THE SANITARIUM WORK AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE GOSPEL.
By Carl Ottosen
How often, when considering what is said in the Testimonies concerning the sanitarium being an illustration of the gospel, I have felt like seeking God most earnestly in order to receive that blessing that fits one for conducting the sanitarium work in such a way that God’s choicest blessing may be upon the work, that souls may be blessed for both time and eternity. I have felt deeply the need of seeking God for help to improve our work and make progress in the divine life. I feel grateful to-day that God has so abundantly blessed us in our endeavor to lead souls to Christ. It is also with real joy and thankfulness to God that I remember the many instances in which it was evident that He sent souls to us in order that they might be led to Him. But of course we must always consider every patient who comes as sacred and worthy of our best attention and care, so that we, if possible, may lead him into the way of life. I thank the Lord that He permitted me to get an experience as a gospel minister before He gave me the position as superintendent of our sanitarium, for I find that the experience which I gained while preaching and giving Bible readings for years has indeed been very helpful to me in my work in the medical profession. But while God in the years past blessed me much in preaching the sacred truths to large congregations, still I must admit that the blessings I have experienced in talking about Christ to sin-sick souls are dearer to me than anything else I have found in life. And so to-day I esteem it a privilege above all things else to be permitted to have a part in this grand and glorious work. And it might be of interest to hear of just a few instances as to how the Lord is leading. Just to-day a patient, after speaking earnestly about the possibility of being restored to health, said to me, with faltering voice, “Do you really believe that I can get well?” I answered, “I dare not say positively; but I do know that you will receive a great blessing, for I believe God sent you here for that purpose, and He is willing to give it to you.” Then tears came into her eyes as she said, “Yes, I believe God sent me here, and I am so thankful for it.” I then took the Bible and read some encouraging promises to her, and she said, with tears rolling down her cheeks, that she would commit herself to God, and trust in Him who has tender care for the fatherless and the widow. She took special pains to notice from what portions of the Scriptures I read these texts, as she wanted to meditate upon them. Half an hour later I found another patient folding her handkerchief as I entered the room, and her red eyes told me that she had been weeping. I asked her the reason, and the result of it was a long talk about God and His promises, for which she thanked me, and said that she would take courage and believe in God. On my afternoon visit I found a patient in bed, and partly discouraged, having an attack of her old, severe illness. I spoke encouraging words to her, and read some of the promises of God to those who seek Him with their whole heart. When I closed the Bible and stood up to leave, she said, with trembling voice, “O Doctor, will you not please pray for me before you go?” I knelt down and offered a prayer, the patient following my example, and we both received a great blessing. Many of the guests make it easy for us to work for them in spiritual matters, declaring that they came here because they heard that we work on Christian principles, and that the men conducting the institution have faith in God. And only those who have had the privilege of leading such souls to peace and rest in the promises of God can understand the joy that fills our hearts when we receive letters from different ones, saying, “How often my thoughts go back to the time I spent at the Skodsborg Sanatorium! I can never forget that place where my soul found peace with God, and where I received so many blessings both spiritually and physically.” Since the last General Conference the words sound constantly in my ears, “The gospel of this kingdom shall be preached as a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come.” And when I long for that blessed time, and wish it were already here, it encourages me to push the work of witnessing for the people about the truth. The sanatorium has already been a means of spreading the knowledge of the truth far and near in these countries, and will, I am sure, accomplish much more in the future. If I could not believe that by my work in connection with the sanatorium I can preach the gospel more effectually than when I went out as a minister of the word only, I should surely resume ministerial labor at once, for God blessed me much when in that work. But I have seen many marked evidences of God’s favor in the work in which I am now engaged, and I can also see that by this kind of work I can reach a class of people that I might not reach in any other way. There is no end to the amount of work that may be done in medical missionary lines here in Europe, and much more may be accomplished by starting the work on a small scale in many different places than by establishing a number of large institutions. In this respect we have of late had some wonderful experiences here in Scandinavia, of which I shall speak more in detail in a later article. These show how some of our faithful, devoted nurses have succeeded in their work, starting out to work in the cities, without any money whatever, yet accomplishing a splendid work, and coming out with a small gain after paying their expenses and for all their appliances. And yet they have preached the truth very effectually to a high class of people. How much we need, first, the Spirit of God and the divine guidance that we may experience more of this in the future than we have in the past. I ask the dear brethren and sisters in America to pray for us. Second, we need whole-hearted, devoted laborers; and for their education we need just such an educational institution as the sanatorium. We are indeed glad for the existence of this institution. First of all, the sanatorium must be a school for the education of medical missionaries who shall go out, not to establish new sanatoriums, but to bring the blessed gospel of Jesus Christ, the gospel of soul and body, to every one who is sitting in darkness. Dear brethren and sisters, Europe is a large field, and it is white for the harvest. Pray that God may raise up a large number of workers to labor faithfully that the perfect gospel may be proclaimed, and the end come, when we shall all meet Him in glory. Pray also that we all who are connected with the medical missionary work here in Europe may have wisdom and grace so to illustrate the gospel in our work that hundreds and thousands of souls may be turned into the light and rejoice in the salvation of their God. I feel truly thankful that God has put it into the hearts of so many to donate to this work. We need money, and we are glad for every one who feels a burden to come to our assistance in this respect. But I feel that we especially need the prayers of God’s people to undertake the great work before us, and do it in such a wise and safe way that the cause of God may be honored in everything that we undertake. CARL OTTOSEN.