FREE service in the dispensary in Los Angeles, California, begins at two o'clock in the afternoon. Go down early to-day, and watch the pain-racked, needy ones as they come for help.
Soon after one o'clock, the first patient arrives — a poor man whose foot had been crushed by a train. It had been defectively amputated, and for months he has suffered from the effects of poor surgery. The persistent use of hot and cold baths and the careful cleansing have put the healing process well under way, and now his grateful heart is ready to receive the principles of Christianity. His wife, too, is interested. All his neighbors know the relief that has come to him through the simple treatments; and their hearts, too, are warming under the influence of the medical ministry.
Now comes an old woman, ragged, dejected, almost haunted in her appearance. She was in a few days ago, and the interpreter told us her chief complaint was — starvation. We fed her first, and then ministered to her other needs. She may never know Christ as we know Him; but she has felt the touch of human sympathy, and knows a little of Jesus' love as manifest in His children.
Now the long rows of chairs are filling rapidly.
Over there is the wreck of a once noble man. He was tall and well built in youth; but the years of dissipation and debauch have left him bent of form, shuffling, and unsteady. Still the haggard face turns to us appealingly, and the congested eyes seem still to be looking for a way of release from the awful life that has ruined body and brain and enslaved the spirit. Strong men minister to him; and as he promises to "do better," the only hope for help is held out to him. Day after day, he comes and takes eagerly the words of counsel, and finds hope anew as he learns of the One who is "able to save to the uttermost."
PROPOSED GROUND PLAN OF THE ELLEN G. WHITE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Here are mothers bearing sick and helpless children in their arms. One is dying as the result of a vile disease contracted before its birth; another is coughing violently; others already have the unmistakable signs of the great "white plague" written in their wan faces and emaciated bodies. Here sits a poor mother weeping over the suffering of her boy, into whose eye she has put iodine instead of argyrol. She must be comforted — and perhaps we can save the eye.
So they come and wait — worn-out mothers, sick babies, boys with cut heads or hands, and girls, some of them in a most pitiable condition. Ruined men and fallen women — to all these there must be ministered physical help and wise counsel; and brave hearts must point them in their hopelessness to One who loves all, and forgives those who come to Him in true repentance.
Rashly Loyal to the
"Fatherland"
GROUPS of school children come who have been sent down by their teachers9for various difficulties. Then comes a young man who has defended the "fatherland" too vigorously, and whose excited companions tell how the wound on his head was received. As he comes day after day to have the dressings renewed, the Christian physician talks to him of the nobler things of life, and points him to paths of peace with Him who leads away from the war and bloodshed.
This service at the dispensary prepares the way for the many "out calls" that come in. In this work, we find almost every namable disease, and some conditions that baffle names — diseases internal and infirmities external.
Mexicans, Hebrews, Turks, Russians, Japanese, Chinese, Austrians — these and others come. Of varied colors and of many languages, they cannot all understand our words; but they know the language of love, and respond readily to the attempts to relieve suffering. Their hearts beat with new hope as they find that we have sincere desire to help them, regardless of any remuneration. They come for physical help alone; but to us is given the privilege of ministering to that unexpressed and often unfelt need — the hunger of hearts for that which only the Saviour can give.
To these poor people, the world-wide message of salvation must go; and in no other way can we reach them so effectually as through the means used by Jesus in His earthly ministry — true medical missionary work.
America's Only
By Newton Evans, M. D.
Medical Missionary College
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS are, and have been for many years, a peculiarly medical missionary people. No other religious body has taken so keen an interest in matters pertaining to health, and incorporated advanced ideas of health in the body of their teaching, as has this people. This is shown by the great movement of fostering so-called sanitarium work, which includes a large number of these institutions in all parts of the world; and also by the way in which their medical work is connected with all their foreign missionary enterprises.
The wisdom of this organic connection between evangelistic and medical missionary work is shown by the rapid and healthy growth of the religious propaganda, and by the success of the work in foreign countries, and the permanent character of the body of communicants in these mission fields.
