Council of City Evangelists

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 18, 1912

Council of City Evangelists

How Can We Combine Most Effectively the Evangelical and Medical Features of Our Message?

G. B. STARR: "For a long time I have had the conviction that we should give greater prominence to the health and temperance phase of our message. It is represented by the spirit of prophecy as the 'right arm of our message,' and also as an 'entering wedge' in pioneer work. I believe there is more meaning and significance in these illustrations than many of us have realized. The right arm is one of the most important and useful members of the body for achievements. The right arm accomplishes with comparative ease what it would be very difficult to do without it. And we all know the great value of the entering wedge in timber work and in granite and marble quarrying.

"I do not believe that we should look upon the health phase of our message as an advertising medium for our doctrines. That is not what is meant by representing it as the right arm and as an entering wedge. That phase of our message is of great value in itself. It will greatly benefit all who receive and apply it, as thousands will testify. But it will do more: it will remove prejudice and lead to a favorable consideration of our entire message. In his ministry Jesus gave the people health and other physical blessings that 'he might incline the hearts of men to receive the gospel of his grace.'

"Believing what I have just expressed regarding our medical missionary work, I have for a number of years endeavored to make it prominent in my work. I have done what I could to inform myself on the various phases of the subject, so that I could present them in public. Mrs. Starr has made healthful cookery a careful study, so that she could join me in teaching the women along this line. When we have worked alone, we have presented this phase of our message the best we could, and I am free to say, with encouraging results. But I prefer to have with me a physician and a nurse or two. During my short stay in New York City, I was associated with Dr. D. H. Kress. I have evidence that there was laid, during that time, the foundation for a good work. Since going to the Melrose Sanitarium, I have worked in and around Boston with ministers, physicians, and nurses. Our health work has opened doors into hundreds of excellent homes. I feel sure there are great victories for us in our evangelistic work, when we combine with it the health and temperance side of our message as we should."

L. A. HANSEN: "All our ministers may not be able to secure medical workers to labor with them, or there may be other reasons why they can not put into practise some of the methods of conducting medical work of which we have just heard. It may not be possible to have a specially trained medical evangelist with every tent, nor even a nurse. It may not be practicable to make use of the stereopticon. This need not hinder a minister or an evangelist from doing medical missionary work. There should not be such a distinction made in the two lines of work we are considering. In fact, they should be considered more as one work. It is difficult to draw a line in Christ's work, making a difference between the ministrations to the spiritual and to the physical needs of man.

"Temperance can be made a very interesting and helpful part of our public work; and who should be able to present it more effectively in its relation to our other stirring and important truths than can our own ministers? The time was when nearly every one of our ministers included Christian temperance and Bible hygiene in his series of discourses. It should be so now, more than ever.

"Health and temperance work must not be done as an advertising feature, but as a work in itself. The work must be done for the love of the work itself. At the same time, health, hygiene, and temperance are most popular subjects today, discussed in papers, journals, and magazines, and before clubs, societies, schools, etc.

"There are many helps that are available to our workers, such as charts and valuable statistics. Current news items will often give good material for lessons. I would recommend keeping a scrap-book for such items and for good articles. It will not be difficult to gather a fund of information that will enable every worker to give good talks on health.

"A woman nurse in connection with a tent effort can hold meetings with the women two or three times a week in the afternoons. The most practical subjects should be presented, giving the things the people need most. Instruction in simple treatments, with demonstrations, will be helpful. Tell how to care for the children, what is proper in food, clothing, dress, cleanliness, ventilation, etc.

"Our work is to help people where they are, showing them how to do better. We have the principles of truth exactly suited to the work God has given us to do. The task is not such a complicated or difficult one as we may think. There is really nothing mysterious about the doing of medical missionary work. Its accomplishment does not depend so much upon mastering an art or learning a lot of technique as it does upon willingness to do it. The more training we have, the better work we can do; but missionary work, whether medical or otherwise, must be missionary, and it takes a missionary to do it.

"The question of where to work is answered; for the sick and needy are everywhere about us. What to do should not be difficult to settle; for the very needs of the people tell it. The time of doing it is also clear; for the needs are present ones, and demand attention at once. There is plenty to do if only people can be found to do it. A nurse in connection with a tent effort can find her time well occupied, and her ability taxed. There should be no question as to whether a nurse can be kept busy.

"Health literature should be used. Life and Health could be utilized to advantage as a means of introduction to homes. Ministry of Healing is an excellent book to place with people. We have a duty in placing before the world the truth on divine healing, especially when so much error is extant, and our truths will find ready acceptance with many. Our good literature fills an important place, and we should use it freely.

"Let us make the most of such facilities as we have, and we shall find a broad field of usefulness opening up to us in the extension of our medical missionary work, carried forward in connection with other lines of work."

THE CHAIRMAN: "We should not overlook the fact that this phase of our message has two distinct parts. One relates to people who are well, and the other to people who are sick. One is applied by teaching, the other by ministry. The evangelist, as well as the physician and nurse, can teach regarding food, drink, ventilation, exercise, etc.; but it requires professional knowledge and skill to diagnose, prescribe, and give treatments when people are sick.

"I understand that both these features can be used to excellent advantage in our city work. I know from personal experience that the teaching feature can. During the last years of my evangelistic work I gave at least one night each week to the health and temperance question. I first dealt with the evil effects of alcohol, tobacco, and other stimulants and narcotics on the body. Then I took up various classes of foods, showing their digestibility, nutritive values, etc. Ventilation, disease germs, exercise, rest, sleep, etc., proved most interesting topics. My health talks were noised around, and the tent was generally full on temperance night. Soon calls began to come from various temperance societies for me to give these temperance and health lectures in different parts of the city and country. Through this our people became known in those localities as leaders in a broad temperance work.

"I believe every minister should qualify for this kind of work, even though he may be fortunate enough to have with him in his work a physician or a qualified nurse.

"I found that when we deal thoroughly with the teaching side, as I have just explained, there springs up a great demand from the sick for a work that only a doctor or a nurse can do. For this reason, I am convinced that in planning for a staff of workers in the large cities, we should by all means include a doctor or a well-qualified nurse. I believe this will add much to the results of the effort."

At the close of the discussion the following recommendation was adopted by the council:—

"In view of the importance of the health and temperance phase of our message, and the great prominence given to it in the writings of the spirit of prophecy, it is our deep conviction,—

"1. That the medical missionary work in all its phases should be made more prominent in our evangelistic work than it has in the past.

"2. That our ministers be encouraged to make adequate preparation by personal study and by securing charts and other equipment to enable them successfully to carry forward this line of work.

"3. That one night or more of each week in evangelistic work be devoted to health and temperance questions.

"4. That in our city efforts earnest endeavors be made to visit the needy sick, and render such help as is possible to relieve their suffering and to teach them how to live healthfully.

"5. That in making up companies of workers for our large cities, there should be included such medical workers as may be required to carry forward the medical missionary work efficiently."

A. G. DANIELLS, Chairman; THADDEUS LEGG, Secretary.