A Combined Work for the Cities

I do not know how you feel, but I think it is very significant that we are having a med­ical-ministry meeting. There are two doc­tors who told us how disappointed they were that this meeting came on a night when they could not be here. I hope that what we see to­night will become a perpetual part of the pro­gram in this conference.

If we held more meetings like this, where the doctors and ministers with their wives could gather for prayer and the inspiration that comes from planning together, something would happen. We have been told plainly that this is the one thing Satan is afraid of—that the doctors and ministers will come together and will unite in meeting the people.

To begin with, I will read a few statements from Medical Ministry. (Incidentally if you don't have Medical Ministry in your library, I want to strongly urge that you get it, because it is written for both the minister and the doc­tor. It outlines the work that the doctor and minister can do as a combined unit, and I don't know where else you can find so easily all the statements that give the plan of cooperation as you will find it in this book.) There is one chapter which will take you only fifteen min­utes to read (chapter 17), which tells about the work to be done in the great cities. You are near a great city, and Mrs. White has men­tioned Baltimore as one of the centers which we should work.

The first sentence of chapter 17 says, "The Lord is speaking to His people at this time, say­ing, Gain an entrance into the cities, and pro­claim the truth in simplicity and in faith." In the second paragraph we read, "We shall gain much instruction for our work from a study of Christ's methods of labor and His manner of meeting the people." The impression that you make the first night in an evangelistic effort Epitome of talk to Chesapeake workers' meeting at Catonsville, Maryland, last fall in joint session with the S.D.A. doctors of the conference for the purpose of making aggressive plans to meet the medical mis­sionary challenge of their territory. Plans were laid for launching health and welfare units. Since that time two such units are now in oPeration, one in Balti­more and one at Williamsport, Maryland, means a great deal. The approach that you make, the manner you use in meeting the peo­ple, many times means the difference between success or failure. We should, we are told, study Christ's method and manner.

The third paragraph begins with this sen­tence: "The Great Teacher laid plans for His work." I have been very much impressed with the fact that Jesus' labor was not haphazard, and although he was the Son of God, He still found it necessary to lay plans for His work. If Christ then in His earthly ministry left some plans, it appears to me that we should follow the admonition of the next sentence, "Study these plans."

This is perhaps the first time many of you have been to a medical-ministry meeting. Years ago we used to have such meetings, but I think that if we had studied the blueprint a little closer, we would have held more of them. We need humbly and prayerfully to ask, "Lord, what are your plans, and what would you do if you were here today ?" May I call your atten­tion to chapters 13 and 18? These chapters, along with 17, give us a clear-cut picture, a de­tailed plan, for carrying on the work in the large centers of population. Some of you have already stated that you read these chapters in preparation for tonight's meeting. Chapter 17 calls for us to unite as doctors and ministers. We do not need a new message. The Lord has given us a marvelous message, but what we do need is a new approach.

Let us see just how Jesus carried on His evangelistic work. How much time did He spend in preaching sermons as such? nd how much time did He spend in His medical work? Jesus spent more time in taking care of the sick than in actually preaching sermons ! You will recall that this thought has been expressed many times in the Spirit of prophecy. It was not that He would not have enjoyed preaching more sermons, but each one of His practical demonstrations was such a powerful sermon that He had only to say. a few words and the people believed in Him. Jesus made every act of healing an occasion for implanting divine principles. It was His method of labor. If we would live like Christians, we would not have to say so much about it. People learn very quickly.

You have been discussing how to start med­ical missionary work here in this area, and that is excellent. "Now is the opportune time to work the cities; for we must reach the people there. . . . Many small centers must be estab­lished, rather than a few large centers."—Med­ical Ministry, p. 300.

God's messenger tells us that besides small centers being set up, companies should be or­ganized and trained for city evangelism. (See Medical Ministry, pp. 300, 301.) We greatly need new skilled workers. This is where the doctor and the minister must unite in a very special work, for such a city evangelistic team will be able to continue working in spite of the difficulties in the cities.

Now notice the last statement, and this is on page 304 of Medical Ministry: "There is no change in the message that God has sent in the past. . . . When the cities are worked as God would have them, the result will be the setting in operation of a mighty movement such as we have not yet witnessed." Put with this state­ment the one found in Counsels on Health, page 392: "This work [medical missionary] is the door through which the truth is to find entrance to the large cities, and sanitariums are to be es­tablished in many places." We should concen­trate our efforts on the large centers of popula­tion.

Medical ministry is the door through which the truth is to find entrance to these large cities. That means the right arm is reaching out so the body can get in. You cannot get into the cities by going in backwards or by climbing in a window. You cannot open the door without the right arm. That arm should be so closely attached at the shoulder that you cannot tell where the arm ends and the body begins. When this happens, the devil gets frantic. You under­stand what I mean, I'm sure. We need to learn that cities have doors, and that an arm will help us open them.

Now, how shall we do it? I will tell you how our workers are doing it in other places. It does not have to be just this way, of course. In Southern California they started a radio health program, with a health correspondence school. The conference medical missionary department takes care of answering and mailing out the lessons.

The Washington Sanitarium is sending out health lessons to former patients, and in this case the nurses are doing the work in the cor­respondence band. After the series of health les­sons is completed, they go on to Bible studies. You may recall the statement where Mrs. White says that if we will present health re­form in its broadest aspects, people will then be ready to listen to us with regard to the Bible.

In places where we have doctors, why not put them to work? They can be of assistance in both radio health talks and in evangelistic meetings. If you have no doctors, then it is up to you as workers to present the principles of healthful living. And that brings us to a very practical method of giving our message on health.

There is another wonderful chapter in Med­ical Ministry that you should read, and that is chapter 14 on "Teaching Health Principles." I believe that when you get started on that chapter you will not stop. One statement reads, "The lack of knowledge regarding healthful cookery must be remedied before health reform is a success." Wherever the truth is carried, the people should be given instruction in regard to the preparation of healthful food. This is something we need to give more attention to.

You can go to the priest, to the mayor, and to the very best people in the town, and tell them you are sponsoring a school of nutrition and cookery, and it works ! People are interested in their health, perhaps from a selfish motive; but they are willing to come and learn, so be prepared to capitalize on this interest. You will find people coming out that never came to any other meetings. The new set of twelve lessons just published by the Pacific Press, entitled Home Health Education Series, makes an excel­lent series for a cooking school. They can also be offered as a part of a health correspondence course, as questions have been prepared for each lesson. From the Life and Health office you can order leaflets on "Tobacco and Health," "Conserving Vitamins and Minerals," "How to Relax," "Food Conservation and Veg­etarianism," "The Fine Art of Being Parents." Look in THE MINISTRY and note their health talks and other helps. File them away. The General Conference School Health Bulletin contains a list of free pamphlets and posters on health that you may have for the asking.

In ideal city evangelism there should be a group of workers with an evangelist, a Bible in­structor, a doctor, a nurse, and a dietitian, or someone who can conduct a cooking school, all working together as a team. There should be health lectures, a cooking school, and instruc,- tions on how to give simple treatments. If you are by yourself and do not have a nurse or a doctor, you can still give the people the message of health on living above sickness. That is pre­ventive medicine. You can give out literature on health topics. For instance, you can say, "We are giving free literature away tonight concerning vitamins and minerals." You could use the Pacific Press Home Health Education Service tracts in a health correspondence school, or give one out each week after a brief announcement as to what is to be found in the lesson. This would carry them through twelve weeks. I am sure that you can find ways and means for presenting the gospel, or how to find release from suffering, if you will spend some time and effort.