Your ShelfYour Projects

Influence of Our Sanitariums

8%

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 19, 1911

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 88, No. 3.

Read the full edition

Influence of Our Sanitariums

By Daniel H. Kress

“In our sanitariums a pure religious influence should be paramount. Solemn impressions are to be made on the minds of those who come for treatment. The very highest interests are to be given first attention. These institutions are the Lord’s facilities for the revival of pure, elevated morality. We do not establish them as a speculative business, but to help men and women to follow right methods of living. We must take advantage of the means that the Lord has placed in our hands for the carrying forward of medical missionary work. Through this work, infidels will be converted. Through the wonderful restorations taking place in our sanitariums, souls will be led to look to Christ as the great healer of soul and body.”
We acknowledge that our sanitariums are not what they ought to be, or what they will be. What is true of individual experience is equally true of the experience of our sanitariums. With sadness we are forced to acknowledge that they have not yet attained the ideal held before them; they are not yet perfect. But they are aiming to attain this state of perfection. As we are compelled to exercise patience in the development of character with ourselves and others who are striving for the mastery, so we must give time to, and exercise patience with, our sanitariums to attain their ideal.
God’s work near and far has always been carried forward by men who are compassed with infirmities, and who because of this can have compassion on the ignorant and those who are out of the way. Sanitarium work has also been carried forward by institutions that are compassed with infirmities, because of the infirmities of those who occupy positions of responsibility. But in the past, God has wrought through men in the accomplishment of his purposes, in spite of their infirmities. In like manner he has wrought through his institutions. I have sometimes thought he covers our defects, for his own sake, from those who come to us for help, and thus makes impressions that pave the way for the reception of truth.
While not many of the twenty-five thousand patients treated last year were converted or accepted the truth for this time, many of them have left with higher ideals of life, and with a determination to attain these. May we not expect to see many from among this number take their stand for the truth when called to make the final decision? I believe this will be so, and then, if not now, we shall more clearly see why God has called upon us to erect and conduct sanitariums.
It may be a source of encouragement to read a few of the letters which are constantly coming to our sanitarium workers. A former patient writes:— “I am glad to say that we are now enjoying good health. We are living strictly in harmony with the principles taught at the sanitarium, and not only our immediate family, but some of our friends, have profited by our experience. My husband is perfectly well, and looks the picture of health. He has not smoked since leaving the sanitarium. If it were possible, I would like to write to each member of the sanitarium family, and thank each one for his kindness to my husband and myself during our stay with you. It will forever be a bright spot in our lives, and at the same time a revelation.”
The following letter was from a government official:— “I wish again to thank you and all of your nurses and attendants who were so kind and attentive to my wife while she was at the sanitarium, each one seeming to take a personal interest in her case, and assisting in accomplishing such wonderful improvement in her health. There is no doubt in our minds that you really saved her life. I also wish to thank you for your fair treatment of myself, keeping the expense of nursing, etc., at a reasonable figure. We have often said that finer people we never met.”
A patient writing to a friend said:— “We can not be too thankful to God for this peaceful place to be sick and get well in. It has been a wonderful spiritual uplift to me, one that I shall never forget.”
A father writes:— “I want to tell you how pleased and thankful we are for your interest in our son. His visit home yesterday was a source of pleasure to us. His mother feels that a great change has come over him. Last night he read from the Bible to us before he retired. He has faith in your good work, and hopes some day to be a worker for the benefit of mankind. His mother has promised to spend her vacation with him at your institution.”
Another patient writes:— “I am not able to express in words my gratitude for all that was done for me at the sanitarium. God has been very good to me, and has given me more than I deserve, not only in healing me and forgiving my sins, but in giving me such friends. For years I have been soul hungry, but I am so no more. I miss the daily morning prayer and the beautiful Sabbath services.”
These testimonials might be multiplied; they are merely samples of the numerous letters of a similar character, received at our sanitariums from former patients. Let us pray for our sanitariums, and for the physicians, managers, matrons, and nurses connected with them. When we do this as we should, God will respond, and we may expect a much greater work to be done by them in the future.
D. H. K.