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Medical Missionary Department

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 3, 1912

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 89, No. 40.

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Medical Missionary Department

By F. M. Wilcox

Conducted by the Medical Department of the General Conference

The Work of the Medical Missionary

(Concluded)
WHEN a child is about to leave the parental roof, and go out by himself to meet the sterner realities of life, the anxious parent gives to him words of parting counsel, seeking to forewarn him of dangers, and safeguard him against defeat.
In the occasion which brings us together this evening, we find a counterpart of this relationship. You, my dear young friends of the graduating class, are about to leave the parental roof of the institution that for the last three years has sustained to you the relationship of foster-parent. You have completed the prescribed course of preparation, and are now about to embark upon life's great sea of experience. In behalf of the institution and its management, permit me to address to you a few words of parting counsel.
We rejoice that you have reached the occasion which, in some measure at least, you have contemplated with fond anticipation and laudable ambition from the beginning of your nurses' course. We regret, however, that the kindly and pleasant association which you have formed with the institution and its family of workers must soon be severed. But we part as loving friends. We shall often live over again in sweet memory the pleasant association of the past. To you our thoughts will turn in the future. We shall trace with interest your footsteps wherever Providence shall direct them. We shall watch with pride your victories in life's conflicts. We shall sorrow in your trials, and rejoice in your prosperity. And in it all we shall pray that a watchful Providence may choose for you every experience, and afford you grace and strength for every need.
We know that your thoughts will often turn back to the scenes of your novitiate. You will live over, again and again, the experiences of the last three years. Before your vision will pass the faces of old companions, and the timely admonitions of your instructors will speak again in almost audible voices to the ears of your recollection.
Our interests are mutual. We hold one common faith, and are engaged in the promotion of one great work. The same spiritual hopes thrill our hearts. We do not live to ourselves alone. We are associated together in the forwarding of a great movement. You stand before the world as representatives of a cause, of a people. By what you do, the public will judge, and will have a right to judge, the denomination to which you belong and the cause you represent.We earnestly hope that as nurses you will represent as far as possible the highest ideals of your truly noble profession. Exemplify in your experience a high grade of practical, painstaking, efficient, scientific endeavor. Be progressive. You can not stand still. You will either advance or retrograde. Advancement means life; retrogression, death. To keep abreast of the procession of live, intelligent workers, you must enlist every mental faculty. Your graduation this evening and the reception of your diploma, can not be counted the end-all of your endeavor. Rather, this occasion only marks your entrance into a still broader field of study and labor. Your acquirement of the last three years constitutes only the foundation upon which you are to build a splendid superstructure of useful scientific knowledge. Therefore, we urge you to continued diligence in educational attainment. Count lost the day in which you have learned no new truth. "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed."
In choosing your profession, you were not actuated by sordid or sinister motives. Fame, glory, great monetary reward,—these were not the motives prompting your choice. There has sounded in your ears the cry of the world's distress. You have heard the call of your suffering fellows, and during your years of service in this institution you have been seeking a preparation of heart, and a training of mind and hand, to enable you to go forth and efficiently meet the demands of this call. Your efficiency as medical missionaries will be gaged not only by your knowledge of scientific procedure in the treatment of disease, but as well by a knowledge of the science of missionary service. The first may be obtained by those who would exploit their knowledge for personal ends. But he who would do the work of a missionary nurse, must bring to the application of scientific principles the sympathetic touch of divine love. You are to be the instruments in the hands of the Great Physician to administer healing to the soul as well as to the body. Through the temporal, physical benefit which your ministry may afford, you are to lead the suffering ones to the Source of all physical and spiritual blessings.
But this help you can not give unless you yourself have drunk at the fountain of blessing. You can not point the sinner to Calvary unless you have seen on Calvary's cross the Price of your redemption. Knowing the sweetness of forgiveness and the power of saving grace in your own life, you will be able to tell others of a power that can save them to the uttermost.
Hence, let your own lives exemplify all that you profess. Do not seek to enjoin on others principles of reform in physical or spiritual life while you place before them an example of remissness.
In your general deportment be truly noble. Set before yourselves high ideals in every relationship of life. Do not get away from life's simplicity. Do not permit cold formalism to rob you of naturalness. Do not assume the professional tone, or arrogate to yourself professional airs. Remember that first of all you are men and women. We may impress the ignorant with superior knowledge, but it is the sympathetic touch that awakens hearts. Christ's divinity inspires awe, but Christ manifest in the flesh, a man among men, is the magnet that attracts humanity to the higher life.
Afford in your own life an inspiration to your associates. Aim to make every life touching yours stronger, purer, and nobler. Be cordial and kindly in your attitude, but withal modest, reserved, and dignified. By no unwise word or act lower your manhood or womanhood, or permit your good to be evil spoken of. Retain untarnished the purity of your character. "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."
In dress and personal appearance represent the neatness, modesty, and refinement of true culture. True modesty and refinement will be manifested in the apparel quite as much as in the speech and general deportment. A modest, retiring nature, such as every true woman should possess, will seek to avoid that attire which makes her at once the cynosure of curious eyes and the subject of slighting remark. The graces of heart and mind commend us to our fellows rather than extravagance in dress or ostentation in appearance.
Let your general bearing be such as becomes well-balanced, sensible Christian men and women. Remember that you pass through life but once, therefore make the most of your opportunities. Perform every act not alone in the light of the present, as might be governed by blind impulse, passing fancy, or unreasoning passion, but as the judgement of later years shall approve, when you look back upon the past from the mountain heights of life's journey. Do as you may wish in later years that you had done. We live not for the present alone, but for eternity.
Accept kindly life's discipline. It will come to you in joy and sorrow, pain and pleasure, sunshine and shadow, bringing, as needed, instruction, reproof, encouragement. In every experience seek to learn the lesson heaven would impart. Keep sweet and cheerful and optimistic. Allow no failure to discourage you, no measure of success to make you self-centered. Forget yourself in your labor for God and humanity. Be brave and loyal and true.
Your fellows may furnish small meed of approbation. You must labor oftentimes alone and in the darkness, both literally and figuratively. So live and labor that you may look up and catch the smile of God's acceptance, and hear the sweet approval of the Spirit speaking to your inner consciousness. Depend alone on God, and in both the sweet and bitter of life's experiences, trust his love and look to him for sympathy and comfort.
Guard carefully your health. Take time for rest and recreation. Even though engaged in so sacred a ministry, you can not with impunity transgress nature's laws if you would be kept by their divine Author. Laboring on this presumption, many have unduly sacrificed health. Take warning from their experience.
Finally, and above all else, cultivate a constant spirit of prayer. Take time daily for heavenly communion. Daily turn to the blessed Word for counsel and comfort. Make God a partner in all your life-work; his Spirit will guide, his grace will sustain you.
Following these principles of devotion, study, and conduct, you will indeed dignify your profession, honor your alma mater, prove a blessing to your fellows, and a joy to the heart of your divine Master.
The gospel message will soon accomplish its work. God has given to all of us here to-night a knowledge of its holy principles, in order that we may be light-bearers to those in darkness. May we prove faithful to that sacred commission. In proportion to our privileges and opportunities, will be our responsibility. Sharing in Christian service, we shall share at last in the fruit of that service in the day of final harvest.