Our Medical College by M. C. WILCOX

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 18, 1915

Our Medical College

By M. C. WILCOX

How many of our REVIEW AND HERALD readers realize that we have a medical college of our own, one belonging to us as a people? I wish to tell them a little about the school and the institution with which it is connected, though the reports and statistics I expected to get are not at hand.

The College of Medical Evangelists is connected with the Loma Linda Sanitarium, at Loma Linda, about sixty miles east of Los Angeles, on the Southern Pacific Railway. The station and post office are both at the sanitarium.

With the early history of this beautiful spot and how it came into our possession many are familiar. The building was erected by a syndicate of physicians as a home for certain classes of patients who were not benefited by ordinary treatments, but it did not prosper. It was bought by our people, on the advice of Sister White, at a greatly reduced price.

Since that time the real estate holdings in the beautiful valley at the foot of the Hill Beautiful—for such is the meaning of Loma Linda—have been greatly increased in both quantity and quality. Many cottages have been built, and are now occupied by physicians and others connected with the sanitarium. The institution has a fine engine house from which steam and power are furnished, an excellent dairy established, silos, fine alfalfa fields, and good wells for irrigating, besides the orange orchards, gardens, etc. Altogether there are about three hundred acres in the farm. There are also a store, a bakery, and a laundry, which are conducted prosperously.

I was at Loma Linda during the light season of the year for the sanitarium, but I understood that financially it was not running behind, and a large patronage was expected as the opening year advances. Dr. T. J. Evans is the medical superintendent of the institution, and Elder J. A. Burden is the manager.

Connected with the sanitarium, under the same board of managers, is the College of Medical Evangelists. Its equipment is growing more complete, and the management is meeting this need bravely and economically. For the school there have been built of reenforced concrete a young women's dormitory, a laboratory, and a hospital. A young men's dormitory is greatly needed. The young men are doing the best they can in scattered cottages.

There are in the medical and medical evangelist classes about eighty students, besides those in the nurses' classes. The first full five-year medical class was graduated and received diplomas last year. Other classes are doing good work. A portion of the last two years of study is conducted in Los Angeles.

Bible instruction has its appointed and regular place in class studies, together with some work in missionary lines. If our conferences could place another Bible teacher and practical missionary worker there,—an expense which ought not to be demanded of the college,—it would be of great benefit. I found it too much for my health to outline and develop four lessons a day for five days in the week, and carry the spiritual burden one must bear for the members of the classes. Then, too, the students at Loma Linda are exceptionally strong students, most of them having been graduated from advanced schools among us.

I found in my Bible teaching excellent response on the part of the students, and a desire to fit themselves to be actual medical evangelists. Besides the medical students there are devoted, earnest souls among the nurses. Our praise and consecration meeting at the close of the week of prayer was both inspiring and encouraging. It was with keen regret that I severed my associations with these classes composed of young men and women who have seen somewhat of the God-given vision of work and heard the call of the Master.

So far as time permitted acquaintance, I enjoyed associating with the other members of the faculty and with our people in Loma Linda. Dr. Newton Evans is well liked by the medical students as far as they are acquainted in the little time he has been with them. He and Dr. W. A. Ruble, Dr. A. L. Shryock, and all other members of the faculty are working earnestly for the success of the school. Elder F. M. Burg, who follows me as Bible teacher, will, I am sure, do well in Bible teaching and evangelical work.

There will always be difficulties in God's work, but the triumph in the difficulties will make stronger men and stronger institutions. Take an interest in our medical college, and pray for its success.

M. C. WILCOX.