Healthful Living

Chapter 40—Medical Missionary Work

The Present Need

1135. The prosperity of the medical missionary work is in God's order. This work must be done; the truth must be carried to the highways and hedges.—Special Testimonies, Series A 10:30. HL 271.1

1136. Why has it not been understood from the word of God that the work being done in medical missionary lines is a fulfilment of the scriptures? “Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.... Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”—The Review and Herald, May 25, 1897. HL 271.2

1137. The educational work in medical missionary lines is a great advance step toward awakening man to a sense of his moral responsibilities.—Unpublished Testimonies, January 11, 1897. HL 271.3

1138. As religious aggression subverts the liberties of our nation, those who would stand for freedom of conscience will be placed in unfavorable positions. For their own sakes they should, while they have opportunity, become intelligent in regard to disease, its causes, prevention, and cure. Those who do this will find a field of labor anywhere. There will be suffering ones, plenty of them, who will need help, not only among those of our own faith, but largely among those who know not the truth.—The Medical Missionary, 216. HL 271.4

Aim to Educate

1139. They need an education in the science of how to treat the sick, for this will give them a welcome in any place.—Unpublished Testimonies, December 20, 1896. HL 272.1

1140. If we would elevate the moral standard of any country where we may be called to go, we must begin by correcting the physical habits of the people.—The Medical Missionary, 216. HL 272.2

1141. The Lord has given special light concerning our hygienic principles, which should be given to others.... Those who are in ignorance are to be educated how to live in accordance with pure principles; to practise those things that will preserve the body in a healthy condition.—Unpublished Testimonies, July 5, 1892. HL 272.3

1142. The medical missionary can do a great amount of good by educating the people as to how to live.—The Review and Herald, June 18, 1895. HL 272.4

1143. Rally workers who possess true missionary zeal, and let them go forth to diffuse light and knowledge far and near. Let them take the living principles of health reform into communities that to a large degree are ignorant of how they should live.—Unpublished Testimonies, July, 1895. HL 272.5

Open Fields

1144. The South is a field where medical missionary work can be one of the greatest blessings.—Special Testimonies, Series A 6:49. HL 272.6

1145. Those who love Christ will do the works of Christ. They will go forth to seek and to save that which was lost. They will not shun those who are despised, and turn aside from the colored race. They will teach them how to read and how to perform manual labor, educating them to till the soil and to follow trades of various kinds.... The work pointed out is a most needful missionary enterprise.—The Review and Herald, January 14, 1896. HL 272.7

1146. The field for medical missionary work is open before us. We are now beginning to comprehend the light given years ago,—that health reform principles would form an entering wedge to the introduction of religious principles. To voice the words of John, “Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.” Would that all our workers might be enlightened, so that they could work intelligently as medical missionaries, for such knowledge would serve as credentials to them in finding access to homes and families wherein to sow the seeds of truth. We want to feel as Christ felt,—that we cannot abandon helpless, suffering ones to the evils of orphanage, and ignorance, and want, and sin, and crime.—Unpublished Testimonies, June 13, 1895. HL 273.1