Extent of Health Education

In our previous article we noted the place which health education was to occupy in the home circle, but we must not stop there. The following call to service comes to all mem­bers 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 truths that have been committed to us. The members of the church are in need of an awakening, that they may realize 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. The mes­sage to God's people today is, 'Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.' "—"Counsels on Health," p. 425.

These are days of preparation, yes, even more than that, days when we should be pre­pared for conditions that are right upon us. Our church members should avail themselves of the opportunities offered by health-preserva­tion-and-home-nursing classes, also cooking classes. It is their privilege to call upon their conference officials to make this instruction possible. If there are Seventh-day Adventist physicians, nurses, or dietitians in the com­munity, they may be called upon to organize classes. They have a responsibility and duty to do their part. What we do must be done quickly, for the Lord has said, through His messenger, "I wish to tell you that soon there will be no work done in ministerial lines but medical missionary work. The work of a min­ister is to minister. Our ministers are to work on the gospel plan of ministering."—Id., p. 533.

There are two conditions which will bring this about. The first is loss of religious free­dom. This is brought out in "Counsels on Health," page 506: "As religious aggression subverts the liberties of our nation, those who would stand for freedom of conscience will be placed in unfavorable positions. For their own sake, they should, while they have oppor­tunity, become intelligent in regard to disease, its causes, prevention, and cure. And those who do this will find a field of labor anywhere. There will be suffering ones, plenty of them, who will need help, not only among those of our own faith, but largely among those who know not the truth." Already we see evidence of curtailment of liberties in many lands.

The other condition is epidemics of disease. The terrible, devastating war, with all its hard­ships and deprivations, is bringing about physical conditions among the inhabitants of a large part of the earth which are paving the way for epidemics. Public-health authorities are warning us that we may expect such epi­demics any time, and even now they are preva­lent in certain parts of the world. But we have a more sure word of prophecy which warns us that "Satan works through the elements also to garner his harvest of unprepared souls. He has studied the secrets of the laboratories of nature, and he uses all his power to control the elements as far as God allows. . . . He sweeps away the ripening harvest, and famine and distress follow. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence. These visitations are to become more and more frequent and disastrous."—/d., pp. 460, 461.

Since we are told that the time will come when no more work will be done in ministerial lines except medical missionary work, and today we have evidence that this situation is right upon us, has not the time come for us to put forth every effort to prepare every member of the church for such an hour as this? The repeated fulfillment of prophecy is a clarion call to the leadership of this denomination to put on a program of health education which will fit all gospel workers to give the right arm of this message its rightful place, so that it will both serve and protect the body.

Our Schools to Provide Courses

The call comes to our schools, from the pri­mary grades up through the college, to strengthen their stakes and lengthen their cords by putting greater emphasis on the work of health education, by providing courses so that the graduates of our schools will be pre­pared to teach the third angel's message in its fullness. This includes all gospel workers—teachers, Bible workers, canvassers, ministers, physicians, nurses, and dietitians.

This very definite instruction comes to us as ministers: "The minister will often be called upon to act the part of a physician. He should have a training that will enable him to admin­ister the simpler remedies for the relief of suffering. Ministers and Bible workers should prepare themselves for this line of work; for in doing it, they are following the example of Christ. They should be as well prepared by education and practice to combat disease of the body as they are to heal the sin-sick soul by pointing to the Great Physician."—"Medical Ministry," p. 253.

At the same time we are counseled: "Every medical practitioner, whether he acknowledges it or not, is responsible for the souls as well as the bodies of his patients. The Lord expects of us much more than we often do for Him. Every physician should be a devoted, intelli­gent, gospel medical missionary, familiar with Heaven's remedy for the sin-sick soul as well as with the science of healing bodily disease." p. 31.

"The physician who understands the responsibility and accountability of his position will feel the necessity of Christ's presence with him in his work for those for whom such a sacrifice has been made. He will subordinate everything to the higher inter­ests which concern the life that may be saved unto life eternal. He will do all in his power to save both the body and the soul. He will try to do the very work that Christ would do were He in his place. The physician who loves Christ and the souls for whom Christ died will seek earnestly to bring into the sickroom a leaf from the tree of life. He will try to break the bread of life to the sufferer. Notwithstanding the obstacles and diffi­culties to be met, this is the solemn, sacred work of the medical profession."--"Counsels on Health," pp. 331, 332.

Likewise our nurses are admonished: "The nurses who are trained in our institutions are to be fitted up to go out as medical missionary evangelists, uniting the ministry of the woyd with that of physical healing."—Id., p. 396.

Quoting again, "All gospel workers should know how to give the simple treatments that do so much to relieve pain and remove disease. Gospel workers should be able also to give instruction in the principles of healthful living. There is sickness everywhere, and much of it might be prevented by attention to the laws of health. The people need to see the bearing of health principles upon their well-being, both for this life and for the life to come. . . Every gospel worker should feel that to teach the principles of healthful living is a part of his appointed work. Of this work there is great need, and the world is open for it."—/d., pp. 389, 390.

We have come to a new era in our work. We can see the fulfillment of that statement in "Testimonies," Volume V, page 463: "The work which the church has failed to do in a time of peace and prosperity, she will have to do in a terrible crisis, under most discouraging, forbidding circumstances." Earnest study must be given to how we can best meet condi­tions as they arise.