p. 5 | Paradise Valley Sanitarium by F. M. W.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 30, 1915

Paradise Valley Sanitarium

By F. M. W.

Notes From the Field—No. 8

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA is the great health resort of the United States. Thousands of tourists visit this section of the country every year. The tide of travel has been very greatly quickened during the last few months on account of the Panama Exposition at San Francisco. The annual influx of visitors to the State, many of them seeking health, has called into existence a large number of sanitariums. Nearly every town of any size has some sort of sanitarium or medical resort. It was with the idea of reaching this class of people that our sanitariums in Southern California were established.

Paradise Valley Sanitarium

Following the close of the Loma Linda council, it was our privilege to spend several days at the Paradise Valley Sanitarium, located one and one-half miles from National City, and six miles from San Diego. Probably better and more equable climatic conditions are to be found in this place than in the locality of any other sanitarium in this country. There is but little comparative change in temperature between night and morning, and in the various seasons of the year. The institution is splendidly located, the views from the verandas extending southward into Old Mexico, and westward to the broad Pacific, where ocean liners may be clearly seen plying back and forth between the ports of the West coast and between this and other countries. Santiago, a city of nearly one hundred thousand inhabitants, furnishes a large amount of the patronage for this institution. We were pleased to find the sanitarium fairly well filled with guests, although the winter season is the time of largest patronage.

It was a pleasure to mingle with the guests, some of whom were deeply interested in our church work. Dr. W. J. Johnson is the only physician in this institution, but, though unaided, his services are affording excellent satisfaction, not only to the guests, but to the management and workers of the institution. Brother Charles E. Rice is business manager, his wife, Mrs. June Rice, is matron, and Miss Myrtle M. Phillips is head nurse. Brother and Sister Rice have worked very hard for the building up of the work here, and the Lord has certainly blessed the efforts of the earnest, united family which we found in this institution.

Since our last visit extensive and much-needed repairs have been made, and we found the sanitarium and its equipment in excellent condition. This sanitarium, like other of our institutions, is handicapped with a heavy load of interest-bearing indebtedness, but substantial reduction has been made in this debt during the last few years. The hearty cooperation between the medical and business departments in this institution has contributed greatly to its success. This spirit of cooperation must characterize every branch of our denominational work if it is to succeed. When our brethren and sisters work hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder, keeping the glory of God in mind rather than their own personal honor and advancement, God will recognize this spirit. The most improved facilities are demanded by the character of the work which our sanitariums are attempting to do. They need to employ the most efficient and up-to-date methods in their operation along both medical and business lines, but even these methods will not succeed without the spirit of cooperation. Better a thousand times to work unitedly with poor equipment than to have every needed facility with the spirit of division and pulling apart in the family of workers. United we stand; divided we fall.

If we were sick and in need of rest, we know of no institution where we could find a more delightful climate than at the Paradise Valley Sanitarium, or where there is a more wholesome spirit.

We were pleased to meet at this place Elder and Mrs. Meade MacGuire. Sister MacGuire came to the sanitarium months ago in a very serious state of health, but by the blessing of the Lord she has so far recovered as to take the position of cashier and accountant in the sanitarium, where she is rendering most efficient service. We met here also Brother B. E. Tefft, at one time a faithful, earnest colporteur, but who has been compelled on account of ill health to lead a quiet life for a number of years. The Lord is blessing Brother Tefft in the local responsibilities which he carries from time to time in connection with the church and the sanitarium.

It was our privilege during our visit to meet with the church and speak to them on the occasion of their prayer meeting on Wednesday evening.

Glendale Sanitarium

Five hours’ ride from the Paradise Valley Sanitarium brought us to the sanitarium at Glendale, a little suburban town near Los Angeles. This institution is reached by excellent trolley service from the larger city, from which the greater part of its patronage is derived. In contrast with the quiet, rural surroundings of the Paradise Valley Sanitarium, the Glendale Sanitarium is really a city institution. It occupies, however, a very quiet section of the town, and the beautiful grounds on which it is located, ornamented with palms and ferns, are very attractive, supplying in a large measure the lack of the quiet rural atmosphere. This institution is practically always well filled with guests. At the time of our visit it was enjoying an excellent patronage.

The medical staff is composed of three regular physicians,—Dr. D. D. Comstock, Dr. Belle Wood-Comstock, and Dr. Mary Zener. Miss L. A. Santee is head nurse. For several years a strong educational campaign throughout the territory and among the churches contiguous to Glendale, has been carried forward by the physicians and nurses of this institution. Reports of this educational work have appeared in the columns of the REVIEW from time to time. The Lord has added his blessing to the

earnest efforts of these medical workers.

