Medical Ministry

An Elixir of Life

When a sanitarium is established in the country, the sick can breathe the pure air of heaven. As they walk among the flowers and trees, joy and gladness fill their hearts. It is as if the smile of God were upon them, as they look upon the beautiful things He has created to bring joy to their sad hearts. MM 233.1

Life in the open air is good for body and mind. It is God's medicine for the restoration of health. Pure air, good water, sunshine, beautiful surroundings—these are His means for restoring the sick to health in natural ways. MM 233.2

The fact that in the country all these advantages can be obtained is a powerful incentive to the establishment of a sanitarium in the country. There the institution can be surrounded by flowers and trees, orchards and vineyards. The effect of such surroundings is as it were an elixir of life. MM 233.3

It is worth more than silver or gold to sick people to lie in the sunshine or in the shade of the trees. And whenever opportunity offers, let those in charge of them draw lessons teaching the love of God from the things of nature, from the lofty trees, the springing grass, and the beautiful flowers. Every opening bud and blossoming flower is an expression of God's love for His children. Point them upward to Him whose hand has made the beautiful things of nature.... MM 233.4

Life Only in Christ

The fruit of the tree of life in the Garden of Eden possessed supernatural virtue. To eat of it was to live forever. Its fruit was the antidote of death. Its leaves were for the sustaining of life and immortality. But through man's disobedience death entered the world. Adam ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the fruit of which he had been forbidden to touch. This was his test. He failed, and his transgression opened the floodgates of woe upon our world. MM 233.5

The tree of life was a type of the one great Source of immortality. Of Christ it is written, “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.” He is the fountain of life. Obedience to Him is the life-giving, vivifying power that gladdens the soul. Through sin man shut himself off from access to the tree of life. Now, life and immortality are brought to light through Jesus Christ.... MM 233.6

Benefits of Open-Air Exercise

Why deprive the patients of the health-restoring blessing to be found in out-of-door life? I have been instructed that as the sick are encouraged to leave their rooms and spend time in the open air, tending the flowers, or doing some other light, pleasant work, their minds will be called from self to something more health-giving. Open-air exercise should be prescribed as a beneficial, life-giving necessity. The longer patients can be kept out of doors, the less care they will require. MM 234.1

The more cheerful their surroundings, the more hopeful they will be. Surround them with the beautiful things of nature, place them where they can see the flowers growing and hear the birds singing, and their hearts will break into a song in harmony with the song of the birds. Shut them in rooms, and, be those rooms ever so elegantly furnished, they will grow fretful and gloomy. Give them the blessing of outdoor life; for thus their souls will be uplifted, unconsciously, and, in a large sense, consciously. Relief will come to body and mind.... MM 234.2

Health and Joy in Field and Orchard

Our Redeemer is constantly working to restore in man the moral image of God. And although the whole creation groans under the curse, and fruit and flowers are nothing in comparison with what they will be in the earth made new, yet even today the sick may find health and gladness and joy in field and orchard. What a restorative this is! What a preventive of sickness! The leaves of the tree of life are for the healing of the believing, repenting children of God who avail themselves of the blessing to be found in tree and shrub and flower, even marred as nature is by the curse.—Manuscript 41, 1902. MM 234.3