Annual Meeting of the California Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association
By E. E. Parlin
THE sixth annual meeting of the California Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association was held at Sanitarium, Cal., June 17 and 18, 1903. Out of a total membership of three hundred and one, one hundred and ninety-one were represented at the meeting, there being forty-two members present in person, besides a goodly attendance of the friends of the association. The president, Elder A. T. Jones, presided at the meetings. In his opening remarks he outlined briefly the work of the association during the past year. In part, he said that the year ending Dec. 31, 1902, like the preceding year, had all been characterized by many changes in our institutional work. Following the incorporation, in July, 1902, of the Los Angeles Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association, the sanitarium and restaurant work, formerly conducted under the auspices of this association, was formally transferred to that organization, Oct. 6, 1902. By the terms of the separation, the reported net gain of $7,107.28, resulting from the work in Los Angeles, was transferred to them in consideration of the Los Angeles association assuming the outstanding indebtedness incurred in starting the work there. Aug. 1, 1902, the Sanitarium Food Company was incorporated, and thereafter, by deed dated Dec. 4, 1902, there was formally transferred to the last-mentioned corporation the five and one-half acres of ground on which the health food factory is located, with the improvements thereon; and, by bill of sale dated Dec. 31, 1902, the various health food stores located at San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego, San Jose, Fresno, Salt Lake City, Provo, the Healdsburg College Bakery and Health Food Store, the Garden City Bakery located at San Jose, and the San Francisco Vegetarian Café and Union Home, were also transferred to the new corporation. By these transfers to the Sanitarium Food Company, our association sustained an apparent loss, based upon the inventories taken at the various stores, in its capital worth of $479.18. But this apparent loss was more than compensated by the assumption in consideration of the transfers already mentioned, of its equal and exact proportion of the entire indebtedness incurred by the Rural Health Retreat and our medical missionary work prior to the time of its separation, on July 28, 1900, amounting, in addition to what it had already assumed, to the sum of $3,999.57. Sept. 10, 1902, an agreement, which has since been fully consummated, was entered into for the sale of what for several years was known as the Helping Hand and Medical Mission in San Francisco, for the amount of cash invested by this association in that enterprise. There were, however, outstanding tickets to the amount of $47.51, which were presented and redeemed subsequent to the time of the transfer, and in the final payment to us we gave credit for the value of the tickets thus redeemed. By these various changes the institutions and enterprises operated under the auspices of the California Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association have been reduced from twenty to six: the St. Helena Sanitarium, San Francisco Branch St. Helena Sanitarium, Sacramento Branch St. Helena Sanitarium, Eureka Branch St. Helena Sanitarium, San Francisco Hydriatic Dispensary, and the Pacific Health Journal. This association is the owner of 1,368 shares, or a little over two thirds, of the capital stock of the Rural Health Retreat Association, and has also purchased and assumed nearly all the outstanding obligations of that association. At a meeting of the stockholders of the Rural Health Retreat Association, duly called and held for that purpose on Jan. 19, 1903, a resolution was unanimously adopted favoring the transfer of all its property to this corporation, in consideration of the payment and satisfaction by this association of its liabilities, and authorizing its board of directors to take any and all legal steps necessary for the complete transfer of its property to us, so that the way is now clear, whenever such action shall be deemed proper, for the final transfer to us, or to such corporation as we may designate, of all the real and personal property standing in the name of said Rural Health Retreat Association, including, of course, the buildings and premises occupied by the sanitarium. Dr. T. J. Evans, medical superintendent, stated that the number of patients at the St. Helena Sanitarium for the first five months of this year was as follows: January, twenty-six; February, twenty-three; March, forty-three; April, fifty-four; May, fifty; that there were at the present time thirty-seven or thirty-eight nurses connected with the institution, of whom four or five were graduates, the others being members of the training-school; that from his limited experience and connection with the work, he had been strongly impressed that the burden of our work was educational and missionary, and not financial. A synopsis of the financial statement of the St. Helena Sanitarium for the year ending Dec. 31, 1902, was then presented by the secretary, showing the net worth of the institution to be $6,563.59. The manager, L. M. Bowen, presented a summary of work accomplished during the first twenty-one weeks of this year, practically illustrating the spirit of self-sacrifice and devotion with which the members of the family had taken hold of the work.20 