In view of these facts, it is most natural and fitting that this people is peculiarly active in conducting training schools for nurses, and is sending out from these schools great numbers of medical missionary nurses. And it is not surprising that they should be conducting and supporting a school which has the distinction of being the only school on this continent to give a medical education strictly from a missionary viewpoint — a medical missionary college. All students admitted to this school are admitted on the basis of preparation for Christian medical missionary work. No others are accepted.
This is the College of Medical Evangelists at Loma Linda, California, sixty miles from Los Angeles, in the San Bernardino Valley. However, the work of the school is not confined to Loma Linda. A large part of the clinical teaching is done in the city of Los Angeles. The laboratories are at Loma Linda, in conjunction with the Loma Linda Sanitarium and Hospital.
Just at this time, the college is beginning to erect adequate buildings for a dispensary and a small hospital in Los Angeles. It is necessary that this portion of the school be in a large city, where it can reach the large number of patients of the poorer classes needed for the observation and the practical medical work of those who are receiving training as medical missionary physicians, medical evangelists, and missionary nurses.
This school has already graduated three classes of medical missionary physicians, practically all of whom are working as physicians in medical missionary institutions in this country, or are in foreign mission fields.
As is well known to those who are interested in educational affairs, medical schools are very costly to conduct. In the well equipped medical schools of the country, the education of a medical student costs from three to five times the amount the student pays to the school in the form of tuition. This, of course, means that financial support must be provided in large amounts from other sources.
The building of the hospital and dispensary buildings of the College of Medical Evangelists in Los Angeles necessarily means a large expenditure; and there can be no doubt that for the advancement of this enterprise, there are people with means who will be glad of an opportunity to add to the fund for this purpose by providing money for some particular portion of the hospital, such as a ward for the care of children, or one for the care of women, or one for men, or one for patients with nervous diseases, or some other particular class of sufferers.
The architectural plans are of such a nature as to provide for the building of small units or buildings in a more or less separate manner for special classes of patients. The name of the hospital is The Ellen G. White Memorial Hospital; and various rooms and departments are to be provided for by special funds, and will be dedicated for special purposes. NEWTON EVANS, M. D.
THE VANISHING "WORLD CONSCIENCE"
By J. E. F.
IT is interesting to look back to the period just before the present great war, and read what popular journals had to say on the prospects of war. The following is taken from a then leading American magazine, Harper's, and is an index of what many of the leading men of the world thought:
"Although recent events indicate we are yet a long day's journey from universal peace, they yet emphasize a marked advance. The rising standard of intelligence renders wars for trivial causes less and less probable. Very ignorant and suspicious men fight and kill each other over imaginary slights or trivial values. For thousands of years, nations fought over the most insignificant differences. In the future, wars will not be fought unless something big is at stake.10
"Another significant advance is the development of world conscience. Every nation tries to set itself right before the world when entering into conflict. In the old days, just as corporations were supposed not to need souls, so governments were supposed to have no conscience toward other nations. Pride and bitter resentment were supposed to be their only emotions. Any concessions, even when just, were considered a national disgrace. If a nation took a stand, right or wrong, it must fight.
A Matter of National Honor
"THE world conscience is removing that ridiculous standard. It is becoming a matter of national honor to concede what rightfully belongs to another, and even to yield minor points merely to avoid trouble. And even after wars have begun, this conscience plays a part in bringing it to a close."
Now, after two years of terrible war, how does this all sound? It is what many of the leading thinkers of the world were but recently giving, a sort of "peace and safety" assurance. But where has the "world conscience" gone? If by education the world had been led to overlook "trivial values" and "imaginary slights," and to develop a "world conscience," what is the matter now? One belligerent nation points to the other as the cause of this titanic struggle. But who is able to give the reason why the nations are fighting? We can remember the death of an archduke — perhaps quite enough for inquiry; but certainly with a "world conscience," one man’s death would never be expected to cause all Europe to deluge its fair lands in blood.
A Madness for War
Now while that which we quote above is a fair index of what people generally thought, it is not what the Bible taught. The Bible teaches that in the last days, a madness for war takes possession of the nations. It says that the nations will prepare war and make war.
