Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 24 (1909)

Ms 132, 1909

Talk/Talk given by Mrs. E. G. White to the Patients and Workers in the Hinsdale Sanitarium.

Hinsdale, Illinois

August 10, 1909

Previously unpublished.

Matthew 5:1-2. Now we can know who are blessed. Verses 3-5. We want to take these things in when we get a little bit discouraged, thinking we are having a hard, close time. We want to gather up all the precious jewels and promises and we want to consider them. We are the very people in this world that love and fear God, that shall realize His blessings. 24LtMs, Ms 132, 1909, par. 1

Verses 14-15. Now a charge comes to us every one that will put their trust in Christ and love Him. Verse 15. “Let your light so shine before men,” etc. [Verse 16.] Now here is the blessed promise for every one of us who will put our trust in Jesus Christ. “For verily I say unto you,” etc. Verse 18. Now we never should feel, because we are afflicted, that we do not have the attention of Christ and that He does not observe us, because He does. 24LtMs, Ms 132, 1909, par. 2

We have evidence because He has expressed Himself that as a people we must have charge and care of the afflicted ones and that we must have just such sanitariums as we have here. They were not then so fully developed as they are at the present time, but we begun very small. We begun in our own home. We took the sick and afflicted and the suffering. We had no sanitarium. It was before any sanitarium was created in Battle Creek, but there were so many suffering we took them right into our house and cared for them, and we saw the manifest glory of God in doing this. 24LtMs, Ms 132, 1909, par. 3

I remember one lady was thrown from a sleigh. She was the highest teacher in the highest school in Battle Creek. Her husband was with her. She was riding in a sleigh. It was at the time when the fashions were to wear hoops. It had been raining and her husband said, “Wife, jump out, jump out,” and she did, but her hoops caught and she fell on the ice. The blood came out of her nose and ears and they did not think she would live. I said, “Here is our house right close by, take her in and we will do all we can for her.” The doctor came and asked what we were doing for her. We told him we had her feet in a bucket and her hands in another bucket. He looked at her and said, “You know better how to manage her than I do,” and away he went. 24LtMs, Ms 132, 1909, par. 4

For four weeks she would not have anyone wait on her but health reformers. She said, “They know what to do. They have done everything for me day and night. They tell me I will recover. I feel so thankful. I do not want to eat anything only just what they prepare.” So the health reform began just that kind of way. We would take the suffering ones right to our own rooms, and the dying ones, we watched over them as best we could. So we got to thinking we should have a sanitarium in Battle Creek. I traveled from place to place and got so weary caring for the suffering ones. They would send for me notwithstanding all the doctors. There was sickness that seemed to be unto death, but we mastered it and the blessing of God came upon the receivers. We had to take the burden. The doctor’s children died, three right at once. Diphtheria was the difficulty. 24LtMs, Ms 132, 1909, par. 5

Well, we studied it out and had a sanitarium right in Battle Creek, and then we begun to feel relieved. Then there had to be good common sense used always as to just how to treat the ones that were afflicted. That is just what the sanitariums are for. It is to have an intelligence as to how to treat the afflicted and have a wisdom that will reason from cause to effect and know just how to do the work. So we feel thankful that there are places where we know they are undertaking to care for their sick and afflicted. We felt we had reason to be thankful we had worked along for some time without any help. We fed them and clothed them, but we thank God now that we have sanitariums, and none too many. 24LtMs, Ms 132, 1909, par. 6

We are glad to see the provision being made in this place to care for the sick. We are glad that you have Brother Paulson to plan for you the very best that he can do, and everyone of us ought to be thankful, because we know what it is to breast the sickness. 24LtMs, Ms 132, 1909, par. 7

One of the first one that came to the sanitarium the first few weeks was one that was taken very sick. Well now, we thought that one should not die, that it would be against the sanitarium. They sent for me. I said, “What is it?” They said, “Here is this woman that is going to die, she is picking the bedclothes nigh unto death.” I said, “What have you done for her?” “We have done what we could.” Then I said, “Let us take hold of the mighty Healer.” Now I know that prayers are being offered for the sick here. I know that. So we knelt down and asked the Lord not to discourage us in our first efforts to do the best we could to relieve the sick. I tell you we were in earnest about it. 24LtMs, Ms 132, 1909, par. 8

