The following postscript on a letter under date of August 8, 1939, is from one of our College of Medical Evangelists graduates in New Mexico, who located in that State in 1935. I believe that he and his family were the first Seventh-day Adventists in this town, a county seat with a population of 1,200. Their seed sowing was combined with an evangelistic effort last summer, that brought the harvest reputed herewith.
"We have a church organization here now, with a membership of twenty-three. We are putting up a new church building with a church school room in connection with it. The building is nearly finished, and we expect to have it dedicated free from debt before time for school to begin this fall."
When I visited this doctor, I found a ten-bed hospital in a good location which serves the community well. This same letter tells of two or three other places which they believe offer similar opportunities.
While on a recent trip visiting interns in the Central West, the South, and the East, I contacted one of our graduates in Colorado who, with the help of the young people from his church, was leading out in a medical evangelistic effort in a little town about twelve miles distant. He told me the attendance at these meetings was very encouraging, and that eight persons were definitely interested in the Sabbath truth.
In New York City I found another busy physician engaged in the same type of work. An effort was being conducted in the interests of the truth, using the medical and health work as an entering wedge. This doctor had already witnessed• the establishment of one church which had its beginning as a result of his medical missionary work a few years before.
Another graduate of the college of Medical Evangelists whom I visited this summer in Alabama, head of the county health department, has been conducting meetings and Bible studies in the interest of the truth. Already two or three families are definitely interested. Each week this doctor has the privilege of writing articles on proper healthful living in the first column of the first page and the last column of the last page of the county paper.
In a number of other places, definite efforts are being put forth and churches are being raised up as a result of the efforts of our medical men who have led out and assisted in evangelistic work. Just last year in a town not far from Battle Creek, a church was established and organized as a result of the work of one of our Medical Missionary Association members, who is now the leader of the church, leading out in a progressive program in the community. We are sure that many of our physicians by their faithful services are sowing much seed from which evangelists are reaping splendid results in soul winning.
Just a short time ago I was in a town in the Northwest where I watched the baptism of more than fifty people. I was once president of that conference, and I know that this is one of the more difficult towns in which to win souls. As I watched the baptism and met several of the new believers after the service, I felt sure that much prejudice had been mellowed and overcome through the influence of the godly doctor and his wife, who, during the last few years, have been there in private practice. These are times when people do not attend the church service as they once did. Through medical missionary work, God provides a "right arm" by which the message of His church can be taken into the homes of the people.
As I have visited our medical graduates throughout the country and observed their faithful work, I have been greatly encouraged by the results that have been accomplished. In the busy program of their chosen profession, it is sometimes difficult to find the time they would like to spend in the promotion of the truth in an aggressive effort. But nevertheless their influence has a telling effect upon the community and shows up in a definite way when evangelistic efforts are held. How impressive are the words of God's messenger found in "Ministry of Healing:"
"Into the medical missionary work should be brought a deep yearning for souls. To the physician equally with the gospel minister is committed the highest trust ever committed to man. Whether he realizes it or not, every physician is entrusted with the cure of souls."—Page 119.
