To this fundamental principle there will doubtless be general assent. But to be effective it must obviously be carried into action. The harmonious blending of our heaven-born message of true religious reform in belief and practice, with that of sound, rational, physical reform—so constantly and consistently urged through the years by the Spirit of prophecy—should therefore be given its rightful place and prominence by us as a people, and assume its integral relationship to our world commission. A regrettable separation has been permitted to come, or to continue, between these two phases ordained by God to be blended and exemplified in the ministry of Christ, our Perfect Pattern.
The gospel worker has, for the most part, left the health message largely out of his evangelistic plans and pastoral program. On the other hand, the medical worker has, to a large degree, followed his professional pursuits rather apart from the integral life and gospel message of the church. The hour has manifestly come—and is indeed long past due—for a change to take place, for a genuine interest to be taken by these two groups in one an-other's work and problems. The time has arrived for a definite acquaintance to be had with one another's contributions to the common objective. Yea, more, the time is ripe for a definite coordination between the two, to the mutual advantage of both and the blessing of the church at large.
The plans for making this coordination effective are set forth by our denominational leaders in the new "Medical Missionary" section of this issue, beginning on page 27. Here also is found the authorizing action taken by the General Conference Committee in the 1937 Autumn Council session, just ended, creating a Medical Missionary Association of Seventh-day Adventist medical workers. The same Council formally voted that The Ministry be enlarged to forty-eight pages, thus enabling it to set apart eight pages monthly for a carefully conducted, virile "Medical Missionary" section that should prove of deepest interest and practical profit to our full group of evangelistic workers. This new section will be nonprofessional in character, nontechnical in content and phrasing, practical, simple, yet scientific, and will harmonize with the clear counsels of the Spirit of prophecy. This will not diminish the regular space of The Ministry, which, instead, has been similarly increased by eight pages to care for the features previously described in "Our Three-Point Enlargement."
Designation of The Ministry as the medium of communication between the members of the newly formed Medical Missionary Association of Seventh-day Adventist medical workers, will draw an additional two thousand physicians, nurses, dietitians, medical technicians, and dentists,—in both institutional service and private practice,—as regular readers of this, the one professional journal of the denomination. The editorial council for this "Medical Missionary" section will logically comprise the secretary and two of the associate secretaries of the General Conference Medical Department,—Dr. H. M. Walton, Elder M. A. Hollister, and Miss Kathryn Jensen, R.N.,who will be responsible for gathering the materials to appear therein, and for their scientific accuracy.
To this large medically trained group, the regular evangelical features of The Ministry should also be of exceptional worth and constant interest, enlarging the vision and imparting a grasp of this message, its motive and its mission, thus stimulating to aggressive missionary action. On the other hand, our ministerial and Bible worker body, irrespective of background and attitude, need a closer, more sympathetic, personal acquaintance with those heaven-born medical missionary principles that are both designed and destined to prove of such practical and strategic value in the closing scenes of our witness to the world. The true relationship of the "right arm" to the "body" of the message will be ably and fully presented in future issues.
It is therefore with genuine pleasure and satisfaction that we introduce to this augmented Ministry reader group our enlarged journal with a greater mission and a wider field than ever offered before. To all our readers, new and old, we bespeak a cordial New Year's greeting! And we wish you, one and all, joy and profit in perusing these forty-eight pages monthly, ordained in the providence of God, we firmly believe, to minister still more and more effectively to the "spiritual power and greater efficiency" of the full worker body of the advent movement. Welcome, medical missionary workers, to the regular reader group of The Ministry.
L. E. F.
