Special Mention by S. N. Haskell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 5, 1916

Special Mention

By S. N. Haskell

Calebs and Murmurers

The progress of God’s cause in the earth is a work of faith; and as individuals have different degrees of faith, there have always been among the people of God persons who have questioned every advance move. They were anxious to see the cause of God prosper; but instead of moving because the Lord had commanded to move forward, they wished to see some human reason for advancing.

Every advance move made by the children of Israel in the wilderness developed the murmurers. When the pillar of cloud, God’s own presence, led them to the shore of the Red Sea, they complained and said, “It had been better for us to serve the Egyptians.” After the Lord had led them through the sea, and they began to journey into the wilderness, this same element forgot former victories and sighed for the fleshpots of Egypt, because they could not understand how they were going to be fed in the wilderness.

The great advance reforms among the remnant have been directed by the Spirit of prophecy, and those who have gone forward, have done so because they had faith in the light that was leading the people.

At each advance step there have always been those who murmured and produced many human reasons why we should not follow the light given. My mind goes back to the time when it was first decided to organize a legal corporation to hold the Review and Herald property. Some of our brethren thought it unnecessary. They said, “Why cannot Elder James White hold the property as he has in the past?” They argued that the Lord was coming too soon to form legal corporations.

It was my privilege to help raise the money to build our first college at Battle Creek, and I shall never forget the earnestness with which many of our people argued that we were too near the borders of the promised land to be spending thousands of dollars in building a college; that the Lord would come before the young people could receive a college education.

Soon light was revealed to us that there should be a printing establishment on the Pacific Coast. Again the murmurers were heard saying, “If they wish to print a little local paper in California, that is all right; but this denomination cannot support two large publishing houses.”

The same cry was made when our large sanitariums were built: “Time is too short to put so much money into big buildings to be burned up when the Lord comes.” But these same good brethren did not think time was too short to have thousands of dollars invested in farms and comfortable homes.

I have kept the Sabbath for sixty-three years, and have heard the murmurs raised against every advance move. A few years ago when the Spirit of prophecy said there should be a publishing house in the South, the same voices were heard, “If they wish to print the Watchman as a local paper in the South, that is all right; but this denomination cannot support three large publishing houses.” The work moved on. The Watchman found its place, and the third publishing house has had plenty of work to do.

The medical school is an advance move; and as in every advance since the message started, the murmurers are on hand. We hear the old familiar sound, “Time is too short fully to equip a medical school. This denomination cannot support a medical school,” etc.

If we had allowed the murmurers to direct the work in the past, this movement would have died in its infancy, instead of encircling the globe. The murmurers base their conclusion on human policy, but the man of faith says, “Let us know what God says should be done, and in his strength we will go forward and do it.” God has never left his people in the dark; he has always given them light.

“But,” says the murmurer, “has Sister White said there should be a hospital built in Los Angeles?” In the Medical Evangelistic Library, No. 6, pp. 30, 31, we read: “The light given me is, We must provide that which is essential to qualify our youth who desire to be physicians, so that they may intelligently fit themselves to be able to stand the examinations essential to prove their efficiency as physicians. They are to be prepared to stand the essential tests.” This necessary equipment is to be provided so that our medical students “will not need to connect with worldly medical schools conducted by unbelievers.”

Notice, we are to provide all the essential equipment, that our physicians may be able to pass the State examinations. The laws of the land require that the medical students shall spend much of the last half of their course in hospital work, where there are many poor, that they may have the necessary practice in treating the actual sick before they are prepared to be accredited physicians. In order to do this, we must have a hospital.

“But,” says the murmurer, “why not let them get this instruction in large worldly hospitals?” We are instructed that the young people while taking the medical course are to be guarded religiously, and that we are to provide what is necessary so they “will not need to connect with worldly medical schools conducted by unbelievers.”

Again the murmurer asks, “How can the hospital be built in Los Angeles when the servant of the Lord speaks of the Loma Linda medical school?” We are told “we must provide that which is essential,” etc. A hospital in a large city where there are many poor is one of the essential things required by the laws of the land, and as we are told we must provide it, we are building it in Los Angeles, the nearest large city. Loma Linda is out in the country. The hospital will be built in the nearest place it can be built and meet the demands of the law.

The first two years of laboratory and book work will be spent by the medical students in the quiet country, away from the allurements of the city. The last two years of their course will be spent in Los Angeles in our own hospital, under the instruction of our own godly physicians.

Now the murmurer comes in with the assertion, “It will weaken the school to have the first two years of laboratory work at Loma Linda, and the last two years of clinical work in Los Angeles.” If so, then some of the best medical schools in our country are weak, for they have their clinical work separate from their laboratory work, the same as our school. But it will not weaken it. Loma Linda, a quiet country place, was chosen by the instruction of the servant of the Lord for our medical school, and no mistake has been made in the matter.

God-fearing men who believe what has been said in regard to Loma Linda are willing to make a sacrifice to help carry out the instruction given. One has left a lucrative position to work for the ordinary wage paid the teachers, another one turns over a large paying practice to help carry out the mind of the Lord in regard to our medical school.

“What we need now is Calebs, men who are faithful and true.” “Calebs are the men most needed in these last days.” “It was Caleb’s faith in God that gave him courage; that kept him from the fear of man, even the mighty giants, the sons of Anak, and enabled him to stand boldly and unflinchingly in defense of the right.” “We want Calebs now, who will press to the front,—chieftains in Israel who with courageous words will make a strong report in favor of immediate action. When the selfish, ease-loving, panic-stricken people, fearing tall giants and inaccessible walls, clamor for retreat, let the voice of the Calebs be heard, even though the cowardly ones stand with stones in their hands ready to beat them down for their faithful testimony.”

“While the cowards and murmurers perished in the wilderness, faithful Caleb had a home in the promised Canaan. ‘Them that honor me I will honor,’ saith the Lord.” — “Testimonies for the Church, Vol. V, pp. 134, 130, 378, 383, 304.” S. N. HASKELL.