciplined workers; not merely one or two, but scores should be set to work.... More attention should be given to training and educating missionaries with special reference to work in cities.” GCDB January 30, 1893, par. 12