The institution has in Elder V. H. Lucas an efficient business manager, who is laboring earnestly to promote the general interests of the work. The Lord is giving him wisdom in dealing with the perplexing problems which he has to meet. Brother C. F. Marvin, as chaplain of the institution, looks after the spiritual interests of the family. His labors are greatly appreciated by both the guests and the workers.

We have always enjoyed meeting with the nurses in Glendale. We found here a devoted company of young men and women who have given their lives to the cause of suffering humanity. Many excellent workers have gone out from this institution, some to foreign fields, and we believe that from the ranks of those who are now in training, others will go out to earth’s remotest bounds as bearers of the gospel message. To the young people in the sanitarium, and to a large number of the church people, it was our privilege to speak Sabbath afternoon.

The sanitarium is carrying on a branch institution in Los Angeles under the direction of Dr. H. F. Rand. We were glad to find Brother and Sister Rand still earnestly engaged in the work. The Lord is blessing the efforts which are being put forth in the great city of Los Angeles.

An earnest effort is being made on the part of the Pacific Union Conference to rid its institutions of all indebtedness. During the past year a very faithful campaign has been carried on under the leadership of Elder G. W. Reaser, in the raising of an educational relief fund of $150,000. This amount will enable our brethren to pay all indebtedness on their educational institutions, and also to do needed promotion work, particularly in connection with Pacific Union College. Their efforts in raising this fund have been greatly blessed, and at the time of the Loma Linda council $142,000 was already pledged, with a number of additional pledges representing several thousand dollars contingent on the sale of property. The brethren confidently expected that the close of the year would witness the full realization of their hopes in the raising of this large fund. We rejoice to see these efforts being made in various sections of the field. Surely the Lord would have us free from the great burden of debt, and we believe that where earnest efforts are put forth, his providence will open the way for this to be accomplished.

Similar efforts were made last year in behalf of the educational work in the Columbia Union Conference, resulting in entirely freeing the academy at Mount Vernon, Ohio, from debts under which it had labored for many years. The brethren in the Atlantic Union Conference hope to see the indebtedness on South Lancaster Academy fully met as the result of their efforts in behalf of the Twenty-cent-a-week Fund during 1915.

And as we seek to pay off these great loads of indebtedness, let us learn the lesson of avoiding debt in the future. The building of institutions should be made conditional on the raising of the necessary funds before the work is begun. When the Lord, by his providence, commands us to arise and build, he is willing to supply the means whereby the work may be done, as he did for the tabernacle in the wilderness. The first step we are to take in observing the command, is to go to the people and solicit funds for the work, believing that the same Spirit which leads us to build will open the hearts of the people to provide the means for the building.

Returning from California by way of the Southern Pacific, it was our privilege to call at our State office in San Antonio, and greet Brother and Sister C. C. Mattison at the headquarters of the South Texas Conference. We shall remember their courtesy, and also the hospitality of Brother and Sister Conway, by whom we were kindly entertained.

Sabbath was spent with the church in New Orleans, La. We had the privilege of speaking to the seventy-five believers living in this great metropolis of the South. Brother and Sister J. A. Morrow are carrying forward the work in this center. The Lord is blessing their labors. At the time of our visit an active campaign was going on in behalf of the Harvest Ingathering Signs. This church has already paid into the treasury its full quota of twenty cents a week a member for the cause of missions, but it is still pressing forward in the work, taking pleasure in exceeding the standard set for them.

What is being done in New Orleans is but a beginning of the great work which should be done in this important city of the South. Here we find a cosmopolitan population, a mingling of two civilizations, represented in English and Latin America. We shall rejoice when the time comes that funds can be appropriated to carry forward an active work, not alone for the English-speaking people, but also for the French- and Spanish-speaking peoples living here.

We recount many times the providences of God in connection with the advancement of this movement. We may well do this, for the Lord has wrought in marvelous ways; but let us not forget that much more remains to be done than has yet been accomplished. The unwarned multitudes in our great cities, not alone in North America, but in the whole world, make stirring appeal to our liberality and our missionary endeavor. We must do for them all that lies in our power. But as we cannot do all that we would, we must believe that God will take account of our feeble efforts, and will bless them and make them effective with his own mighty power to the carrying forward of this work to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. When the work in any field is handicapped by the lack of men and means, let us remember that, having done the best we can, the infinite God will add the resources of his power to every honest, sacrificing effort which is put forth. It required only six days for the material earth to come forth from his creative hand. By the exercise of that same power, the finishing of this work may be accomplished speedily. May God grant that we shall so fully consecrate ourselves to him that we may prove unobstructed channels through which his grace may freely flow to the world.

F. M. W.