PARADISE VALLEY SANITARIUM, located one mile and a half east of National City, Cal., and six miles south-east of the city of San Diego, was formally dedicated, Tuesday, April 24, 1906. The day, bright and balmy, was a notable one in the history of the youngest member of the great family of sanitariums.
About five hundred enthusiastic friends of the institution were present to enjoy the exercises, and attest loyalty to the principles for which the sanitarium stands. The program consisted of two parts, one of which was carried out in the afternoon, and the other in the evening. The platform of the court, where the exercises were held, and all the public rooms, were decorated with fragrant flowers and with white and green bunting. Seats for the people were placed on the cemented floor of the court and on the spacious verandas.
The opening prayer was offered by Elder W. M. Healey. The chairman of the afternoon meeting, Elder G. W. Reaser, gave a concise but interesting account of the movement projected by Elder James White and Mrs. E. G. White, which has already resulted in the establishment of more than fifty sanitariums. He especially emphasized the essential Christian spirit that pervades these institutions.
PARADISE VALLEY SANITARIUM
“The Sanitarium Idea” was the subject of a very interesting address given by Elder S. N. Haskell. The speaker based his remarks on the narrative of Christ’s healing the man “sick of the palsy,” as given in the second chapter of Mark. In a vivid word-picture he illustrated the intimate connection between the forgiveness of sin and the healing of disease. The gospel is the power of God to save from physical sin or disease, as well as from moral sin.
Mrs. E. G. White read a part of Isaiah 42 as an introduction to her address entitled “In Touch with Nature.” It was with a view to man’s health and happiness that God originally placed him in an environment of the varied phases of nature. It was not until after the advent of sin into the world that men began to build cities, and shut themselves away from nature. The prevalence of disease in the world is in no small degree owing to the fact that men are very generally ignorant regarding the remedial agencies in nature. Other things being equal, the nearer we live to the beautiful works of God, the stronger and healthier we shall be.
In the dedicatory prayer, Chaplain J. F. Ballenger implored God’s richest blessing upon the institution, upon the patients who shall come from year to year, upon the managers and helpers as they rededicate their lives to the service of the great Medical Missionary who went about doing good.
The guests were favored with the presence of Dr. Longshore Potts, who originally built and developed the Potts Sanitarium, now christened the Paradise Valley Sanitarium. Dr. Potts told touching stories of her long life as a teacher of health principles in many lands. While at one time it looked as if her life-work had been a failure, yet she does not look at it in that way now, but regards it as the beginning of a work that is now taken up like a thread that was dropped, to be carried on by stronger hands. She expresses her conviction that the blessing of God is with the present promoters, and that in his providence, through them, many of her cherished ideas in connection with this institution will yet be realized.
In behalf of the citizens of National City, Pastor R. E. Whittemore, of the Baptist church, welcomed the sanitarium managers into the hospitable community of National City.
Dr. W. F. Gearhart, of San Diego, who, like several other speakers, was drawn to this section on account of the beautiful climate, had become very much interested in the methods employed in our sanitariums, and expressed great confidence in the success of the institution, located as it is in the beautiful climate of San Diego Bay.
At the close of the afternoon exercises the guests were treated to an inspection of the buildings and a demonstration of the prevailing methods of treatment. The visitors were especially impressed with the arrangement of the treatment rooms, composed of two complete sets, one for men and one for women. The rooms are at each side of long corridors, and are fitted with the latest electrical appliances and other devices for the scientific treatment of patients. Dr. Dow gave demonstrations of the X-ray machine, the Violet Rays, and other recently invented methods for applying electricity in the treatment of disease.
Luncheon was served at 5:30 P. M. in one of the spacious dining-rooms, under the direction of Mr. Dan Fitch, who is in charge of the sanitarium’s culinary department.
Prof. E. S. Ballenger, president of the institution, was chairman of the evening exercises. Excellent music furnished by the National City band added much to the interest of this part of the program. Chairman Ballenger delivered an address on “The Power Behind the Sanitarium Idea.” By way of illustration, the speaker referred to the fact that interwoven with every piece of rope used by the British navy there is found a red thread. In the sanitariums conducted by Seventh-day Adventists, the red thread is the Christian spirit that dominates the work of these institutions.
In a few well-chosen words, Elder W. M. Healey sketched the rapid “Development of the Allied Sanitariums of Southern California.” He said that the three sanitariums represented the concrete realization of the long-cherished hopes of the friends of the “sanitarium idea,” living in southern California. The climatic advantages of all these institutions he declared to be beyond the possibility of adverse criticism. But not even the Glendale or the Loma Linda Sanitarium enjoys a climate so equable throughout the year as does the Paradise Valley Sanitarium.
In a very interesting manner, Elder W. C. White related his earlier “Sanitarium Experiences.” He feelingly described the founding of a small sanitarium in the heart of a great eucalyptus forest in New South Wales, Australia.
The Paradise Valley Sanitarium is located in one of the most charming semitropical regions in the world—orange, lemon, and olive groves on every side, the grand old Pacific in full view to the west, picturesque mountains lifting their lofty heads in a long series toward the east, while to the south are green, rolling hills with the mountains of old Mexico for a background.
Gen. A. W. Greely, chief of the United States Signal Service, is authority for the statement that the forty square miles in which the city of San Diego is situated, has the most equable temperature known to any part of any main land in the world. The humidity of this section is lower than that of any other point on the Pacific Coast. During the last nineteen years San Diego has had an average of only thirteen days of foggy weather a year. Here we have the greatest amount of sunshine in the winter, when it is most needed. The latest available records give the percentage of sunshine in December, for San Diego at 74, Chicago at 33, New York at 45. Here cyclones, storms, frosts, earthquakes, and extremes of all kinds are unknown, and the air comes fresh and sweet from the blue Pacific. Such a climate, combined with a normal diet, rational treatment, balmy, quiet surroundings, must naturally work miracles in restoring the sick to health.
The property of the Paradise Valley Sanitarium was purchased two years ago by Mrs. E. G. White, J. F. Ballenger, and Mrs. Josephine Gotzian. Although the institution does not technically18belong to the Southern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, it has the confidence and moral support of the brethren of the conference. Those in control of the institution stand ready to transfer the property to the Southern California Conference as soon as the latter deems itself in a position to assume the responsibility.
Ever since it has been opened to the public, the institution has been liberally patronized. It has ample facilities to treat and care for at least seventy-five patients. The present owners have expended thirty thousand dollars in enlarging the main building and in refurnishing it. It has now double the capacity of the original building. We feel sure that the institution is destined to become, in the hands of God, an agency for the accomplishment of untold good.
Those desiring to learn more concerning the sanitarium and its work will be furnished a booklet upon application to the Paradise Valley Sanitarium, National City, Cal. G. W. RINE.
