Manuscript Releases, vol. 15 [Nos. 1136-1185]

MR No. 1170—Right Preparation for Medical Missionary Work

(Written August 3, 1904, from Washington, D. C., to Dr. W. H. Riley, a physician at the Battle Creek Sanitarium.)

I have a most earnest desire that you shall stand free in the Lord. I pray that you may have the moral courage to stand firm for the truth, and to hold fast the beginning of your confidence unto the end. Do not allow yourself to be led away from truth to receive fables. It is of no avail to bring to the foundation material represented by wood, hay, and stubble. Such material will be utterly consumed. Let us remember that we have been bought at an infinite price by the Son of God. Our physicians must not allow themselves to be held in control by another man's mind, as they have been, fearing to open their lips to differ with their chief. 15MR 258.1

The missionaries of the Christian church are to stand in their God-given manhood, with the privilege of exercising freedom of speech and freedom of faith. When they see that a fellow laborer is not doing as a man in his position ought to do, they are not to harmonize with his plans, or to be cowered into silence by a masterful spirit. For them to do this would be a great injury to him and to them. 15MR 258.2

Our physicians should not be required to verify statements that they know are not true. How dare they do this? How dare anyone require it? They do great harm to a speaker when they listen to false statements without making any protest or correction. 15MR 258.3

Our physicians are to stand where no binding influence will hold them speechless when they hear wrong sentiments expressed. At times, with burning earnestness and words of terrible severity, Christ denounced the abominations that He saw in the church and in the world. He would not allow the people to be deceived by false claims to righteousness and sanctity. 15MR 259.1

We are to unify, but not on a platform of error. That which has been said in the Testimonies in regard to Living Temple and its misleading sentiments, is not overdrawn. Some of its theories are misleading, and their influence will be to close the minds of those who receive them against the truth for this time. Men may explain in regard to those theories, nevertheless they are contrary to the truth. Scriptures are misplaced and misapplied, taken out of their connection and given a wrong application. Thus those are deceived who have not a vital, personal experience in the truths that have made us as a people what we are. 15MR 259.2

We are living amidst the perils of the last days. We are to watch unto prayer. We are to put our entire trust in God, glorifying Him. Daily we are to learn lessons from the greatest Medical Missionary that ever trod this earth. He is our tabernacle of witness for heavenly things. He will not accept that which has been done in bringing so much of a commercial spirit into the medical missionary work, neither will He accept the Laodicean condition of the Medical Missionary Association. This association is not doing the work indicated by its name. It is not preparing a people to obtain a sound, healthy experience, which will stand the test of the judgment. I am sorry, for God is dishonored. His work, which should be a praise in the earth, is belittled. False sentiments have been entertained, and a strange work has been done. 15MR 259.3

The great Medical Missionary was a wonderful healer. He worked the most convincing miracles. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He spoke only the truth. Continually there fell from His lips the precious words that bring spiritual strength to those who make them a part of the daily life. Spiritually we are built up from the food that we give the mind. 15MR 260.1

It is our privilege to receive the bread of life from the great Medical Missionary, who came to give life to the world. Truth, pure, refining, ennobling truth, came from His very heart. He spoke words of heavenly wisdom, which will make men wise unto salvation. His heart was constantly burning with the love that brought Him from heaven to our world. His goodness and His power enabled Him to reveal in His life the truth that He came to this earth to bring to the fallen race. 15MR 260.2

In every word, in every fact, He manifested the love of God, cheering and encouraging the downcast and distressed. In heavenly wisdom He asserted His true majesty by bending all things to the present and future happiness of human beings. He came to teach men and women how to live here below the life of which He gave them an example—the life that will make them fit to enter the abodes of bliss. 15MR 260.3

In His breast mercy may be said to have held her court. Hear His words of compassion, spoken to relieve the sin-sick culprit, “Thy sins be forgiven thee” [Matthew 9:2]. His work was a representation of true medical missionary work. He brought healing to soul and body. In His life was enshrouded the love, the pity, the compassion, the joy, of heaven. Thousands were healed by His word, “I will; be thou whole.” By His work, His glory was so plainly revealed that demons were pained, and when compelled to cease tormenting human beings, confessed Christ to be the Holy One of God. 15MR 260.4

