Kobe Sanitarium, Japan
By B. P. HOFFMAN
The past year has been the most prosperous year for the Kobe Sanitarium that it has had in the eleven and a half years of its existence. In the wonderful recoveries that have been witnessed it cannot be doubted that God is blessing the work. Last year the manager of a copper mine, having heard of the work of the sanitarium, sent to it his daughter, who had temporarily lost her mind. The best nurse in the institution was put on the case, and the girl's affliction was made the subject of prayer. Besides administering suitable treatments, her attendants began to tell her about God and his salvation. She at once showed an interest in what she heard, and from the first week her mind showed a change for the better. Soon she began to join in the daily prayer seasons. She was in the sanitarium about four months, and while here she gave herself to God. She then returned home, and again entered school with apparently the normal use of her intellect. Naturally her parents were impressed, and they also were led to study the Bible, with the result that her mother has given her heart to God and has been baptized. Another case was that of a young man who had had tuberculosis in his thigh ever since he was a boy five years of age. He had been to many hospitals, and had numerous operations performed, but apparently with no good result. When he came to the sanitarium, he had been in bed for three years, and his thigh and the flesh of his abdomen were literally honeycombed with holes issuing pus and odors that made it hard for one to stay in the room with him. His case did look hopeless, physically and spiritually, for he did not know what faith in Christ meant. All he relied on was a superstitious belief that three stones which he carried with him continually would bring him some help. Even this case yielded to the power of prayer, joined with patient nursing and the use of treatments and cleansing methods; and after four months, only four holes remained where there had been thirty. This sufferer also learned to believe in Christ, and was the means of his brother's conversion. All this was some years ago, and now the man whose life was despaired of is married and has three children. Also others of his relatives have been won, and are among our most faithful workers in this cause. Of course many are helped physically who do not become believers before leaving the institution; but the seeds of truth have been sown in their hearts, and may some day take root and grow. I have had interesting experiences with some of those who have come to our home for instruction in the Bible. One Chinese who speaks English well has studied faithfully, and has accepted every point of the truth so far presented. He has now decided to keep the Lord's Sabbath. He came from Shanghai last fall, and, being ill, was directed to our sanitarium. As he could not understand Japanese, he came to me, desiring to hear about our principles of health, and from that was led to hear present truth also. He now plans to return to China, and has a desire to tell others of the new things he has come to believe. To show his appreciation of the Bible, he bought a number of Bibles and presented them to the Kobe church for missionary work. At present I am studying the truth with the son of a Japanese baron, who comes regularly three times a week. He is a well-educated man, and known for his literary ability. The interest expressed on his countenance as we read the Word is an inspiration to me, and helps in my endeavor to explain the meaning to him with my imperfect use of the Japanese language.