Medical missionary work is the gospel in action. A call to medical missionary service is a call to practice the principles of the gospel. This call is all-inclusive. It is a call not only to physicians and nurses, but to every member of the church; and any call that is not all-inclusive--that does not reach every member of the church, regardless of his calling—fails to represent what the Lord has set forth as the program for the church. Any program that the church may lay out that fails to include all that the Lord Elimself has placed within that call, is a shortsighted program.
One of the best foundation statements for this call is found in Volume VII of the "Testimonies," which reads like this: "We have come to a time when every member of the church should take hold of medical missionary work."—Page 62. Of course, that includes every physician and every nurse, but as [ stated, it also includes every member of the church.
"We have come to a time when every member of the church should take hold of medical missionary work. The world is a lazar house filled with victims of both physical and spiritual disease. Everywhere people are perishing for lack of a knowledge of the tru'lls that have been committed to us. The members of the church are in need of an awakening, that they may realise their responsibility to impart these truths. Those who have been enlightened by the truth are to be light bearers to the world. To hide our light at this time is to make a terrible mistake. . . . Before the true reformer, the medical missionary work will open many doors. No one need wait until called to some distant field before beginning to help others."—Ibid.
If you were to check through the testimonies carefully to discover just a word or a phrase that would represent what medical missionary work really is, you would have it in this sentence: "Before the true reformer, the medical missionary work will open many doors. No one need wait until called to some distant field before beginning to help others." That's what medical missionary work is—helping others. That's the spirit of the gospel. Someone has epitomized the gospel in one word —"others"—and here you have it—helping others. "Wherever you are, you can begin at once. Opportunities are within the reach of everyone."
"Oh," but you say, "I am not a physician. I am not a nurse. I have never had any training." Nevertheless, here is this statement, and I have no disposition to try to qualify it, "Take up the work for which you are held responsible,—the work that should be done in your home and in your neighborhood." Yes, you can be a medical missionary in your home and among your neighbors. "Wait not for others to urge you to action. In the fear of God go forward without delay, bearing in mind your individual responsibility to Him who gave His life for you. Act as if you heard Christ calling upon you personally to do your utmost in His service."—id., pp. 62, 63.
In trying to determine what obstacles stand in the way of accomplishment of this work, we should have to confess that apathy and indifference, perhaps unbelief, stand as harriers. And, too, we might have to confess that a spirit of professionalism stands out as a great barrier before the church at large and the accomplishment of the work which God says must be done.
I believe that in a medical convention of this kind it is well to try to put the spirit of professionalism in its right relationship to all this. We must first be followers of the Lord, and next we must be professional. We must have the spirit of God in all that we do. We must be a part of the Lord Jesus -Christ. Some say that we must not permit anybody to engage in any form of medical work unless he is highly trained. This is working on the theory that a little knowledge is dangerous. But do you know that the Testimonies teach that we are all held responsible for the light we have, whether it is much or little?
We are not going to be judged so much by what we know as by what we do in putting the gospel into practice. So I hope that today we can lay aside any feelings of professionalisrn, or any attitude that may color our approach to this problem, and get right down to the fundamentals for which God calls—having a living interest in medical missionary work.
What does it mean to have a living interest? I don't mean a theoretical interest, but an interest that leads us to do things we know to be right, that leads us to practice principles of truth. To me it is an abhorrent thing for one to profess to be called, and then act in another way. I believe that every Seventh-day Adventist ought to act out the truth in his life. He ought to practice the principles he possesses.
Let our people prepare themselves for usefulness by studying books that have been written for our instruction in these lines. I believe that "Ministry of Healing" is the best book ever written on medical missionary work. Do you believe that? It contains the wisdom of the Great Physician. I wish that all our people would study the principles laid down in that book, and practice them. If you did this, you would be a medical missionary. You do not have to have a degree in medicine or nursing to be a medical missionary, if you carry out the principles set forth in this hook. Those who study and practice these principles will be greatly blessed both spiritually and physically.
I want to read here a statement that appears in a book written by Dr. A. J. Brown, years ago secretary of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions. It is entitled, "A New Era in the Philippines," and contains a chapter on "Medical Missions."
"In such a land, the sympathy of the medical missionary is greatly needed. He can do much to alleviate suffering among the poor : and, working in the spirit, as well as in the name, of the Great Physician, he can do much to disarm opposition, dispel prejudice, and secure a kindly hearing for the gospel. There are medical missions and medical missions—medical missions that emphasize medicine and the practice of medicine, and medical missions that put the emphasis upon missions. The true medical missionary practices the latter. He does not argue that the ordained mad should look after the souls, while the physician cares for the bodies."
No, my friends, the true medical missionary doesn't do that. Now, how does this thing work in practice? Several years ago I went out into Central China and visited one of our missions. One morning the doctor there came to me and said, "I would like to take you out to see one of my patients."
He led me out through the dispensary and into a little back enclosure, and I saw his patient--one of the most abject specimens of humanity I have ever looked upon. He was a poor old beggar—in all that that term implies—dressed in rags and covered with sores all over his body. He was the most unlikely kind of patient you can imagine. The doctor had taken him in, dressed his sores, bound him up, and treated him just as though lie were a prince of royal blood. That's what I call medical missionary work—doing the whole thing without any thought of reward—certainly not for any fee that he might receive, but because he saw in that poor old beggar a soul for whom Christ had died. That is truly the gospel in action.
On one occasion when I was in Lorna Linda. a young man came to interview me. He brought his intended wife along, and said he had heard that there was a call for a physician at Tatsienlu, away out on the border between China and Tibet. He said he would like to respond to that call. I talked with these young people, and tried to make them understand that it is not a romantic adventure to go out to such places. I tried to describe it all to them—how they would have to climb over mighty mountain ranges, walk days upon end, and possibly encounter bandit bands. I turned to the young woman, and asked if she was a good walker. She said she was. After talking for some time, I said to the young man, "Please tell me why you want to go." Here is what he said: "Because I believe that the coming of the Lord Jesus is near, and I want to help others get ready."
Brethren, that is the spirit of the great Medical Missionary, and it is the spirit in the hearts of young men and young women that will lead them any place on earth. They will surmount any obstacle, cross any ocean, in carrying out the great call to do medical missionary service, because it is the call of the Master Himself to give their lives in His service. May God baptize the whole church with the spirit of medical missionary service, and help all the church to hear its call.
