The Story of our Health Message

“A Hopeful Outlook”

“Such pecuniary assistance as they may require” was offered to persons of promise who would “come to the sanitarium to receive a short course of preliminary instruction, and then go to some reputable medical college to complete their studies.” Still the response continued to be deplorable until the summer of 1891. Then very suddenly the discouraging prospect of securing an adequate number of prospective physicians of the right character was changed. Under the heading “A Hopeful Outlook,” Dr. Kellogg reported: SHM 255.3

“A few months ago we were almost in despair with reference to a supply of laborers for the great field of medical missionary work which seems to be opening up before us. In reply to the earnest appeals we had been making for several years, for young men and women to be educated for the medical missionary work, and notwithstanding the favorable terms held out as an inducement to well-qualified young men and women to engage in the work, only two or three had offered themselves as candidates for the preparatory course. SHM 255.4

“A few weeks ago, however, when we were almost disheartened and had begun to think that it was impossible to arouse an interest in this line of work, one or two promising young men, and as many young women, offered themselves for the work, and within three or four weeks a number of others were added to the list, until at the present time we have thirteen young men and seven young women—twenty in all—who have pledged themselves to medical missionary work and are pursuing studies preparatory to engaging in the work under the auspices of the sanitarium.”—The Medical Missionary, June, 1891. (See p. 271.) SHM 256.1

Let us look in on a meeting held in the sanitarium parlor, in the evening of August 18, 1891, a few weeks after the foregoing announcement appeared. There we should find the members of the General Conference Committee, the sanitarium board of directors, and most of the twenty members of the new medical class, with Elder O. A. Olsen, president of the General Conference, acting chairman. Dr. Kellogg rehearsed the efforts put forth during the preceding fifteen years to encourage young men and women to obtain a medical education. He pictured the “deep regret, distress, and discouragement” brought to those who had devoted time and money to their education, because many who had been assisted had, after a short time, disconnected from the cause, to enter upon independent medical work. In some instances not only had they manifested “little or no regard for the reformatory principles represented by the institution,” but had even used the influence and prestige gained by their connection with the sanitarium for the advancement of their personal interests. SHM 256.2