For centuries, all this has been in the Bible; and for over half a century, Seventh-day Adventists have preached this; and they will continue to warn men that all this talk about the rising standard of intelligence which makes war less probable, as nice as it sounds, is a delusion, and contrary to Scripture. Twenty-seven centuries ago, the prophet Joel wrote it all out for us, and it has been there all the time. "Proclaim ye this among the gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong." "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision." Joel 3: 9, 10, 14.
This word is truth. "Let God be true, though every man a liar." The end is near. What we see raging in Europe is one of the sure signs that we approach the consummation.
J. E. F.
UNIVERSAL SUNDAY LAW COMING
IN the strongest and most emphatic language, the Bible forewarns the world of a "beast" power that shall develop near the close of time. This "beast" is frequently mentioned in the book of Revelation, and he is invariably associated with the great powers of the world. Says the revelator, "I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse, and against His army." Rev. 19: 19.
It is easy to see that this beast represents a power separate and apart from the kings of the earth; and the next verse shows that this beast is a living, active power near the end of time, for we read: "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." Rev. 19: 20.
The lake of fire burning with brimstone, as is well known to all Bible students, is that which is provided for the destruction of the wicked; and this lake is not in existence until after the Judgment day is past, and the time has come for the sentence of eternal death to be executed upon those who have refused the salvation that God has offered.
Hence, as this "beast" power goes alive into the lake of fire, clearly it represents an organization that will be actively operating upon the earth when the world comes to an end.
This "beast" represents a religious power; because the revelator says, in speaking of him in the thirteenth chapter of his prophecy: "And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?" "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." Rev. 13: 4, 8.
A Suspicious Movement
SINCE this beast power demands worship, it must symbolize a religious organization; and since it is associated with the kings of the earth, it must represent a church-and-state movement, wherein the church is supported by the earthly powers in enforcing her worship and carrying out her decrees.
Any worship, then, that would be enforced by the kings of the earth, should be regarded with the deepest suspicion; for that is the leading, specific characteristic of the beast power that attempts such havoc in the earth when the last generation of men is upon the stage of action.
Against this beast worship, God sounds forth a mighty warning, as expressed in the following language:
"And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14: 9-12.
A Plank in the Church Platform
MANY people may have questions as to the identity of the beast power against which this great warning is hurled. But we must observe, in the study of this warning, that one of the leading characteristics of those whom God develops to oppose it, is that they keep the commandments of God. Another leading characteristic is that they keep "the faith of Jesus." Then these people are not only Christians, but they are Christian commandment keepers. Everybody knows that one of the commandments of God pertains to the keeping of the Sabbath. And the Sabbath commandment, in language that is too plain to be mistaken, says that the seventh day is the Sabbath.
But the world as a whole, and the men in particular who stand at the head of the federating multitudes of the church, claim, without any authority whatever, that Sunday is the Sabbath. One of the planks that they put in the forefront of their plan of work is that we must have a universal Sunday law; and the peculiarly contradictory thing is that these men claim to be teaching God's word and standing for God, while they compel, through civil enactment, the observance of a day that is antagonistic to the day God has commanded. In other words, they set aside the commandment of Jehovah in favor of a precept of mere man.
Then is it any wonder that this warning message says those who follow in this last-day apostasy will meet with the "indignation" of God? Why should not God be "indignant" that men in His name would set aside one of His commandments, and place a human precept in its stead?
It is well for the men of this time to remember that the great religious despotism of the Dark Ages was prefaced by the Sunday law of Constantine; and strangely enough, the religious despotism that is coming now is carrying in the forefront the proposal to make a law that will compel every individual to keep Sunday.
The prophetic utterances quoted in these paragraphs are from the infallible word of Jehovah; and regardless of what men may say concerning them, it is well, in this time, for each individual to study carefully what they so definitely say.
AMERICAN MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION ON MEXICO Left to right: Franklin K. Lane, secretary of the interior; Dr. John R. Mott, of New York; Judge George Gray, of Wilmington, Delaware. By means of this Joint Commission, the American and the Mexican government hope to reach an amicable settlement of the differences growing out of the presence of American troops in Mexico and bandit raids along the border. Both nations are eager to proceed with the work at once. They will probably hold their conference at some summer resort on the Atlantic seaboard.