This work Christ did to show men that He was the tabernacle of witness, that the Word had been made flesh. In the human encampment, amongst the erring and sinful, Christ pitched His tent. He lived close to the poor and the lowly, yet He was the King of glory. He would make all familiar with His character, that we might be partakers of the divine nature, and thus become one with Him in faith and practice. He declares, “All things are delivered to Me of My Father” [Matthew 11:27]. “All things that the Father hath are Mine” [John 16:15]. “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth” [Matthew 28:18]. Why was this wonderful transfer made but that Christ might be the world's Redeemer, the incarnate Saviour! 15MR 261.1

To John the Baptist, shut up in prison because of his fearless testimony against the licentiousness and the unlawful marriage of Herod, there came discouragement. He thought, Why does not Christ exercise His power and deliver me from prison? He sent his disciples to Christ with the inquiry, “Art Thou He that should come? or look we for another?” [Luke 7:19]. 15MR 261.2

At the time, Christ was surrounded with the sick and with those who desired forgiveness of sins. Instead of immediately answering John's disciples, He turned to the multitude. The arm mighty to save was made bare. He spoke, and the deaf heard His voice. He touched the eyes of the blind, and they opened to behold the blessed light of day. At His word fever was rebuked. He looked on the dying, and they were brought back to life and health. The frenzied demoniac was freed from the power of evil spirits, and fell down and worshiped the Deliverer, declaring Him to be the Christ of God. Then, turning to John's messengers, Christ said, “Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; ... and blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me” [Luke 7:22, 23]. 15MR 261.3

When Jesus was about to ascend to His Father, He gave His ministry of healing to His followers, leaving with them the commission, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” [Matthew 28:19, 20]. 15MR 262.1

The great Teacher, while on this earth, gave His whole life to teach us how to work as devoted, consecrated missionaries for God. In the prayer that He offered for His disciples just before His trial and crucifixion, He declared, “I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.... I have manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest Me out of the world” [John 17:4, 6]. 15MR 262.2

He came to our world to reveal the character of God. At the hands of those whom He sought to save, He received insult, mockery, and abuse. They crucified Him, but He broke the fetters of the tomb, and ascended to His Father, there to intercede as our Mediator. 15MR 262.3

The words that we are commanded to teach are the very words that Christ spoke while on this earth. We can dispense with human sophistry. Those who teach it will not have the heavenly endorsement, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” I call upon you, my brother, to be a free man. The time you have spent in the Sanitarium has not given you the qualifications that would fit you to be a co-worker with the great Medical Missionary in saving souls. Had you placed yourself under the instruction of the greatest Teacher the world has ever known, He would have given you an education that would have prepared you to work with Him. You would not have obtained an experience that would have almost unfitted you to be Christ's co-laborer in the healing of the souls and bodies of His people. 15MR 262.4

Men and women are being held in the Battle Creek Sanitarium who are needed in the world to proclaim the message that the Lord is soon to come with power and great glory. This warning message must be proclaimed. Those who know the truth for this time are to go forth to take it to those who know it not. They are to cooperate with Christ, the great Missionary, whose work it was to draw men to God. He was content to conceal Himself, to hide His divinity under the garb of humanity. 15MR 263.1

I call upon those who are at Battle Creek losing their faith and losing their first love, to come away and take hold of the work of God in neglected fields, as soon as they have recovered from the influence of the seducing theories that have threatened to spoil them for the ministry of the word and for the precious missionary work in which they might engage were they fully established in the faith. Actions speak louder than words. 15MR 263.2

A world is perishing in sin, and God calls for workers. He wants one thousand at work in the highways and the hedges, where now there is but one. We have no time to listen to idle tales and false science. The faith of many will be revived when they will humble their hearts before God, and go forth to fulfill the commission of Christ, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” 15MR 263.3

Had a large part of the company of students who have been gathered into Battle Creek, engaged in the work as evangelists, colporteurs, and canvassers, trying in humility to teach the Word, there would have been a much more spiritual and sacredly intelligent medical working company. Had they gone forth, taking Christ as their Teacher, many who may never again become settled in the truth would have received an education that would have enabled them to open the Scriptures to others. Large numbers would have been converted and would have put out their talents to usury, teaching the things that Christ has commanded. But alas, they have been given a knowledge that, in the day of judgment, when the books will be opened, and every man judged according to the deeds done in the body, they will wish they had never accepted. Better never to have learned the lessons they have been learning in unbelief and lack of faith, in sophistry and untruthful representations. 15MR 263.4

Oh, may God open blind eyes! May He have pity on our people, who have so little judgment and wisdom!—Letter 281, 1904. 15MR 264.1

Ellen G. White Estate

Washington, D.C.,

February 13, 1986.

Entire Letter.