We are truly thankful for the evidences of God's leading as we view the progress being made in medical evangelistic work in the city division of the College of Medical Evangelists. To strengthen and enlarge our medical missionary program all along our ranks is the duty of every worker. The blueprint is just as clear and forcible today as when it was penned by the messenger of the Lord years ago. We read:
"Everyone should do his utmost to roll back the tide of disease and distress that is sweeping over our world."---"Ministry of Healing," p. 149.
"Combine medical missionary work with the proclamation of the third angel's message."—"Testimonies," Vol. VI, p. 267.
It is indeed heartening to read words with such directness and force, and to know that many of our young men and young women in training as medical workers have the attainment of this ideal as their goal. To provide training for such work is the objective of the College of Medical Evangelists. This is within the Lord's plan.
"Loma Linda is to be not only a sanitarium, but an educational center. . . . A school is to be established here for the training of gospel medical missionary evangelists."—"Medical Ministry," p. 56.
A number of projects are being carried on at White Memorial Hospital in medical missionary lines. A strong temperance campaign is going forward under our direction, not only in our own schools, but also in high schools.
About eighteen hundred students have heard the subject of temperance presented from a physician's view. Twelve hundred of these were high-school students who heard the illustrated lecture on alcohol and saw the demonstration of specimens.
We are planning to extend and intensify this work. These words, taken from a letter of a school nurse, emphasize the Lord's blessing on the work of temperance: "We wish to thank you and your assistants for the very fine lectures for our alcohol education work.... From the remarks made by students, we think they received a great many good ideas from it." At this particular school we understood that the students were not disposed to listen to lectures on alcohol, but before the conclusion of the schedule of talks given to several large groups, the teachers were sending us reports of a changed attitude on the students' part.
In other outside activities the medical students are also having good experiences. Through the work of Elder Seat and others assisting him, the message of health reform was presented nearly every evening during one of the large city evangelistic efforts. The people showed an intense interest in learning about their own bodies and how to care for the temple of the Holy Ghost. I believe many of our evangelists would indeed find that this work helps to open doors as nothing else can, if they would avail themselves of the services of physicians and nurses in their districts.
"It is the Lord's plan that physicians well versed in Bible truth shall unite with ministers laboring in the cities, and aid in giving as a whole the harmonious message of warning that should be given to the world."—"Counsels on, Health," p. 545.
"The work will now be more difficult than it would have been a few years ago. But if we take up the work in the name of the Lord, barriers will be broken down, and decided victories will be ours. In this work physicians and gospel ministers are needed."—Id., pp.- 547, 548.
Arrangements were made for the subject of endocrine glands to be presented to the church-school students by the medical students. This lecture was illustrated by small slides, and not only was it a help to the children and teachers, but it also gave valuable experience to the students on how to teach a medical subject in a simple manner. At White Memorial Hospital the medical students conduct the morning worship for the patients. This program is broadcast from Paulson Hall, and patients have opportunity to listen in from their rooms.
In the outpatient clinic, where we see an average of more than 5oo patients a day, we have a real mission field. We are endeavoring to reach these sick ones in a more definite way with our message. More literature racks and papers and book displays have been added. The sale of small books and other literature has been very good, considering that most of our patients are people of limited means. This year we brought the Harvest Ingathering campaign to the attention of the patients. Posters were placed in conspicuous places, and literature was made available to them. Although this was only a new experiment, it worked, and we were happy for the response.
Each day in the clinic we try to have at least two health programs. In this effort, the junior students usually speak on the second floor and the senior students speak on some phase of health on the main floor. The patients greatly appreciate these talks, for often they must wait a considerable time before seeing a doctor.
With the Lord's blessing, we hope in the not-too-distant future to have a treatment room and a small medical mission in one of the old buildings near the local conference, for we read: "In every city where we have a church, there is need of a place where treatment can be given. . . . A place should be provided where treatment may be given for common ailments."—Id., p. 468.
Already a home-nursing class under the direction of trained nurses has been started in one church, and it is hoped that an organized medical missionary program may be carried on in all the churches of the local conference. A part of this program will be the conducting of home-nursing classes.
We want to express our thankfulness to the leaders in the Southern California Conference and the Pacific Union Conference who are urging forward the medical missionary work. If it were not for the cooperation and financial assistance rendered by these conferences, the work could not have progressed as it has. They have set a fine example in the field of medical evangelism. Now is the time to press forward and press together. The union of medical and ministerial lines should be close. How true are the words:
"The importance of making our way in the great cities is still kept before rue. . . . If we do not take up this work in a determined manner, Satan will multiply difficulties which will not be easy to surmount. . . . In this work physicians and gospel ministers are needed. . . Be assured that Satan is not asleep. Every obstacle possible he will place in the way of those who would advance in this work."—Id., pp. 547, 548.
We ask an interest in your prayers that the aim of true medical missionary evangelism may be attained in the College of Medical Evangelists.
