The Health Institute by John Nevins Andrews

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 19, 1867

The Health Institute.

By John Nevins Andrews

It was my privilege some weeks since to visit our excellent Health Institute located at Battle Creek. I then designed to speak my thoughts concerning it in a very few days, but a continued press of other duties has filled up all my time, and occupied all my thoughts. I take this comparatively late hour, therefore, to say a few words.

It gives me much pleasure to bear my testimony to the excellence of this Institution for the benefit of the sick. Though as yet in its infancy, it gives the best evidence that it is in excellent hands, and that those who seek treatment, instruction, and rest, may find all these in so pleasant and agreeable a combination as to secure the restoration of health. I cannot doubt that the hand of God has been directly concerned in the establishment of this Institute.

I have some knowledge of the difficulties under which those have had to labor who have brought it to its present prosperous condition. I think there are many things in its brief history that indicate the providential care of the Most High. Under a strong, abiding, conviction that the wisdom of God has called our people to this undertaking, I cherish the most lively interest in its success, and bear my testimony to its present worth as an Institution of health.

The Health Reform engages the attention of our people as it does that of no other denomination of which I have any knowledge. How fitting, then, that such a people should establish an institution where the principles of health shall be inculcated, and where the sick may find relief by conforming to the laws of their being. We have no occasion, and no wish to disparage other Health Institutions. Some of us are, in the providence of God, much indebted to them for the recovery of our own health or that of our friends. But none of them occupy exactly such ground as we wish to stand upon, and without rivalry, or contention, or any evil motive, we wish to do what we deem our duty in this great work, leaving others to do theirs.

To me, therefore, with the interest that I feel in the Health Reform, and the intimate connection that it has in my mind with the reform in Bible truth in the work of the third angel, it is a matter of devout thanksgiving that such an Institution has been successfully established, and that physicians competent to conduct it, and who fear God and love his truth, are placed at its head.

And now, brethren, we appeal to you for one more effort in behalf of the Health Institute. You have responded nobly to the calls for means with which to lay its foundation. We ask you to aid its immediate enlargement. We do not ask you to give one cent, but we invite you to invest your money in an institution where it may be the means of great good to others, while at the same time it shall yield a fair return of income to yourselves. The entire income will belong to the stockholders, and to no one else. If, therefore, you fear a speculation, you will see that the proceeds of it come into your pockets, and not out of them; and if any of you desire to receive nothing as a return, you can have your part of the income devoted to the relief of such patients as can pay nothing.

But there is no spirit of speculation in this matter. A far nobler motive governs the action of our people in this enterprise. We mean to honor God by an institution that shall instruct the ignorant, relieve the distressed, and bless the despairing, by showing how that the sick may recover health, and by teaching those who have health how to avoid wasting and destroying it. We are satisfied that this may be done without burdening any of our people. Nay, we believe that even the poor among us could, as a matter of economy, make no better investment of their savings, than by taking, at least, a single share. With proper effort, some who are now saving nothing of their earnings could lay by a sum sufficient to take one share, and could thus aid in a noble enterprise, while they at the same time make a small investment that shall yield them a fair return. We invite all our people to act in this matter. Some can do largely: all can do something. Shall it be said of us, “They have done what they could?”

J. N. ANDREWS.

Manchester, N. H., Feb. 3, 1867.