Members of the General Conference Committee, at headquarters, were alternately thrilled and sobered at their meeting on Monday, June 20, when Millard C. Taft, legal counsel for the General Conference, read a remarkable provision in the will of the late William A. Julian, eighty-sevenyear-old former treasurer of the United States. This remarkable instrument bequeathed five-twentieths. or one-fourth, of his entire. estate (estimated all the way from two to eleven million) to the Seventh-day Adventist Church; but his amended will was ruled invalid by the probate court of Hamilton County, Ohio.
The stipulation was clearly penned in Mr. Julian's own handwriting, dated December 17, 1945, on the typewritten will that had been executed and witnessed on October 23, 1930. In writing in his express desire and provision, Mr. Julian not only had crossed out certain bequests, previously made in favor of four local charitable and social organizations but had expressly appended to his will the following clear explanation of his act, written in his own hand:
"I have erased certain characters from final benefits under my will, but substituted the Seventh-day Adventist Church because of their splendid work the world over to teach people right living and benefiting the world with hospitals."
And this all came out in the public press the next day, particularly in the well-known Washington Post, with photographic reproduction of the vital portion of the will in controversy. So near, and yet so far I Mr. Julian's expressed desire was decreed inoperative by the probate court of Hamilton County, because he had not observed the legal requirements of signatory witnesses for properly amending his original will.
The intriguing story back of it all is this : He had been a patient, under the care of the late Dr. Roxette Runk and other physicians, at the Washington Sanitarium and Hospital, located here at headquarters. And he had been so much impressed, not only with the kindly ministry of its physicians and nurses, but especially with its health education and right-living emphasis in a world of selfishness and exploitation, that he sought to leave one fourth of his entire estate for the specific furtherance of this noble work. Incidentally, he had previously given to Dr. Runk, for several years in succession, a check for one thousand dollars for our Ingathering work, and more recently a onethousand-dollar check to the American Temperance Society.
No one will ever know the far-reaching influence of the simple bedside prayer of the consecrated, skilled nurse, and the devoted, selfless service of the godly physician, in tactfully pointing the patient to the Great Physician, and in inculcating the principles of sound living that ever comport with the clear counsels of the Spirit of prophecy blueprint. These godly influences are far more potent than all the clever publicity, artistic brochures, and intensive campaigns that can ever be launched. Personal influence still remains the biggest single force in behalf of any great cause.
This sobering episode of the ineffective Julian will brings once again into sharp focus the founding purposes and exalted ideals of our entire health Work. It was designed in the mind of God not only to alleviate human suffering but to be a true entering wedge to the heart and confidence of millions, opening the way for the reception of spiritual truth and blessing. It was to be an effective right arm to open doors which otherwise might remain closed.
There have been a few instances of large bequests, like that of H. M. Porter, for the founding of the Porter Sanitarium, at Denver, Colorado ; and gifts such as made possible the Lisner addition to the Washington Sanitarium, the Forsyth Sanitarium in Tallahassee, Florida—not to mention similar provisions in China, India, Africa, and elsewhere. There might have been many more provisions of similar intent had we all faithfully and fully followed the precious health principles that have been vouchsafed to us as a people. In dealing with the physical being, we have been called to a definite work of reform away from the popular medical trends and practices of today just as verily as we have been called to reform in doctrinal lines, which deal primarily with the soul and spirit.
God designed that we should ever be in the forefront, leading in sound health and health education. We were called to be the head and not the tail in this endeavor. We ought to be known the world over for unquestionable leadership in rational therapeutics. The world should not have had to wait for Sister Kenny to come to the forefront in helping polio victims. The fundamental principles she employed were all known to us decades ago. But the honor of prowinently helping in this field, through hydrotherapy, has passed to another.
We should have been in the forefront in making some of the outstanding discoveries in the field of nutritional diet. But others have now taken the place we ought to have occupied. We should have kept in the lead in the devising and providing of inexpensive, wholesome health food products. But Kellogg, Post, and many others have largely taken this over. Only in Australia have we maintained our rightful place in this line.
Our sanitariums, we are expressly told, are not to be run like other medical institutions. They are not merely hospitals. They are to operate on altogether different principles. They are to educate along spiritual and physical lines ; to bring peace and rest to troubled minds ; to educate the public; to reform habits, appetites, and passions. They are "not to cure with drugs, but to use nature's remedies." (See Counsels Relating to Medical Work, pp. 1-6.)
It is so much easier to give a pill than a set of fomentations, or to give an injection instead of balancing the diet. Many of our ablest and most spiritual physicians bewail the tendency among us. But many others have drifted into the easier way, because hydrotherapy and other types of physiotherapy seem too laborious. This is not to be taken as a wholesale indictment of our medical brethren, for hundreds are wholly true to principle. Others, however, have drifted with the tide. We are admonished to educate away from drugs, to use them less and less, and to depend more and more upon sound hygienic agencies—pure air ; sunshine ; intelligent use of water ; wholesome, simple foods ; proper exercise ; a clear conscience; and total abstinence from all intoxicants, from tobacco, tea, coffee, and other harmful beverages, and from flesh foods. (Healthful Living, pp. 246, 247; Counsels on Health, p. 26d; Medical Ministry, p. 225.) These are the true restorers to health.
We are to cooperate with nature. We are to stress preventive medicine, and to make it known that drugs do not cure disease. They only afford temporary relief by masking the symptoms, while the injuring cause remains to blight. We are called to be "reformers in the line of treatment of disease."—Medical Ministry, p., 223. We are even told that our sanitariums were established "for treating the sick without drugs" (Ibid., p. 229), and that our sanitariums were founded "to reform the medical practices of physicians" (Ibid., p. 27). (See also Healthful Living, p. 246.)
This is not, of course, to be taken as depreciating such biological medicines as insulin, or the antibiotics, such as penicillin, or vitamins and the like. One gains the distinct impression from studying the Spirit of prophecy that drugging for nervous ailments, and to provide body tonics, is commonly the subject of these strictures. "Drugs given to stupefy, whatever they may be, derange the nervous system."—How to Live, No. 3, p. 57. "Every poisonous preparation in the vegetable and mineral kingdoms, taken into the system, will leave its wretched influence."—Spiritual Gifts, vol. 4, p. 140.
Had we ever kept before us the distinctive place of our health mission, our influence would have extended in ever-widening circles as the foremost reformers in sound health work. And in all probability many more would have been impressed to aid us in extending these grand and glorious principles. In all probability this very situation would have largely solved the problem of the extension of our health work and health centers throughout the world. The trouble with all too many of us is that we have largely lost our vision. We are not to forget the sobering words, "Soon there will be na work done in ministerial lines but medical missionary work."—Counsels on Health, p. 533. In the time of persecution those who are thus prepared, we are told, "will find a field of labor anywhere."—Medical Ministry, p. 321.
Nor are we to sit back and say that we have no money to spread our health witness. God blesses those who blend faith and practical action. He then works in their behalf. Here is the counsel: "There are men in the world who will give of their means for schools and for sanitariums. . . If the wealthy are approached in the right way, the Lord will impress them to give of their means."—Counsels on Stewardship, p. 188. (See Medical Ministry, p. 329.)
The episode of the Julian will ought to rein us up to a restudy of the whole blueprint concerning sane, sound health reform. Too many physicians and ministers alike not only have drifted into personal carelessness but have even made deprecating remarks concerning these heaven-born principles and those who honor them. It is a serious thing to slight one of the most beautiful principles God has given this people. We should pray God to forgive and to restore us to our rightful place, that His full blessing may rest upon us. Thus we may regain our designated place of leadership, and may be in a position to receive all His benefits.
