Looking forward to our day, Jeremiah prophesied, "We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble !" Jer. 8:15. The prophetic messenger of our time portrays the developments in these startling words : "Transgression has almost reached its limit. Confusion fills the world, and a great terror is soon to come upon human beings. The end is very near. We who know the truth should be preparing for what is soon to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise."—"Testimonies," Vol. VIII, p. 28.
Today, as never before, we are witnessing the fulfillment of the above prophecies. Each day brings new surprises more overwhelming than those of yesterday. The following significant statement appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association of August 21, 1941:
"Again the four horsemen of the Apocalypse are riding. Once more war, hunger, disease, and death destroy mankind. The horsemen of today travel with the increased speed of mechanized transportation. Today the possibilities f or sudden and widespread outbreaks of disease arising far from their endemic foci are more likely than ever previously.
"Among the endemic diseases which are kept from epidemic proportions only by the most stringent public health activities are malaria, yellow fever, typhus. and plague. News dispatches from Europe indicate that typhus is being held in check only with the greatest difficulty. Indeed, with the fragmentary information available, it has probably reached serious epidemic proportions already in certain areas, especially Poland and the Balkans."
More recent radio reports from Europe inform us that the epidemic of typhus fever has assumed alarming proportions, and that 25 per cent of the cases are proving fatal. Also we are told that owing to exposure and lowered resistance resulting from lack of proper nourishment, other epidemic diseases are rampant. While it is not likely that typhus fever will assume epidemic proportions in our own country, our public-health authorities are warning us that such virus-borne diseases as influenza are bound to follow in the wake of war as they did in 1918.
But far more convincing than these reports are the words of Peter, "We have also a more sure word of prophecy ; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place." 2 Peter I :19. I quote from pages 589 and 590 of "The Great Controversy :"
"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."
Truly we have come to such a time as is described in the above prophecy, and because of this we do well to heed the following admonition: "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 . . . disease." —"Testimonies," Vol. VII, p. 62. We believe these words to be "present truth," and the Lord says, "We who know the truth should be preparing for that which is soon to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise." The overwhelming surprise has already broken, but are we prepared ? Have we as individuals and families been preparing to resist epidemic diseases by living in accordance with the laws of health, so that we may claim the promise of protection recorded in the ninety-first psalm? These promises are conditional upon obedience to God's laws.
Also we have a responsibility to our neighbors. "The time is at hand when there will be sorrow in the world that no human balm can heal."—"Prophets and Kings," p. 277. We as Christians should be prepared to apply the healing balm of Christ's love, not only by Christian sympathy, but by a more practical way in ministering to the physical needs.
The means of preparation for this ministry is afforded by health-preservation and home-nursing classes. Those who have not already had the opportunity afforded by such classes, should now avail themselves of this privilege.
If you desire such a class organized for your church, write your conference nurse or conference president, making your request urgent. Conference officers stand ready to make possible the necessary instruction to prepare us for the ministry so much needed at this time. The hour is late, and the calls for help from the needy are already sounding. The urgent needs of the hour demand a speedy preparation. —H. W. Vollmer; M. D., in Pacific Union Recorder, Jan. 7, 1942.
