Come Apart, And Rest Awhile

"Whatsoever a man [any man] soweth, that shall he also reap," applies to all alike. This law is universal in its operation, whether ap­plied to the physical, moral, or spiritual life. Being a doctor or a nurse or a minister will not protect the from injury if I deliberately put my hand into the fire. If I think other­wise, I shall soon discover that fire knows no favorites.

One who has a knowledge of the laws of health and violates any one of them know­ingly, will not only suffer, but will suffer to a greater extent than will one who in igno­rance violates such a law. He who knew his master's will, and did it not, was beaten with many stripes. He not only suffered the physical results, but in addition suffered men­tally and spiritually. Spiritual suffering is the worst kind known; for it injuriously affects every organ and cell of the body. As work­ers, we sometimes act as if the blessings con­sisted merely in knowing the laws of health, but this is not so. The blessing is in doing. Knowledge may prove to be either a blessing or a curse. "Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life."

As commandment knowers, we may be tempted to take liberties in violating the laws of health with the belief that in some way we shall have spiritual protection and deliver­ance from the results of transgression. This is a delusion. No man can do ill and be well. Even prayer may become an abomination if the ear is turned away from hearing the law because of an unwillingness to obey. Prayer was never designed to persuade God to ignore the operation of His laws, or to change His ways. Rather, prayer is to change our ways, and to bring us into harmony with God's laws.

Satan once came to Jesus saying, "If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down: for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee: and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone." But Jesus knew better than to follow his suggestion. Satan quoted a very precious promise for Christ to claim; but it was not a promise for a presumptuous violator of the law of gravitation to claim.

Jesus knew that, even as the Son of God, He could not claim that promise should He cast Himself down. He met Satan with, "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." Should He have accidentally fallen from the pinnacle of the temple, or should He have been cast down by wicked hands, God would undoubtedly have protected Him, and the promise would have been ful­filled. Angels would have had charge con­cerning Him, and would have kept Him from dashing His foot against a stone.

On this point, possibly more than on any other, those who are engaged in God's work are being tempted today. We must meet the tempter as did Jesus, recognizing that our safety lies not in mere knowledge of God's laws, but in strict obedience to them. To us in a special sense are the words addressed: "Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; a blessing, if ye obey the com­mandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: and a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day." Deut. II :26-28.

Overwork Not Excused

Referring to his companion and fellow worker, Epaphroditus, Paul said, "He was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him." The duration of his disability is not given, but it was evidently due to overwork; for it is said, "For the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life." Phil. 2:25-30. He was taught a valuable lesson. No doubt he worked when he should have been resting. Many faithful workers have shortened their lives in this way. Even in doing God's work, care must be exercised not to go to excess. We must be temperate in all things.

Those who came to Jesus full of enthusiasm saying, "Even the devils are subject unto us through Thy name," evidently felt that the work was so important that they could not be spared for even a brief period. But Jesus said to them, "Come . . . apart into a- desert place, and rest awhile." They were admon­ished to keep in health, and no doubt were able to do better work after their brief period of relaxation and rest.

What applies to labor applies with equal force to all the laws of health, including our eating and drinking—what we eat and how we eat. "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." The great principles of truth to which God has called our attention "are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh."

Only to the obedient is the promise given: "The Lord shall establish thee a holy people unto Himself, as He bath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in His ways. And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord." Deut. 28 :9, 10.

Need for Health Education

A statement of Daniel Webster's propounds this fundamental truth: "If truth is not diffused, error will be; if God and His word are not known and received, the devil and his works will gain the ascend­ant; if the evangelical volume does not reach every hamlet, the pages of a corrupt and licentious literature will; if the power of the gospel is not felt through the length and breadth of the land, anarchy and misrule, deg­radation and misery, corruption and darkness, will reign without mitigation or end."

We cannot conceive of a time when health education was in greater demand than at the present time. The American public is "health conscious" and eager for information. In every one there is a more or less strong inborn desire to be well, to be free from sickness and pain, to be capable of doing things, to be happy and of good appearance. This thirst for knowledge on the subject of health has been capitalized by many who are incompetent to give dependable counsel and by some who are quacks and imposters.

"Whatever individuals may think about the de­sirability of health education, we face a condition, not a theory. The public is eager for information

about health. Quacks, faddists, racketeers, cranks, and those with something to sell are feeding this appetite. Unless there are enlightening forces, the public will be seriously misled, to its own detriment." —"Health Education of the Public," p. 28, Bauer and Hull.

The average individual is very credulous regarding medical matters; he is often ex­ploited and in danger of being attracted by the high sounding promises of those whose med­ical advice is spurious and whose conscience is dulled. This group makes the loudest boasts and the most extravagant claims concerning their exceptional ability and guaranteed cures. It is very unfortunate that unfair advantage is thus taken of man's credulity by the un­scrupulous. The program of healthful living has been given a prominent place among us as a people, and with this special light has also come the responsibility of teaching others by precept and example.

