Capitalize on Our Sanitariums

Believing that "the gospel of health is to be firmly linked with the ministry of the Word, and knowing that "it is the Lord's de­sign that the restoring influence of health re­form shall be a part of the last great effort to proclaim the gospel message" (Medical Minis­try, p. 259) we have endeavored to give a well-balanced and consistent presentation of the health message throughout our Boston effort.

In addition to the periodic health lectures I gave during the evangelistic campaign, we sought, in a special way, to capitalize on the presence in the greater Boston area of one of our major institutions, the New England San­itarium. With the hearty co-operation of the sanitarium manager, H. E. Rice, an excellent series of educational health lectures has been arranged and carried through. Having a group of more than 130 converts baptized into the message in Boston during 1946, we purposed through this series to establish them in the faith, inform them as to the scope of our health work, and give them something more in detail as to its message than could possibly be given in the general meetings.

Conducted one night each week in the Greater Boston Academy, these lectures and demonstrations formed a much-appreciated auxiliary to our regular evangelistic program. Opening the series with the topic, "Preserva­tion of Health a Moral Duty," Dr. C. A. Hays­mer laid a good foundation for all that was to follow, as he showed the relation of the Bible to good health. The striking facts and figures given by Dr. L. A. Senseman in his talk on 'Alcohol and Its Effects" rallied all his hearers under the temperance banner. And "Self-Dos­ing with Drugs Including Tobacco," given by Dr. C. E. Parrish, medical superintendent of the sanitarium, made clear where we stand as a denomination in regard to these things.

The next week's meeting took the form of a demonstration of home treatments by the in­structor of nurses, Miss Amanda Sloan, and some student imrses, showing how to adminis­ter steam inhalations, fomentations, foot baths, throat compresses, and so on. Then we were especially fortunate to have George Cornforth, veteran dietitian, give us an illustrated lecture on "How to Live Well Without Meat." This was followed, very fittingly, by a complemen­tary lecture by Dr. M. L. Sprague on "The Normal Diet."

The message ,which Dr. Parrish brought on "Mental Hygiene" was greatly enjoyed, as was David Stone's talk on "Exercise and Physio­therapy." Giving his second lecture in the series, George Cornforth spoke on "Sugar and Its Effects." The big question, "When to Call the Doctor," was the theme of another demon­stration by Miss Sloan and her students as they outlined the symptoms and conditions that would necessitate the presence of a physician in the home. Climaxing the whole series, Dr. A. M. Bond at the final lecture showed inter­esting pictures of our sanitariums around the world.

The primary purpose in establishing the New England Sanitarium at Melrose was for the evangelization of Boston. Mrs. White wrote that 'the Melrose sanitarium is one of the greatest agencies that can be employed to reach Boston with the truth." And she continued, "We hope that those in charge of the work in New England will co-operate with the Melrose sanitarium managers in taking aggressive steps to do the work that should be done in Boston." —Special Testimonies, Series B, no. 13, pp. 12, 16.

Workers and nurses from the sanitarium help regularly at our welfare mission, taking a leading part oftentimes in the Sabbath schobI and preaching services. Thus the founding pur­pose of this great institution is being in some measure fulfilled. I would counsel our evange­lists and ministers to capitalize on our sani­tariums.