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THE SIGN OF DECAY
THROUGH the United States Public Health Service, announcement is made that on July 1, 1918, a United States law will go into effect which will require that all alley dwellings in the District of Columbia shall cease to be used for residence purposes.
In order to provide accommodations for those who will be forced to seek new homes — houses that open on streets instead of alleys — a limited dividend company has been organized to erect a series of “model homes for the purpose of demonstrating to the nation the relationship between good housing and good health.”
These homes are to be known as the Ellen Wilson homes; and the incorporation provides that no stockholder can receive a dividend greater than five per cent net. This plan is along the line of what has been followed in some of the large cities in the Old World.
At first, attempts were made to render the old buildings sanitary by fumigation and other means; but it was found that success could be secured only by destroying those old buildings entirely, and building new ones, properly lighted and ventilated.
As a result of these experiments in the Old World, not only was sickness largely removed from families that previously had been afflicted, but crime was greatly lessened. Our government’s health service hopes to demonstrate, through these new homes, what can be done throughout the nation in the way of reducing sickness and crime by giving the people proper homes to live in.
The great cities, not only of this nation, but of the entire world, present one of the most difficult problems of the age; and the spirit of helpfulness and of humanity that prompts these efforts to relieve the conditions must be recognized.
At the same time, the fact should be pointed out clearly that it was when Rome began to show strong signs of degeneracy, that there was need for the government to do so much for the people at large. Whenever we have a large dependent class of people who cannot take care of themselves, the condition is one of advanced decay. The normal condition for an individual is, to be able to take care of himself in a manly, independent kind of way. And while the studied efforts of all our philanthropically inclined people must be commended, and while it is proper to assist them, in every way we can, in relieving the situation, we must not close our eyes to the fact that decay is marked upon everything in society, and that chaos is coming on as rapidly as it can.
Sickness, poverty, and destitution are in all the great cities; and in spite of the best efforts to relieve these conditions, we find that in the main they are growing worse and worse, and the discontentment among those who are ignorant and depraved is one of the greatest problems of this time. We must seek to relieve it all that we can; but on the other hand, we must not close our eyes to what lies just ahead of us.
HAS GOD CALLED YOU?
By I. H. E.
WHEN God calls a man, He has a purpose in calling him, and so far as God is concerned, the possibilities are assured that He can save that man. The Lord certainly never would call any man whom it was not possible for Him to save. Therefore when the Lord speaks to a man’s heart, He wants that man in His kingdom, and His purpose and plan make it possible for the man whom He has called to be saved. Consequently if a man who has been called is not saved, the difficulty is not with God, but with the individual. God does not lift a man right off this earth, and take him to glory without desire and endeavor on his part. But when He speaks to a man’s heart, and calls him to be a disciple, that very fact should be evidence that God’s purpose concerning him is that he shall be with Him in glory.
God does not call men to go along with Him one year, or three years, or five years, and then abandon their faith and turn against Him. The Lord has called us to take us clear through to the kingdom; and He sees that this is possible if we will only submit ourselves to His will, and allow Him to perfect His grace in us to such a degree that He can make us fit for heaven. I. H. E.
CENTERS OF CORRUPTION
THE cities, more than any other part of the world, are the great centers of vice and corruption; and because of their gross wickedness, the Lord has given His unfailing word that they shall all be “broken down.” This breaking down of the cities because of their wickedness will be done in part, no doubt, by the violent men who inhabit them; but what their violence fails to do, the overwhelming action of the elements of nature will complete. God tells us that Sodom and Gomorrah, those cities of ancient times whose wickedness became so gross as to be a proverb, “are set forth as an example.” Jude 7.
The destruction of those ancient cities is not any more complete than that which the prophets tell us will be visited upon the debauched and sinning cities of our days. And it should be kept in mind constantly that this is not a statement of some theological dogma. It is not the creed of some particular school. It is the presentation of literal facts that have for their foundation the authority of Him who alone knows the end from the beginning, but who is also the All-powerful One. Jer. 4: 23-28.
