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General Conference Bulletin, vol. 4

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    INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL MISSIONARY AND BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION

    J. H. KELLOGG

    Sixth Meeting, April 17, 3 P. M.

    J. H. KELLOGG in the chair.

    Prayer by E. J. Hibbard.GCB April 19, 1901, page 336.14

    The Chair: The members of the International Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association will please come to order. We have before us the discussion of health literature. Brother H. G. Lucas will speak upon this subject.GCB April 19, 1901, page 336.15

    H. G. Lucas: I want to speak in behalf of health literature. I find that this is a most important way of presenting the truth to the world. Through this many have taken hold of the religious phase of our work. We have right here a practical demonstration of a brother who received the health principles about two years ago, and who has since reached out for more light. One month ago he accepted the third angel’s message. In my connection with the health work I receive many letters, and I wish to read two or three of their testimonials. A physician from New York writes: “Every number of Good Health is worth its weight in pure gold. What a benediction it ought to prove, if read in every home in the land.” A physician in Florida writes: “To say that I am well pleased with Good Health is putting it mildly. I have noted with pleasure its improvement in the last two years, and I do not think any one can invest money more profitably than in subscribing for Good Health. I would like to see its educational and uplifting influence go out into the world.” In view of the sentiments expressed in these letters, and in many others, I submit the following:—GCB April 19, 1901, page 336.16

    Resolved, That health journals, health tracts, and other health literature be more widely used in missionary work; and that the following plans for the introduction or such literature receive the approval of this body:—GCB April 19, 1901, page 336.17

    “1. That all sanitariums and employees take a more active interest in the circulation of health literature; that employees be induced to canvass for it throughout the year, and that canvassing companies be formed during the dull season.GCB April 19, 1901, page 336.18

    “2. That the tract societies take the same interest in circulating health literature as in religious literature, and that they make calls in their State papers for canvassers for the health journals.GCB April 19, 1901, page 336.19

    “3. That we encourage local tract societies to order and use health journals for missionary work, in the same manner as they are now using the Signs.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.1

    “4. That appeals be made to the people for each family to take a health journal for their own instruction, and to induce their friends and neighbors to subscribe.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.2

    “5. We approve of the plan of printing special numbers of health journals, and we ask our tract societies and people everywhere to aid in their circulation.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.3

    J. H. Kellogg: What will you do with these recommendations?GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.4

    A. G. Haughey: I move their adoption as a whole.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.5

    Wm. Woodford: I second the motion.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.6

    The question was called and unanimously adopted.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.7

    The Chair: We have health journal that has been holding up health principles on the Pacific Coast; we have another that has been advocating these principles for twenty-one years. Dr. Matteson came to me at one time, and said, “If we only had a health journal, it would do more to help us than anything else. The people of Scandinavia should have one.” I asked how much it would cost to start one. He thought it would cost about two hundred and fifty dollars to publish a thousand copies for one year. That was so very cheap that I told him I would pay for the publication of one thousand copies for a year. Their subscription list now is nearly eight thousand. If you are going to build up work in any place, you must have a health journal to create a constituency, and a constituency is created through this kind of literature. We have with us Dr. Ottosen, who will speak to us.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.8

    Dr. J. C. Ottosen: This is a question in which I am very much interested. About three years ago there was a newspaper man in one of our cities that did not have anything special to do, so he went home one afternoon and found some health papers on a shelf. He read them, became interested, and gave up his position as editor of a political paper, and came to our institution, where he studied health question, and did some lecturing. He is interested in our efforts, and I am sure that he will accept the truth. Several others have become interested, among them some of the most noted people. Elder O. A. Johnson, president of the Norwegian Conference, writes as follows; “Sundhedsbladet is meeting with real favor in this city. Several of the leading papers republish entire articles from it.” He states that one outside paper spoke in high terms of the paper, and advised all to subscribe for it. I am heartily in favor of these resolutions.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.9

    The Chair: How shall we start a sanitarium or a branch sanitarium or treatment rooms in a city?—The way to begin is to go into the homes of the people, and the way to do this is through our health literature. There is no use starting work in a city without a constituency. The first thing necessary to do this is to create a demand, and when there is a demand, make a way of meeting that demand. The demand will be met by educating the people. If people read our literature, especially our periodical literature, it will be the most efficient means of procuring help from other persons, thus preparing the way for other things. What we need is to get our people to working, carrying these principles into the cities and into every home in the whole country, and when we have done that, we shall in return see a harvest that will grow year after year as the people learn more and more by experience that these things are good.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.10

    R. W. Parmele: Do I understand that there are to be tracts issued?GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.11

    The Chair: Yes, we are getting out tracts now, fifty on the diet question, and fifty more on other points, presenting all the prominent phases of these questions.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.12

    The question was called, and unanimously adopted.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.13

    The chair: There is one other matter I wish to call attention to. It is regarding special numbers numbers of Good Health. We get out special numbers twice a year, a midsummer, and a midwinter number. Pains is taken to make these special numbers a compendium of some particular principle.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.14

    If our people would take hold of this matter of circulating special numbers, and circulate about half a million copies of each number, we would hear from it right away. That would not be a very hard job to do, either. Our people would have to circulate only about seven copies each to do this; and this would amount to more than 500,000 copies. Every copy would go into a single family, and that would introduce these principles to more than two million people. If this were done in every country for the benefit of our health institutions, it is all you would have to do.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.15

    A brother said to me the other day, What is the best way of raising money for our health institutions? We do not have to raise much money for our health institutions. If we would give a little help to get the principles out, our institutions will be able to take care of themselves.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.16

    There is not one cent of profit returning to the publishing house. After the publishing house has the journal ready, and have printed twenty or thirty thousand of them, they can print two hundred thousand copies more at very small cost. And so they are furnished at cost of the paper and printing. Now where can you buy so much valuable information for five cents as is contained in these special numbers of Good Health.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.17

    This plan has been adopted on the Pacific Coast, and the brethren there find it works well. Dr. Sanderson is here, and he can tell us in regard to it.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.18

    Dr. A. J. Sanderson: It worked very well. We have published three special numbers, with editions of ten to fifteen thousand.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.19

    The Chair: If that were done three or four times a year, you would not be troubled with debts over there in St. Helena; but when the patronage is only barely sufficient to pay interest, and to keep along about so, it is close work to keep up. But if you do this work, it will not be long before the debt will be paid off.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.20

    Our institutions can earn money and pay their way, and do a whole lot of charity work besides. They might sustain medical missionary training schools for nurses and support medical colleges, in which to train nurses and preaches that want to come there and not cost a penny. You would not have to raise a cent to support these schools, if proper help were given to circulate the periodical literature. This is true, and I urge you to consider it, and then take hold of these things.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.21

    There was a word said about books. Who gets the profit on books? Somebody, thinks that Dr. Kellogg is getting rich. Some have asked, What business has Dr. Kellogg to publish health books? I will tell you how it happened. Twenty-five years ago we had no health literature. I was the only doctor on the face of the earth with a legal diploma who believed these principles. I happened to be the fortunate man who was there at the beginning of the thing; and I considered that I was very fortunate, too. I do not hesitate to acknowledge that if I had not been there at the beginning, very likely I would not be there at all.GCB April 19, 1901, page 337.22

    Back there the people were clamoring for light and truth and books. They wanted literature. I was hard at work in the Sanitarium. I spent nights in writing books. One of my first books was “Home Hand-Book.” I tried to find a publisher for it, and could not for a while. I wrote another book, called “Plain Facts,” which was published at the Review and Herald Office. We had no subscription book business in those days, so the book lay on the shelves. By and by it came to be so old and stale that they wanted to get rid of it, and they wanted me to take it off their hands, which I did. Elder Loughborough was in England at the time, and I sent the edition over to Elder Loughborough. He sold it out, and called for more. But the Review and Herald Office did not want to publish it; so I made arrangements to publish it myself, and get somebody else to sell it. Then came “Home Hand-Book,”—after about a year or two of hard work; and nobody wanted to publish it. The Review and Herald Office would not publish it. The directors, the trustees of the Sanitarium would not publish it. There was not anybody on the face of the earth that would publish it, and I had to publish it. So I borrowed $20,000 to publish the book. I procured some orders for it, and when the first 10,000 copies were sold, I found myself $10,000 in debt. It cost me much to get the plates and cuts. I got it out, and it took many years to get out of debt. Well, so the thing started, and nobody wanted to publish the health books until comparatively recently, and I was compelled to do it, and carry the thing along. That is the way I began publishing.GCB April 19, 1901, page 338.1

    For a number of years the Good Health Publishing Company has had before it the opportunity to sell health books. This company is the general agent for every book I have in the world, and it receives those books at the actual cost of the paper, and the printing of the books, with the addition of ten per cent. That ten per cent is simply for the purpose of keeping the plates good, and publishing. The publications are paid for, and are published, and the paper is paid for, and the printing is paid for, and without any investment at all the books are put in the hands of the company to sell, with the simple provision that the Good Health Publishing Company puts every dollar into the Medical Missionary College. That is the way we have been able to carry it on. Last year it turned $2,000 in to the Medical Missionary College. It ought to have turned in $10,000. It could support the College, and not cost the denomination a penny, if you would but help sell the books. That is all the interest I have in the medical book business, and I explain it because there have been so many mistaken ideas upon the subject.GCB April 19, 1901, page 338.2

    A brother asked about the tithes. Everybody at the Sanitarium has paid his tithes regularly. The workers there have paid a larger proportion of tithes than any other collection of Seventh-day Adventists on the face of the earth. Every single dollar has been paid monthly, when it was due, and not one dollar has ever been retained. The Sanitarium has never retained a penny of its tithes. The Sanitarium pays its tithes into the General Conference and the Michigan Treasury, and an arrangement is made with the General Conference that it should appropriate to the Medical Missionary Board an amount equal to that paid by the Sanitarium employees. That is the only income the Medical Missionary Board has had to send missionaries abroad, and to do all its medical missionary work with. That is simply the amount paid by the Sanitarium helpers. We asked for that, and it was granted. Next year we are going to ask for a great deal more.GCB April 19, 1901, page 338.3

    Are there any other resolutions to be offered here?GCB April 19, 1901, page 338.4

    E. J. Hibbard: I would submit the following:—GCB April 19, 1901, page 338.5

    “Resolved, That we recognize city mission work as a strong feature in the giving of the third angel’s message, and that we indorse the general methods of work in this line now being carried on in the city of Chicago;”—that is, the medical missionary work as carried on there.GCB April 19, 1901, page 338.6

    The Chair: I would like to hear from some who have had experience in city mission work, but the time is rather limited. The duty of a city mission is to help people who are in need, and you must give them something, and you must sow some seed with the expectation that you are going to get only a very small amount of fruit from all the seed sown. It is hard, stony ground. In mission work, the aim is not to proselyte people, but to hold up the gospel. We have the Workingmen’s Home, where they are gathered in, and led on up to the Sabbath. On the Sabbath they are all brought together, where opportunity is offered to teach them. That plan is always carried on in connection with our city mission. Any one going to Chicago, and wishing to visit it, will be gladly shown how the work is done.GCB April 19, 1901, page 338.7

    I don’t know that it is best for the resolution to pass, indorsing the work in Chicago, for the work must be different in every city. The general principles must be, of course, to present the gospel. What will you do with the resolution that has been presented here?GCB April 19, 1901, page 338.8

    A. G. Bodwell: I believe we ought to reach out after the souls who are down in degradation and sin. This work is the entering wedge; but after we have put in the entering wedge, we should follow it up with a larger wedge.GCB April 19, 1901, page 338.9

    David Paulson: It does not seem to to me that the medical missionary work ought, or should be, or need be, indorsed by this body. We work with the best wisdom we have, and where we have made failures, we sorry; but we do not want any official indorsement of our work. I would therefore offer this resolution as a substitute for that submitted by Elder Hibbard:—GCB April 19, 1901, page 338.10

    Resolved, That city medical mission efforts are useful means of extending the gospel.”GCB April 19, 1901, page 338.11

    I want to say just one word while I am presenting this resolution. We speak a great deal about breaking down prejudice. You do not feed a young child to break down prejudice. You do not give a child a suit of clothing when it needs it, to break down prejudice. Is it not the same gospel, and the same kind of spirit, in which we must work for our neighbors as that with which we work for our children, our brothers and sisters and our own families? The principle upon which a parent works for a child is a successful method in working for humanity; and a man or woman who does not work for humanity from such a motive will never succeed. There is a man down in the canal drowning, and I have a rope in my hand. Do I stop to ask whether he is rich or poor? There is a man in the vortex of sin, and in a worse place than the other man; but his soul may be saved. We are praying that God may help us to work for humanity from the right motive.GCB April 19, 1901, page 338.12

    I might say, incidentally, that we have distributed here this afternoon a catalogue of our Life Boat Supply Department, to help support our work. You can help us by taking a catalogue and showing it to some of your friends when you get home. We have a mail order department. Brother Mussulman helps us by calling the attention of the brethren to the fact that we can undersell the other mailing houses, because we can get the same rates, and can be satisfied with a very small commission, and yet accomplish something. Brother Sadler and myself, and others who are laboring to save souls, do not get anything out of it. Brother Mussulman feels that the Lord has called him to do this to help this work.GCB April 19, 1901, page 339.1

    E. J. Hibbard: My only object in presenting this resolution was to get the matter before us.GCB April 19, 1901, page 339.2

    The Chair: All in favor of the original motion, as substituted, say, Aye; opposed, No. Carried. We must study the situation. At the Sanitarium, and in many of our institutions, there is getting to be a great scarcity of nurses. Patients are multiplying faster than nurses. Many nurses are being sent out, and there is great demand for young men and women to be trained. We need a class of young men of good mental quality, strong and healthy, having a good education, and a manly bearing.GCB April 19, 1901, page 339.3

    A. J. Read: I have prepared a resolution on this subject:—GCB April 19, 1901, page 339.4

    Resolved, That we recognize the providence of God in the increasing number of openings for nurses to carry the health principles into numerous homes and communities, and that we encourage our young men and women to enter the training schools without delay, that they may be prepared to respond to these urgent calls.”GCB April 19, 1901, page 339.5

    I have prepared this partly on account of the experience I have had in connection with the field committees, and the numerous calls that are made upon us to fill openings in various parts of the field. Those who have to do with the distribution of labor and advising in that work are perplexed as to how we shall fill these calls. This matter certainly needs attention, and our young people need to to be encouraged to take up this work, that they may be prepared. The way the calls have increased during the last two years indicates that there will be no fewer calls during the years to come. Soon, at the present rate, the calls will overwhelm us. We should make some strong effort to fill this call, and to enter this opening providence of God.GCB April 19, 1901, page 339.6

    The Chair: Are you ready for the resolution? All who favor it say, Aye. Opposed, No. Carried.GCB April 19, 1901, page 339.7

    I want to say a word with reference to our branch institutions. In starting branch institutions in various cities, it seems important that our people will understand the general plan. The effort is made to make each small branch in a city a model of the central mother institution. I think all our sanitariums have voted to make the salaries of all employees, doctors, nurses, managers, and everybody, dependent on the earnings of the institution. If the institution does not earn anything beyond its running expenses, and barely enough to pay the running, or incidental, expenses of the employees, they will receive nothing for wages. If they earn enough to pay half salary, and nothing more, they will receive that, and no more. They will not go into debt, or hire money to pay salaries. Of course the managers are not expected to spend all the earnings in improvements or paying old debts, and then ask the employees to accept lower salaries; but the running expenses, the regular operating expenses of the year, if they are such that there is not enough to pay the full salary, the employees accept a proportionate fraction of the salary.GCB April 19, 1901, page 339.8

    This same plan is proposed for our branches. We have in hand a writing, which I will not read, that places the branches on this basis. This agreement so arranges the matter that those who have charge of the branch are themselves responsible, and no one else, for the obligations they contract; so the mother institution is not responsible for bad debts and bad management. This makes these little branch institutions self-supporting institutions in themselves. When they are out of debt, they may become the property of the Medical Missionary Association, or the association in the field in which they are located.GCB April 19, 1901, page 339.9

    This is a compact made between the Medical Missionary Board and those who go out to start these branch sanitariums. These persons are held accountable for the proper conduct of the institution, and they can at any time be discharged upon simply paying them their wages according to the amount agreed upon, besides any money which they may have invested. If they are paid up, they may be discharged at any time, provided they are not in harmony with the work, and are not carrying it on according to the principles laid down before them.GCB April 19, 1901, page 339.10

    I have given the substance of all that is in this compact. If you desire, it can be read, but it would take fifteen or twenty minutes of our time. If we had a resolution indorsing this general plan, it would be a strength to the board in carrying out this plan. So far, all the branches established by the Battle Creek Sanitarium are established according to this plan. We find that it works well.GCB April 19, 1901, page 339.11

    The following is the agreement in full:—GCB April 19, 1901, page 339.12

    Agreement, Made this day of 19 by and between the International Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association, a corporation of Battle Creek, Michigan, of the first part, and ... of the second part, WITNESSETH:—GCB April 19, 1901, page 339.13

    That said first party agrees to furnish said second parties with the following articles, viz:—GCB April 19, 1901, page 339.14

    ... and such other articles, appliances, and fittings, as may hereafter be found useful and necessary, and which may be agreed upon between the said parties, for the equipment and outfitting of treatment rooms to be located at—GCB April 19, 1901, page 339.15

    No.... Street, in the city of ... State of ... to be used for giving hydriatic, electrical, and other treatments, and the employment of rational agents, for the relief of the sick and poor, and as centers for the diffusion of the principles of rational medicine, as taught and practiced by the Michigan Sanitarium and Benevolent Association, of Battle Creek, Mich.: said second parties agreeing to maintain and operate said treatment rooms in the manner and for the purpose aforesaid, upon their own individual responsibility without said first party becoming liable in any way for any of its costs, expense, debts, or obligations of any kind whatsoever, and to operate and conduct the same, and to receive and disburse the receipts there-from with the advice and assistance, and under the control and direction of the trustees of the first party, subject to the conditions and limitations herein contained.GCB April 19, 1901, page 339.16

    It is further agreed that the prices of said outfit and equipment so to be furnished is to be refunded to said first party out of the first earnings of the said treatment-rooms over and above the actual expenses of maintaining the same and affording the said second parties a bare subsistence; or it may be that the price aforesaid may be raised by sale of treatment tickets in advance, or by gifts from those interested in the enterprise, or otherwise, but however it may be provided, it is to be refunded to said first party as aforesaid; but notwithstanding such refunding, and no matter how the money may be obtained, the said equipment, outfit, and appliances is always to remain the property of the first party, it being expressly understood and agreed that said second parties, neither collectively nor individually, or any other person or persons, are to have any personal ownership in the said property and effects of said treatment-rooms, or of its business, in any way whatever.GCB April 19, 1901, page 340.1

    It is further agreed that the board of trustees of the first party shall appoint one person among the parties of the second part who shall be the executive head of the business, and who, with his associates herein before mentioned, shall constitute the managing committee who, under the control and with the advice and assistance of the board of trustees of the first party, shall be in actual charge of said work.GCB April 19, 1901, page 340.2

    It shall be the duty of said executive head to make a report in writing each and every month, both to the managing committee and the board of trustees of said first party, of the financial condition and work of the enterprise for the preceding month, and he shall exercise a prudential care over its said affairs, calling the attention of the said committee and the said board of trustees from time to time to such matters as he thinks for the best interest and betterment of the work. It is also agreed that said board of trustees may at any time, when the majority is of the opinion that the best interest of the work requires such action, remove said executive head, or any member or all of said managing committee, and appoint others in their places without further notice, after said second parties have been informed as to the matters not satisfactory and have failed to correct same; said second parties agreeing under such circumstances to at once deliver up all of said aforesaid property to said first party, in as good condition as when received, ordinary wear and tear excepted, together with all improvements and betterments, accumulations from gifts, earnings, or otherwise, bank and book accounts, account books, list of patients’ names, good will, and everything else pertaining to said business; it being expressly agreed and understood, however, that said delivery is not to be made until said second parties shall be fully reimbursed for actual cash, if any, which they or either of them may have remaining invested in said business, and until all arrearages for their services are fully paid up at the regular rates previously agreed upon.GCB April 19, 1901, page 340.3

    It is further agreed that the remuneration of those engaged in the enterprise must be obtained from the work itself, the amount of compensation to each being apportioned in proportion to the responsibilities borne, the work done, and the individual needs of the person. The salaries are to be fixed by a committee of the aforesaid board of trustees, at a reasonable sum, having due regard for the apportionment in accordance with the responsibilities borne, work done, and individual needs, as above mentioned. Whatever earnings are left after paying expenses and salaries shall be devoted to the extension of the work as may be needed, the paying for and maintaining of equipment, the support of visiting nurses, and other lines of medical missionary work, and in such other ways as may be agreed upon by the aforesaid board of trustees and said managing committee. It being distinctly agreed and understood that there shall be no personal or individual ownership in the enterprise, but that all the accumulations shall belong to the first party, to be disbursed for such purposes as may be agreed upon between its aforesaid board of trustees and the aforesaid managing committee.GCB April 19, 1901, page 340.4

    It is further agreed that the International Medical Mission and Benevolent Association, and so far as it can influence its action, the Michigan Sanitarium and Benevolent Association, will co-operate with said second parties by sending patients for treatment, furnishing list of old patients, and aiding in their efforts educationally and otherwise in whatever way circumstance may permit and demand. On the other hand, the said second parties are to co-operate with the Michigan Sanitarium and Benevolent Association by sending to such institution, so far as they are able to do, such patients as are in need of sanitarium care and surgical treatment, and in all things and under all circumstances to maintain an attitude of loyalty and fidelity to the work and the principles it represents.GCB April 19, 1901, page 340.5

    It is also agreed that said second parties are not to organize sanitariums, nor to take in boarders, nor start or operate hygienic restaurants, or enter upon any other distinct or definite enterprise or line of work without first submitting the matter for the consideration and decision of the board of trustees of the first party, so as far as possible to guard against the unwise expenditure of funds, or the premature starting of new lines of work.GCB April 19, 1901, page 340.6

    In Witness Whereof, Said parties have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year first above written.GCB April 19, 1901, page 340.7

    ...GCB April 19, 1901, page 340.8

    Dr. A. J. Read: I have a resolution which I have written off concerning this plan, as follows:—GCB April 19, 1901, page 340.9

    Resolved, “That those starting, or carrying on, branch sanitariums and treatment-rooms shall work in harmony with the organized medical missionary work, and that the earnings of such branches and institutions be considered sacred to the advancement of the medical missionary and benevolent work in their respective fields; and that we indorse the plan in operation as given in the articles of agreement between the Medical Missionary Board and such institutions.” I move the adoption of this resolution.”GCB April 19, 1901, page 340.10

    It was seconded.GCB April 19, 1901, page 340.11

    The Chair: The resolution is to indorse the plan that I have just outlined to you. Are there any remarks? The reason i think it is necessary to make this explanation, is that sometimes these nurses go out into a city to work, and perhaps meet some minister there, who tells them, “O, it is not fair at all for them to treat you so. If you come down alone to this city and work so hard, you ought to be remunerated for it; you ought to be the proprietor, and not be under the supervision of any board, who could put you out when they desired to do so.”GCB April 19, 1901, page 340.12

    It is important to be recognized that whoever goes into a city to establish a branch sanitarium, does not go alone, but the Medical Missionary Board goes with him, and helps him in every way it can. He is furnished with a list of the old patients of the Sanitarium. We send canvassers there to help them also. He has back of him the reputation of the Battle Creek Sanitarium, and the prestige which it has gained. This is all solid capital; and he is just as much a part of the institution, and the branch sanitarium is just as much a part of the institution, as if he were working in the mother institution, and the branch were annexed thereto. A great many people are interested in his work—the whole Conference, perhaps, may be working for him. There certainly, therefore, is no reason why it should be built up as a personal enterprise. It would not be right to do it. It would be just like a minister going out into the field independently, raising up churches, and then claiming that he could have all the tithes paid by the churches which he has established and organized. Many work together and co-operate in organizing and carrying forward these branch institutions, and consequently they ought not to be allowed to go into private hands, but should be looked upon as institutions under the charge and supervision of the mother institution.GCB April 19, 1901, page 340.13

    The resolution was voted upon, and carried.GCB April 19, 1901, page 341.1

    The Chair: Brother White has a resolution, I believe.GCB April 19, 1901, page 341.2

    W. C. White: I am intensely interested in our schools, and in no school am I more interested than in this Medical Missionary College. Our schools should have their buildings without rent, and therefore I offer a resolution:—GCB April 19, 1901, page 341.3

    Resolved, That we proceed to raise a fund for the purpose of providing necessary buildings for the American Medical Missionary College.GCB April 19, 1901, page 341.4

    I move the adoption of this resolution.GCB April 19, 1901, page 341.5

    A. G. Daniells: I second the motion.GCB April 19, 1901, page 341.6

    W. C. White: This idea is not new to you. But brethren, the question with us is, Has the time come to make an earnest effort to lift in this matter, and put our medical missionary school where it will not have to pay rent? It seems to me that we can not fail to be proud of this school, or to appreciate the work it has done. Shall we not include it in the schools that we are working for to clear from debt, and so have it also stand free from rent and interest? The indebtedness on the other schools has borne very heavily upon us. We have felt it. In this school the Sanitarium has borne a heavy burden. But we want to see the work enlarged. Shall we not manifest our interest in this Medical Missionary College by raising a fund that it may own its buildings, and thus be free from rental and interest? I believe that we would receive a great blessing in doing this. There is much that might be said, but others can say it better than I, and I will give them an opportunity.GCB April 19, 1901, page 341.7

    The Chair: Are you ready for this resolution, or are there further remarks? Perhaps as much was said the other day as need be said with reference to the Medical College, unless some one has a question he would like to ask.GCB April 19, 1901, page 341.8

    I will say that the Medical Missionary College at the present time is paying rent amounting to interest at five per cent on about seventy-five thousand dollars, and it would not be difficult at all to raise that money, and a considerable portion of it can be raised by people who are not drawn upon for other enterprises, but who are interested in the principles represented by this school, although they may not be interested in many other things that many of us are. Are you ready to vote on this resolution?GCB April 19, 1901, page 341.9

    O. A. Olsen: I can heartily second all the remarks made by Elder White. It has been my privilege to be connected with this Medical Missionary College since its beginning, and I have always taken the deepest interest in it and its work. I am more glad that I can express in words to see the good that has been accomplished, the way that the work is opening, and the indications that are coming into this meeting of a united effort in this line of work of spreading abroad the whole gospel in all its parts. The move to give this aid to the Medical College by securing it a place to work in, is just as God would have it, and we shall all rejoice to see it. I am glad for this motion, and I am heartily in favor of it. I believe it is the right thing to do, and God will bless us in carrying it forward.GCB April 19, 1901, page 341.10

    The Chair: It has been very apparent to those who have been closely connected with this school, that a kind providence has watched over this enterprise and helped us. I assure you that the board of trustees and the faculty of this school are perfectly aware of the fact that they could not, by their own exertions, have accomplished what has been accomplished with this school. They could not possibly have done it. We have seen the way opened for us in ways that we have never dreamed of. If I could be at liberty to tell you the story, which I can not tell in detail here publicly, I am certain you would say that it was a marvelous succession of providences equal to any that you have ever heard of in your life.GCB April 19, 1901, page 341.11

    Dr. David Paulson: That is so.GCB April 19, 1901, page 341.12

    The Chair: Dr. Paulson corroborates the statement I have just made. I wish I could give you a history of the school. Perhaps I can tell you about it at some other time when we have opportunity; but it is a succession of special openings and providences indicating God’s special watch-care over the institution from the very start.GCB April 19, 1901, page 341.13

    I have just read a letter which gave me more satisfaction and more joy and comfort than almost anything that has happened in the whole history of this institution,—a letter from New Zealand, from one of our graduates who has gone out to that country, where they have very strict medical laws, and where some of our best physicians who have gone from this country, graduates from some of our largest medical colleges or most eminent medical schools, had difficulty in registering because the laws were so very strict. In this letter from this graduate of our American Medical Missionary College, he said: “I have finally passed my examinations, and received my certificate, and have been qualified to practice medicine in any part of New Zealand; and now [he said] the way is opened for every graduate of the Medical Missionary College.” That was a very satisfactory thing to me. If the way is opened in New Zealand, it will be open in other countries, and I trust the time is not far ahead when the graduates of the Medical Missionary College may be received to practice in Australia, and in every place on the globe—certainly in every place which is considered to be a country in which missionaries can labor.GCB April 19, 1901, page 341.14

    The question was called and carried unanimously by acclamation. A rising vote was then taken, which was also unanimous.GCB April 19, 1901, page 341.15

    Dr. Paulson: I have a resolution with reference to the educational work as it is carried into our various fields of labor. Next to literature, personal effort is the most important thing, for the literature can be circulated more extensively by this. The resolution is as follows:—GCB April 19, 1901, page 341.16

    Resolved, That systematic efforts should be made to extend the methods and principles of rational hygienic living by means of suitable courses of instruction in connection with Chautauquas, camp-meetings, institutes, colleges, academies, and church schools.” I move the adoption of this resolution.GCB April 19, 1901, page 341.17

    The motion was seconded. The question was called, and carried unanimously.GCB April 19, 1901, page 342.1

    The Chair: Dr. Ottosen has a resolution which he will present.GCB April 19, 1901, page 342.2

    Dr. Ottosen presented the following:—GCB April 19, 1901, page 342.3

    Whereas, There are places in Europe where medical missionary work ought to be started at once, and other places where the work needs special attention and financial help; therefore—GCB April 19, 1901, page 342.4

    Resolved, That we ask the General Conference Committee to give this matter their careful attention as soon as possible, and to devise plans by which to secure the necessary funds.”GCB April 19, 1901, page 342.5

    The Chair: What will you do with the resolution?GCB April 19, 1901, page 342.6

    O. A. Olsen: I move its adoption.GCB April 19, 1901, page 342.7

    S. H. Lane: I second the motion.GCB April 19, 1901, page 342.8

    The question was called and unanimously carried.GCB April 19, 1901, page 342.9

    Dr. J. C. Ottosen: I am very much interested in the work, and in the adoption of the last report also. I will read just a few sentences of a letter received from Norway. Elder O. A. Johnson writes about the situation in Norway, and speaks about securing medical missionary workers for that field. Said he: “Brother Ottosen, we must have a doctor here.” Then he speaks of the health journal, and says, “Brother Ottosen, we must have a doctor here. We hope and pray you will have a real blessed time at the General Conference, but Brother Ottosen, bring or send us a doctor. Your brother in Christ, O. A. Johnson. P. S., Don’t forget to bring a doctor.” Two or three days ago I received a letter from a lady in Finland. She is not one of our people, but she has been to our institution. I wish to read a few lines from what she has said in a public paper about our institution at Skodsborg. She has a very prominent position as a lecturer in the countries of Europe, and in the United States. Her husband has written the best work on the temperance question, I believe, in existence. He devoted several years to it. She says: “I have visited many health resorts in different countries. At each of these I had seen one or more points of truth, but it was not until 1898 and 1899, when I visited the Skodsborg Sanitarium, that I at last found an institution that, according to my idea, has found and brought into practice the whole truth, as far as we are now able to see and understand it. It would never occur to me to send a sick person to any other institution, and it is my highest wish at present that my own country, Finland, may have an institution like this. One thing surprises me, and that is that every sick person in Denmark who can visit the Skodsborg Sanitarium does not do so. The only season is that they do not know the institution.” In one letter, she begins this way, “You must, you must, you must speak to Dr. Kellogg. We must have some workers for our Finland.” Now, what is true of Scandinavia is true of the other countries of Europe.GCB April 19, 1901, page 342.10

    I wish to call attention to the field of Europe, especially the Scandinavian countries. If you take South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and half of Indiana, you have exactly the size of the Scandinavian field. In these States you have eleven and one-half million inhabitants, according to the last census, but in the Scandinavian field there are twelve and one-half million people. In many respects it is a difficult field. It is not a fruit country, and a half paradise like California; but when you go up to the northernmost parts of these countries, scarcely anything will grow, and people live upon fish and mutton. In some places the trees are not higher than two or three feet. There are no woods there.GCB April 19, 1901, page 342.11

    In several places the people will continue for months, living on fish and mutton. They do not have anything else, not even bread. You say, “How can they stand it?” They are very particular about baths, and that helps them. In these northern countries, and especially Finland, excepting for their diet, the people are the cleanest people living on the earth. They take baths all the time: and when a Finnish family do not have money enough to build two rooms, they build a bath-room, and live in that until they get enough money to build another room. When they do not have enough money to put in an apparatus with which to take a cold spray, they pour water on their stove, and thus create steam, which fills their room, and then they go out and roll in the snow to cool off.GCB April 19, 1901, page 342.12

    Our medical work is quite well started in Denmark: but in Norway and Sweden they are crying for help. Since coming to this Conference I have been looking around to see if I could get somebody to go to Sweden. The work is just started there. Brother and Sister Kalstrom are doing good work, and some sisters are laboring in Gutember, but they are in need of a physician there. I have found a young Swede since coming to this country, who is preparing himself in the American Medical Missionary College to go over there, and the Lord will help him. We have many difficulties to battle with on the diet question, and also with questions of finance.GCB April 19, 1901, page 342.13