Remarks were also made by Elder C. L. Taylor, during the course of which he referred to a line of correspondence that had been opened with the secretary of the Mission Board and with Dr. Braucht, with the idea of bringing our institutional work more closely in touch with the missionary fields in other countries and the islands of the sea. Dr. Simpson spoke of the work of the training-school, stating that there were fifteen in the senior class, some of whom were now out in the field at work, but would return in time to complete the year's work. Dr. R. A. Buchanan, superintendent of the San Francisco branch, gave a summary of the results accomplished at that place. A brief report on the work at Sacramento, and the recent changes there, was presented by the secretary, during which a synopsis of work done by Brother T. D. Sanford since his connection with the branch there was read. The financial condition of the Eureka branch was then presented by the secretary. Elder W. S. Sadler then presented a summary of the work accomplished at the San Francisco Dispensary, reading from the plan of organization the statement of principles on which it was founded, and of the direct interest that was being taken in the work of the dispensary by the California Conference. It was stated that, since the opening of the treatment rooms in November, 1902, there had been 564 treatments given, 234 of which were free; that from those able to pay something for the service received, there had been received $112.50, and cash on donation pledges, $43.60, or a total of $156.10, which had been sufficient to meet the expenses of the work, and to leave a small balance on hand of $16.60, to May 31, 1903. Printed copies of the report of the treasurer, with the certificate of the auditor, were then distributed, commented upon, and, upon motion, duly seconded and carried; the report was adopted. Twenty-one persons were stated to have complied with all the conditions of membership, and were unanimously elected to full membership in the association. The following resolutions were adopted:— Whereas, The stockholders of the Rural Health Retreat Association, at its meeting held Jan. 19, 1903, expressed their approval and acceptance of the proposition of the board of directors of this association to purchase its real and personal property upon the terms and conditions stated in resolutions duly adopted by each of said corporations:— 1. We recommend that the incoming board of directors of this association, as soon as practicable, arrange for the transfer to this association of all the real and personal property of said Rural Health Retreat Association upon the terms indicated in said resolutions. 2. We recommend that the headquarters of this association be removed from San Francisco to Sanitarium, Cal., and that the association assume the direct management of the institution. 3. We recommend that an aggressive campaign in education and in the temperance work be carried on during the coming year, and we invite the California Conference and the Sanitarium Food Company to co-operate with us in this campaign. 4. We recommend the co-operation of the nurses in training at the St. Helena Sanitarium in the various lines of medical missionary and evangelical work in San Francisco. Resolved, That we express our appreciation of the great improvement in the appearance of the Pacific Health Journal during the past year, and of its clear exposition of the principles for which it was established; and— 5. We recommend the appointment of a committee of three to carefully inquire into the cost of production, circulation, and general conduct of the paper, with a view to making it self-supporting as soon as possible. 6. We recommend that the various institutions on the Pacific Coast be invited to make more general use of the Pacific Health Journal in connection with their work. Whereas, It is extremely important that our indebtedness shall be rapidly reduced; we therefore,— 7. Recommend, That strict economy in the matter of disbursements be exercised in the sanitarium and all its branches, and that the number of physicians and helpers in our institutions and branches be reduced to the smallest number possible, consistent with the proper conduct of our work. Whereas, The large indebtedness of our educational institutions has been reduced more than two hundred thousand dollars by the united effort of our people in selling “Christ's Object Lessons;” and,— Whereas, A similar effort in behalf of our medical institutions would naturally increase the patronage of our sanitariums, while reducing their debts: therefore,— 8. Resolved, That we instruct the incoming board of directors to give diligent study to the development of plans for a relief effort in behalf of our sanitariums; and further,— 9. Resolved, That we invite the executive committee of the Pacific Union Conference to unite with our directors in the development of plans and the prosecution of the work. The following individuals were elected as directors of the association for the period of two years. T. J. Evans, M. D., W. C. White, W. T. Knox, A. Boeker. Association missionary credentials were granted as follows:— Physicians: R. A. Buchanan, H. E. Brighouse, C. F. Dail, T. J. Evans, Margaret Evans, M. B. MacDonald, A. M. Simpson, F. Zelinsky. Nurses: Estel C. Boger, W. A. S. Beals, Edna Burnett, Esther Hale, Ada Hartley, Lenora Lacey, Mamie Potts, H. Pannarian, Ida M. Rodman, Peter Rosenfelt, T. D. Sanford, Mrs. T. D. Sanford, Emily B. Speer, L. B. Whitney, Mrs. L. B. Whitney.