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The General Conference

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 17, 1909

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 86, No. 24.

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The General Conference

THIRTY-SEVENTH SESSION, MAY 13 TO JUNE 6

Departmental Meetings

Religious Liberty Department

Fifteenth Meeting, May 31, 8 A. M.
THE entire hour was devoted to answering and discussing questions which had been handed in. The questions related both to the principles of religious liberty and to plans for work.
Sixteenth Meeting, June 1, 8 A. M.
The subject discussed at this meeting was, “What Should Be Our Attitude Toward Sunday-Closing of Saloons?” Arguments were presented in favor of legislation closing saloons on Sunday; the impossibility of securing the closing of saloons on all days, and the advisability of working to close them on one day of the week rather than not to have them closed at all. There is more idleness on Sunday than on other days of the week, and hence naturally more liquor drinking, and for this reason Sunday-closing, it was claimed, is justifiable.
These arguments and reasons were quite generally dissented from as unsound and erroneous. Religion can not be dissociated from the Sunday institution. This being so, religion can not be dissociated from Sunday legislation of any character whatsoever. All legislation regarding Sunday must be regarded differently from that pertaining to other days, and be considered religious legislation. All such legislation is simply legislating the Sunday institution into position by piecemeal.
Seventeenth Meeting, June 3, 8 A. M.
A considerable portion of the meeting was devoted to the question considered at the previous meeting, that of the Sunday-closing of saloons. A number of brethren spoke to the question, among them being Elders W. M. Healey, C. S. Longacre, C. D. M. Williams, W. A. Colcord, C. P. Bollman, J. O. Corliss, and the chairman. With a single exception, all took the position that we could not advocate Sunday-closing.
Elder A. J. Breed introduced a resolution calling for the getting out of a Religious Liberty Manual for the benefit of our religious liberty workers.
Eighteenth Meeting, June 4, 8 A. M.
The first part of this meeting was devoted to a discussion of the question of church federation. After the discussion, action was taken favoring the getting out of a statement setting forth our attitude toward the church federation movement. Action was also taken favoring the preparation of a series of Sabbath-school lessons on the subject of religious liberty. The latter portion of the meeting was devoted to the consideration of the work of religious liberty secretaries. W. A. Colcord gave a talk upon this subject, outlining briefly the qualifications, duties, and lines of work of religious liberty secretaries.

Medical Missionary Department

Eighteenth Meeting, June 3
THE first topic announced for discussion was “The Need of Educating Sanitarium Managers and Matrons in Our Larger Sanitariums.”
Dr. D. H. Kress: There is a great need for this class of workers. Our institutions should not be on a commercial basis; the missionary feature should be kept prominent. We should educate young men right in our sanitariums for this work. In connection with every good business manager there should be in training young men who seem to be adapted to this work. Matrons should have a grasp of all parts of the work, and to this end should have had a nurse’s training course in addition to the special training for their work.
The next topic for consideration was “Uniformity in Sanitarium Policies,” by B. W. Spire, of the Nashville Sanitarium. Brother Spire outlined a plan of making use of our health leaflets and pamphlets, with specially prepared covers containing advertisements of the sanitarium making use of them. He believed we should have special literature for all our sanitariums on such subjects as, The Electric Light Bath, The Sanitarium Idea, etc.
Dr. W. A. Ruble called attention to the fact that it is difficult to obtain literature on health topics, and urged that our medical people take a greater interest in this matter. He also suggested that in addition to business managers and matrons we should give more attention to the education of good cooks in our sanitariums.
L. M. Bowen agreed with Dr. Kress, and said that it is a mistake to put an untrained man in charge of an institution; that it is better to put the work in charge of a physician with a steward under him than to have a green hand as business manager. The physician, even though not trained in business methods, will likely do better than a business man not trained in sanitarium methods.
Dr. A. B. Olsen: If possible, business managers, matrons, cooks, and every one holding official positions in sanitariums, should be trained nurses. The responsible persons should have a practical knowledge of the workings and the principles of the sanitariums hardly possible without the training-school course. Even the stenographer is better if a trained nurse.
A. W. Semmens indorsed what had been said in regard to the training of matrons and managers, and referred to the fact that railway magnates have their sons begin work right in the shops, so as to be thoroughly acquainted with every detail of railroading; and also that the most successful hospital managers are those who have begun at the bottom.
Dr. David Paulson outlined the work begun at Hinsdale for the poor. They have secured land, and expect to put up a series of separate institutions, or “units,” to accommodate fifteen to twenty patients. Over each of these units is to be placed preferably a man and his wife who manage the institution, and do all the work, giving treatments, etc. In an experience of this kind one will demonstrate whether he is fitted to manage an institution successfully.
Dr. Lauretta Kress: We are working in the right line in endeavoring to secure more mature persons for our training classes. Among these are always some who are not best adapted to give treatments; some will show an adaptation to the work of manager, or matron, or cook, and should be given special encouragement in this line.
L. A. Hansen believed that our success requires uniformity of methods and rates. Our sanitariums should be one large family, having the one sanitarium spirit, and working for one another.
Dr. W. B. Holden expressed the belief that the best advertising of a sanitarium is a satisfied patient, and that advertising in our leaflets would work against the sanitarium.
Dr. C. F. Ball protested against billboard advertising, and attaching any institutional advertising to our medical literature: