Health Book for Raising Funds Proposed

On February 18, 1902, our sanitarium in Battle Creek burned to the ground. Not long after this, the medical superintendent met with the General Conference Committee to confer regarding plans for raising money to rebuild that large medical institution. At the time, we were in the midst of a great circulation campaign with a book on the parables of Jesus, entitled “Christ’s Object Lessons.” Mrs. White, the author, had given the manuscript of this book for the benefit of our schools, and, at her request, the publishing houses had relinquished their usual profit. Our people everywhere were being asked to take a few copies and sell them to their neighbors. As a result of this concerted action, thousands of dollars were being realized for the purpose of paying off the indebtedness on our schools.AGP 332.3

The success of this enterprise led me to suggest that a book be prepared dealing in a simple way with physiology and hygiene, and with home remedies for sickness, and that such a book be handled, for the benefit of the sanitarium, in the same way as “Christ’s Object Lessons” was being used for the relief of the schools. This plan met with favor by the Committee, and the medical superintendent of the sanitarium was asked to prepare the manuscript for the book.AGP 333.1

At the same time the plan was proposed, it was made very plain that the book was to be purely medical, and that none of the theology relating to the personality of God should be included, for it was evident that the inclusion of a controverted dogma would make impossible the united effort necessary for success. This was agreed to. Some months later, a few copies of galley proofs were distributed. The name chosen for the book was “The Living Temple.”AGP 333.2