This article is written while the author is in an overseas division, with the varied needs of mission fields clearly in mind. From hot tropical jungles to cold, wind-swept highlands the need for "good Samaritans" exists.
Just as certain mechanical tools are made to serve a large number of purposes, just so truly does the medical missionary find a universal field and need for his services.
Particularly in the out-of-the-way places it often becomes necessary for those of only limited knowledge and training in medical matters to undertake serious matters of emergency relief, and to render service in urgent cases of many kinds.
It was evidently in view of such universal need that the following counsel was given: "We have come to a time when every member of the church should take hold of medical missionary work."—Testimonies, Vol. VII, p. 62.
Through the benefits to our church members from our abundant health literature, and through the efforts put forth to give practical training in home care of the sick, our church membership, particularly our sisters, have the reputation of being skillful in practical medical lines, and are commonly called upon by their neighbors in time of need.
In proof of this general opinion the following interesting incident recently occurred in a small city where a Seventh-day Adventist church was established. In this particular community an influenza epidemic was affecting a large number of the townspeople. As the cases increased, the overworked physician became greatly distressed because so many of his patients were suffering for the want of ordinary nursing care.
He received word that the Adventist women in town were trained in the care of the sick, whereupon he called the pastor of our church and solicited his help. The doctor requested the names of twenty-five members whom he might call upon for help in the emergency. Unfortunately, very few members of that church had sought a preparation in home nursing and therefore most of them were not qualified to respond to the call and embrace an exceptional opportunity to serve their neighbors and effectively witness for the truth.
That such an opportunity was missed seems most regrettable. Only a thorough preparation will enable our church members to intelligently and successfully cope with the epidemics and widespread suffering and need that may occur on many sides in the days to come. Let us note the whole paragraph from which the foregoing quoted sentence was taken:
"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."—Ibid.
With our outstanding denominational health literature and the efforts put forth to acquaint our church membership with the fundamentals of a balanced health program, it does seem that of all people Seventh-day Adventists should be the best informed on the subject. With the advantages of abundant and advanced light relating to healthful living, Seventh-day Adventists should not only be better informed than others but they should also enjoy better health than others. Such we believe could be the case if all church members were more faithful in intelligently adhering to the rules of hygienic living.
Responsibility and obligation accompanies the advantages of light given, and we do well to carefully consider such statements as the following:
"We should educate ourselves, not only to live in harmony with the laws of health, but to teach others the better way."—Counsels on Health, p. 449.
"As a people we have been given the work of making known the principles of health reform."—Testimonies, Vol. ix, p.112.
Such a work on the part of our church membership entails both a responsibility and a privilege. It is one of the ways in which we are to be light bearers to the world, and it is a part of the great commission given by Christ to those who become His disciples.
The bestowal of light relative to health principles becomes a trust. We are told: "God has qualified His people to enlighten the world. He has entrusted them with faculties by which they are to extend His work until it shall encircle the globe."—Id., Vol. VII, p. 51. As to the relation of this work to the gospel and what it may accomplish, we have this counsel :
"Medical missionary work is the right hand of the gospel. It is necessary to the advancement of the cause of God. As through it men and women are led to see the importance of right habits of living, the saving power of the truth will be made known...very city is to be entered by workers trained to do medical missionary work. As the right hand of the third angel's message, God's methods of treating disease will open doors for the entrance of present truth."—Id., p. 59.
As one concrete example of the way in which medical missionary endeavor removes prejudice and opens the door of opportunity for the presentation of other phases of gospel truth, the following incident is related. In a recent letter, Elder Santiago Schmidt, home missionary secretary of the South American Division, tells of the way in which an initial medical effort served to make possible the preaching of the Word in a city in Brazil. Thus it was that the skillful administration of a few fomentations by a medical missionary extend a wide influence indeed in building up a church. We quote from the letter as follows:
"Away in the interior of Brazil one of our workers came across a group of laborers building a road through the woods and across the mountains. In stopping a moment to talk with them, he learned that the engineer was sick and seemed to be dying. They were far away from a city and had no doctor and no medicines. Since our worker was' a trained nurse, he asked to see the man and gave him some fomentations and some instructions. This man made a rapid recovery.
"A short time later when we sought to start work in a little town in that same state, persecution was directed against us. An endeavor was made to stir the whole town. Threats were made that our workers and all those who were interested in the new message would be persecuted and killed. Our brother in charge of the work went to see the engineer, who at that time was head of the military police in that section. The engineer, remembering the ministry of our nurse-evangelist, immediately sent a letter to the one responsible for the opposition, asking him to stop the persecution at once. He told us to go ahead with our good work.
"Today we have a worker living in that little town, and on my last visit to the place we had over two hundred people present at our meetings. One of the new members has offered us a good lot for a church building, and the prefect also became so interested that he gave us two lots in the center of the town, and has urged us to build a church and a school as soon as possible. Surely it is true that the medical missionary work is the right arm of the gospel message."
Success attends the efforts of all who labor unselfishly and intelligently in medical missionary lines. The union of ministry for the body with ministry for the soul was the Saviour's method of labor.
The need of the hour is for just such work, and the world is calling for such service. Let many members in every church, north and south, east and west, become qualified and then actively participate in the various phases of medical missionary endeavor, which is "the pioneer work of the gospel. It is the gospel practiced, the compassion of Christ revealed."—medical Ministry, p. 239.
H. M. W.