A Retrospect by S. A. Lockwood

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 13, 1906

A Retrospect

By S. A. Lockwood

S. A. LOCKWOOD, M. D.

Judging from the interest that is still taken in establishing and maintaining sanitariums in America, we believe that the readers of the Review will be glad to hear of the prosperity attending the medical missionary branch of the Japan Mission.

A retrospect does not involve going back many years, since it was in 1903 that the first organized work in this line was begun by our denomination in this field. It is not necessary to refer more than briefly to the difficulties of those early days. Of hospitals there were many, of sanitariums there were none. The need of such a place was evident, and the scarcity of funds with which to establish it was still more evident. It was at a time when the Mission Board was finding it quite difficult to maintain work already begun, to say nothing of establishing new stations.

Nevertheless we believed that the time to begin had come, and we began, though and the equipment was meager, trained help scarce, our capital exceedingly limited, and prejudice in the city very strong.

There have been many times when the outlook was discouraging; but even if we have been in sight of Doubting Castle, we are thankful to be able to say that we have never been locked up in it. The usual perplexities that come to the lot of all who build up a new work in a new place have not passed us by, but the lessons of trust and confidence in God, learned when our needs have been supplied in answer to prayer, have been so precious that we have no regrets that circumstances have been as they were. Nor has the fact that the work began in a small way, and increased because of its intrinsic value to the community, been any detriment to its advance. It seems that the people have greater confidence that it is to be permanent than if a large sum of money had been expended at the beginning.

A few years ago an institution was started as a health home in one of the large cities of Japan, with a capital of forty thousand dollars. A magnificent building was erected and handsomely furnished, but it was afterward sold at auction under a heavy burden of debt. Our work here began with a capital of four hundred dollars, and it has increased during three years until the present worth is about four thousand dollars. It has no debts.

In spite of the war and the increased cost of living, the number of in-patients treated last year was more than sixty per cent greater than that of the previous year, while the number for the first nine months of 1906 is one hundred per cent greater than the total number for 1905. This increase has compelled us to add a wing to the original main building, and more recently to rent a large two-story house near by as an annex.

As an indication of the esteem in which the sanitarium is held among foreigners, a few quotations from letters may be of interest. A lady missionary who has been in Japan for thirty years writes of it: “A refreshing, health-giving haven of rest for body and mind—long may it flourish to heal and to bless the sick and weary ones.”

A British consul in one of the ports of the Far East said on leaving here: “This sanitarium supplies a want long felt throughout the whole of Japan. I came to you shattered in health, and am now leaving rejuvenated. I shall warmly commend the establishment to the favorable notice of all invalids whom I meet.”

The Japanese branch is doing a splendid work, and receives patients from all classes of society. Seven thousand treatments were given last year, of which five hundred were free, and one thousand were at greatly reduced rates. Their ordinary rate for treatment is thirty-five cents gold, so it does not require much reducing to bring it down to nothing.

Besides the hundreds whose sufferings have been relieved, sixteen souls thus far have found the light of present truth; and who can estimate the number which may yet be gathered as a result of the seed sown? The work begun last May in Nagasaki by Dr. Kawasaki has suffered a temporary check, owing to the doctor's health having again failed. The little church there is holding its own, and six new members have been received during the past five months. Quite a number of others are deeply interested.

Dr. Tatsuguchi (dentist) and his wife are doing all they can to be faithful light bearers in the great city of Hiroshima, and two have recently accepted the truth there.

We can not hope to treat in our sanitariums more than a small fraction of the whole number of sick who are about us, but we believe that God can direct to us those who are seeking for light, and in Japan, as in other lands, many will be reached who could not be approached in any other way.

We ask that you will earnestly pray for the work in Japan, especially that more native laborers will be raised up, since it is through them that the greatest good can be accomplished in the shortest time.