"We should educate ourselves, not only to live in harmony with the laws of health, but to teach others the better way. Many, even of those who profess to believe the special truths for this time, are lamen­tably ignorant with regard to health and temperance. They need to be educated, line upon line, precept upon precept. The subject must be kept fresh before them. This matter must not be passed over as non­essential; for nearly every family needs to be stirred up on the question. The conscience must be aroused to the duty of practicing the principles of true reform. God requires that His people shall be temperate in all things. Unless they practice true temperance, they will not, they cannot, be susceptible to the sanctifying influence of the truth."—"Counsels on Health," p. 449.

"If we would elevate the moral standard in any country where we may be called to go, we must begin by correcting their physical habits."—Id., p. 505.

"The work of health reform is the Lord's means for lessening suffering in our world and for purifying His church. Teach the people that they can act as God's helping hand, by cooperating with the Master Worker in restoring physical and spiritual health. This work bears the signature of Heaven, and will open doors for the entrance of other precious truths. There is room for all to labor who will take hold of this work intelligently."—"Testimonies," Vol. IX, pp. 112, 113.

Is not our duty and privilege here clearly outlined? Almost unlimited opportunities lie before members of this Association to engage in health education, and "there is room for all to labor." If we hold back and neglect this important work, what excuse can we offer or what can we say to our people when they seek advice of the faddist or the incompetent? A new zeal and earnestness for this medical ministry must take hold upon us if we ever accomplish the task before us. For a long time many have wanted to see the "right arm" functioning. Who will now actively engage in this work that "bears the signature of Heaven"?                                                

H. M. W.

A Doctor Thinks It Over

Rewards of a Medical Missionary

When I saw her keen disappointment, for she had worked nearly two days over this garment, I said, "Don't you often wish your dad had taken up some other line of work than that of a medical missionary? Then you would not always be making over old dresses." She flashed back in the "spirit of '76," "If I could ever be a missionary like mother was and you are, I would ask for nothing more on this earth."

Joy, who is seventeen, is a real girl—she possesses medals for swimming and lifesav­ing, from both South Africa and England; has most of the badges of the "Girl Guides"—rides, shoots, plays tennis with the best of them, and loves all those pretty things dear to every girl's heart. So this statement, com­ing from her, had to be challenged.

I said: "Look at Mr. A (our nearest neighbor—a recruiter of native labor for the gold mines in Johannesburg), he came out here about the same time I did. He is nearly the same age. We have about the same aver­age business ability. He gets ten times the amount of salary I do, besides servants paid for, and allowance for entertaining. His hours are about five or six a day, with Saturdays and Sundays free. Two months each year in the mountains, and one month each year for hunting. Every third year a fur­lough in Europe. My hours are fourteen to eighteen a day, Sunday also. A holiday of seven weeks every three years in the moun­tains, and a furlough in the United States every five or six years, when we spend most of our time in studying and deputation work. His house has all modern conveniences,—radio, electricity, refrigerator, two modern bathrooms with hot and cold water, all sup­plied by his firm. Our home—no modern conveniences. I have bathed in a washtub for twenty-five years."

While I was sputtering away, Joy inter­rupted with, "But, daddy, you are paid better than gold." Then she said: "Let me talk a little. You would not take a bag of gold for the trip we took the other night!" (We left about sundown, traveled over ninety miles of the roughest road I know. For four hours we fought for the life of a woman who was bleed­ing to death, and won. We came home sing­ing all the way, and hit the big hill just as the sun was coming over the bay, ready for an­other day's work.)

"You would not take a bag of gold for the look of gratitude you received from those parents yesterday when you handed back a baby free from disease to that weeping mother and father." Then running away, she called back, "Your pay is better than gold, and I know, daddy, you would not exchange places with Mr. A. '

Yes, Joy was more than right, I would not exchange places with my rich neighbor, or anyone else in the world. As I sat long into the night, looking over the moonlit bay and listening to the rustling of the palm trees, what a sweet, satisfying peace filled my heart as I thought of these words coming from Joy, who had rather a hard time as a child—no white children to play with, tropical heat and malaria to fight, away from home after ten years of age, at times a lapse of nearly two years before she could see her parents, yet feeling like this about it ,all!

Then my mind wandered to the thousands of my black friends to whom I am not only physician, preacher, teacher, but friend. So many I have helped into this world,—cared for them in their baby colics, guided them through childhood, advised them in the bash­ful years of adolescence; have been their con­fidant in courtship and marriage, chief guest at wedding feasts (and many an old grand­mother has slipped an extra-big piece of fat meat on my plate, saying, "They are your children, you must have the best," while I in turn slipped the big fat piece under the table to my waiting dog). I have fought all night for the life of the first-born, and often have given comfort when God called some loved one home. Yes, with many families I have gone the whole round of life, birth, marriage, death, in these twenty-five years of service.