The Burning of Piedmont Sanitarium
By J. O. Johnston
The following article from the pen of Elder G. I. Butler, which appeared in The Southern Watchman of June 28, will be of interest to all:— “It is possible that many of the readers of the Watchman may have heard of the burning of the sanitarium at Hildebran, N. C., on the night of June 7. We received a telegram containing this sad news, and it affected us even to tears when we thought of the ardent efforts, the untiring labor, and the poverty and difficulty under which our dear brethren had struggled there. And now their institution was just ready to take in patients, some of whom were on their way to it,—wealthy people,—when it burned down. The loss was as much as three thousand dollars.” “The fire was very mysterious, beginning on the outside of the house. No fire had been in the house for many hours. It occurred about ten o’clock at night, and it was but a few minutes from the time the alarm was given by the crying of a sick child [It was Miss Hazel Gibbs, a trained nurse from the Battle Creek sanitarium, but at this time a patient in one of the upper rooms, who first gave the alarm of fire] before the whole structure fell in. The inmates barely escaped with their lives.” “At our recent executive committee meeting at Huntsville, this great affliction was considered. After a careful hearing19of all the circumstances, its effects upon the cause, etc., it was unanimously resolved that our people should assist in re-erecting the sanitarium on the cottage plan, that the beneficent work of healing the sick, and of placing the suffering where they can be reached by the truth for this time, might begin.” “The affecting circumstances connected with the destruction of this institution have excited the deepest sympathy among many of our people in North Carolina, and no doubt it will be so all over the field. In some respects it may be said that this event, if all will help with their means, may become a blessing in disguise. Some who have seen the building in which the sanitarium was to be located, felt that it was not really suitable for such an important institution, but it seemed to be the best that could be done by those who are on the ground, and are so afflicted with poverty. If these circumstances are properly considered, better conditions may be provided, and greater good accomplished.” “The school in Hildebran also is in great need of money. We can not, in this brief article, go into the particulars, but it was voted that one thousand dollars should also be raised for that. More will be said in the future.” It is yet too early to say anything definite with reference to future plans, though it seems to be the unanimous decision of all our leading brethren that the sanitarium should be rebuilt, as already stated. To us who have struggled so long to erect in this needy field a monument that would bring glory to our God and blessings to our fellow men, this calamity has come with peculiar force. We have sometimes been even tempted to question if it were possible that we had been over-zealous in our desire to push the work forward, and had run in vain. It would be sad indeed to us if our labor should thus be wasted, and our work become unprofitable. But the many kind words of encouragement and sympathy that we have received and are still receiving from our brethren in both North and South make us hope that we shall yet see the work in this place fully established. If our sanitarium is rebuilt, and our school put upon a more solid basis, the work of the Lord in this field will go forward in greater power than ever before, and we shall have every reason to thank God and take courage.