I felt that case could not be given up, although every appearance was that she was in the last stage of sickness. So they prayed, and while praying, her senses seemed to come to her and she said, “Is this Sister White?” “Yes.” “Well,” said she, “I am glad to see you.” We were glad to hear that from her lips. Well, she lived for years, and I do not know but she is living now. 24LtMs, Ms 132, 1909, par. 9

I want to tell you, if we are trusting in God and doing our part, that it is possible to relieve the sick, then we can ask the Lord to bless our efforts to restore the sick and suffering ones. We know and Dr. Paulson knows that He has heard such prayers again and again. If it is the will of God, we know that His light will shine upon the sick one, and we know that He hears prayer because He hears prayer over and over again. And now with the knowledge we have of how to treat the sick, and they get knowledge by coming to the sanitarium as to how they can treat themselves when sick, it is a wonderful gain by coming to the sanitarium. They can see what was done for them while sick and suffering, and they got relief by simple means which God has provided the suffering one. And more than that, they can have an evidence that there is a God back of the human agency and that He works in behalf of the sick and suffering. 24LtMs, Ms 132, 1909, par. 10

Now, we are so thankful that we have these sanitariums to which we can bring the sick and suffering ones, and we hope that those suffering with disease can come and make Christ their wonderful Healer, and have trust and faith and look to Him in suffering and distress and believe that He is a God that hears and answers prayers. Now believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. 24LtMs, Ms 132, 1909, par. 11

I would no more dare to be out here as I am, at nearly eighty-two years of age, and yet speaking Sabbaths and Sundays—I would no more dare to be here and yet knowing that there are those coming to our large camp meetings, thousands sometimes and more than that. We know that the presence of God is realized by His people and we will praise Him for that, and we want to say that God is the mighty Healer. Back of all it is He that does the work, so our minds should be taken away from the human agents. While we are grateful and thankful for the instruction given to preserve life and keep our health, yet when sickness comes, call upon the Lord and He will, if it is for His glory, answer the petition and will remove away the sickness in accordance with the treatment that has been given. 24LtMs, Ms 132, 1909, par. 12

Now I am thankful, Brother Paulson, that we have a mighty God, the One that was crucified for us, who gave His life for us, that His light is upon us, and He said, “Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.” [Matthew 7:7.] Now we will trust Him and believe that He is our Saviour today, and we want to put our trust in Him this very day. We want to believe that He has not forsaken the earth nor forsaken His people, that He makes ample provision that His people may have attention and be cared for, and the physicians and helpers and those that take care of the sick, understand what they are about. In this provision we are to be very grateful to God for His goodness and mercy and love to us. 24LtMs, Ms 132, 1909, par. 13

Now, do not let us for a moment distrust our precious Saviour. Remember Christ lives, He is risen from dead. He has ascended on high; He has led captivity captive and given gifts unto men. Now that is His work, and we do not appeal unto Him as we should in trust and confidence. We are glad for all these helps to lead us to look to Jesus and trust in Jesus, and we believe His Word just as He tells us as little children. 24LtMs, Ms 132, 1909, par. 14

Now, Christ was giving wonderful lessons to His disciples and the mothers came with their children. They came that they might go to Jesus and have His hands laid on them and bless them. Now the disciples says, “You must not disturb the Master, He is giving lessons to this crowd.” Christ caught the words and He said, “Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” [Matthew 19:13, 14.] What a lesson is that to us! I thank God with my heart and soul and voice that we can put our trust in a higher power and we can be workers together with God. His blessing will rest upon us and will rest upon those that believe in Him. 24LtMs, Ms 132, 1909, par. 15

May the Lord bless the sick. May the Lord bless the afflicted that are not able to walk about as some do, and may the Lord bless those that can walk about, for this is a beautiful place. I thank God that such provision can be made for you here and in every place where such provisions are made. We ought to bow our hearts in thanks to God. 24LtMs, Ms 132, 1909, par. 16