    In the Latin countries scarcely anything has been done. There is the great country of France, with forty million inhabitants, and Spain and Portugal and Italy, where hardly anything has been done. I hope many will go there from the Medical Missionary College. It must be done, and by God’s help and blessing it will be done. I pray that he may help us to study out the right plans with which to carry on the work in those countries.GCB April 19, 1901, page 342.14

    The Chair: You have heard the resolution and the earnest appeal. I am sure that Dr. Ottosen has not pictured the matter to you greater than it is. I have traveled over this field, from Stockholm to Cairo and Constantinople. Elder Conradi can tell you about the needs of Egypt. I have been there, and have seen the opportunities presented. I will give you just one little note to show you what power there is in the medical missionary work. I was in Constantinople a year ago last summer. The brethren heard I was coming. They came in from different places. There was a brother from Macedonia, and a brother from Athens and somebody else from some other place. I felt I was getting back just about two thousand years. They took me up to an upper chamber, and we had a meeting up there. We found dozens of people who had come in from the surrounding country. They had come in to wait for me. Some had been staying there for two weeks, camping out.GCB April 19, 1901, page 342.15

    They were all sick. They began to ask questions about health reform. These were so intelligent as to show them to be advanced health reformers. Those people in Constantinople had Good Health, and had it translated to them every month, they also had books and papers on this line translated to them every week, and so were up to the very front line of progress.GCB April 19, 1901, page 342.16

    I had a letter from Brother Krumm, of Jerusalem, the other day, and he said they had started a little bath-room last year, and they had five converts from that little bath-room; every one of the converts they had had come in through the influence of the bath-room. Here are missions upon which thousands of dollars have been spent, and many of them have made no progress at all. But with our little bath-room we have five good converts.GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.1

    So the medical missionary work is needed in that country. This work is a means by which you can get an influence with those people as you can not in any other way. I would like to tell you of experiences I had in Joppa, with the Mohammedans, where the Arab chiefs came in and sat down, and we talked the gospel with them. I wish I could tell you of some of the wonderful interesting experiences we have had; but we have not the time for it. There is no country, I believe, where medical missionary work is needed more emphatically and imperatively than in Egypt, Turkey, and the other countries of Asia Minor. It is about the only way that anything can be done there, and in Italy.GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.2

    We will have to adjourn this meeting very soon; but we have still one or two other resolutions. Will you act on these resolutions. All in favor say, Aye; opposed, No. Carried.GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.3

    The Secretary: I have a resolution in regard to the James White Memorial Home and the Haskell Home for Orphans, which I wish to present: It is as follows:—GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.4

    Resolved, That we acknowledge the blessing of God, and the benevolence of our brethren in the support of the James White Memorial Home for the aged, and the Haskell Home for Orphans, and express it as our hope and desire that these charities be encouraged by continued support and good will.”GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.5

    The Chair: I will say that we have had donations sufficient to support these two institutions, but about $600; so we have run behind only $600. All in favor of this resolution say, Aye; oppose, No. Carried.GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.6

    The Secretary: I have also a resolution concerning the constituent body of the Portland Sanitarium and Benevolent Association, that it consists of fifteen members, five elected for one year, five for two years, and five for three years. The following names are suggested for the nomination for the first year: H. W. Decker, T. H. Starbuck, W. H. Winslow, R. D. Benham, H. J. Schnepper.GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.7

    Also another set of five names for the following year, as this is a biennial meeting. The names are: R. Rose, E. Hurlbut, J. C. Scott, David Emmerson, O. W. Barber.GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.8

    The Chair: What will you do with this resolution?GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.9

    G. W. Reaser: I move the adoption of it.GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.10

    E. J. Hibbard: I second the motion.GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.11

    The names were reread, and the question was called.GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.12

    The Chair: Is there anything to be said? It is moved and seconded that this resolution be adopted, and that these brethren be nominated. Are you ready for the question?GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.13

    Carried.GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.14

    The Secretary: Concerning the Nebraska Sanitarium and Benevolent Association: “To fill vacancies of 1901: Bert Glasscock, Wm. Diamond, Luther Warren, John Richards, B. G. Wilkinson, A. R. Henry, J. W. Rogers.”GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.15

    “To fill vacancies of 1902: J. T. Boettcher, F. M. Wilcox, H. B. Farnsworth, J. E. Kirk, Orlando Thayer, Jesse Arthur, C. G. Christoffersen.”GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.16

    The Chair: A motion to rescind the action of yesterday, which was incorrect, and to adopt this resolution, will be in order. Do we hear such a motion?GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.17

    F. M. Wilcox: I move that we rescind the other, and adopt this.GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.18

    This motion was seconded and carried.GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.19

    The Chair: A motion to adjourn will now be in order. I believe we have nothing further before us to consider, and a motion to adjourn sine die may be in place.GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.20

    F. M. Wilcox: I move that we adjourn sine die.GCB April 19, 1901, page 343.21

    This motion was seconded and carriedGCB April 19, 1901, page 343.22

    J. H. KELLOGG, Chairman.
    A. J. READ, Secretary.

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