J. H. Kellogg to E. G. White, May 25, 1892

J. H Kellogg to EGW May 25, 1892
much profited thereby. I have been able to attend myself sometimes, and have always felt profited in so doing. I am exceedingly anxious and have been for some time that the religious element should be more prominent in our work at the Sanitarium, not sectarian work, but a work calculated to bring souls to Christ, believing that when his mind is in such a condition it will be led to seek the truth and to recognize it when he finds it. I am sure that such a work is absolutely essential to the real success of the institution and cannot be separated from the health work connected with our cause. The trouble is to find those who are really competent to carry on this work in a discreet manner so as to command respect and accomplish real good. We have never yet succeeded in finding just the right person for this kind of work. I have excused myself from it on the ground that I was so overwhelmed with other work that it would be impossible to give to this work the attention which it requires. I am sure that this is true, and yet I cannot feel that I can excuse myself altogether, and for several months I have been employing what leisure time I could command in Bible study, and endeavoring to acquaint myself with the facts and principles that would be necessary for a work of this kind. [Prof Prescott kindly spent several evenings with me, and I think we canvassed the larger part of the ground covered by the doctrines recently presented by Elders Waggoner and Jones, which though new to most all our people seem to be the same that are taught in the Testimonies for several years in the past, and not essentially different from the teachings of Wesley and others many years ago. They have certainly impressed me as being sound doctrines, and exactly suited to connect with our work in the Sanitarium. Our helpers have been much interested in the Bible instruction that they have had during the past winter.]

The position that we have taken during the past year to admit none to our training classes who were not willing to remain for at least five years, and none that did not give evidence of having had a Christian experience, has resulted in a complete change in the character of our family of workers and also in the atmosphere of the institution. I think that I am safe in saying that at least one half of our family, numbering nearly three hundred are firm believers in the doctrine of righteousness by faith and in the principles which have been recently taught, and are greatly interested in Bible study and Bible work. The Sanitarium is a great missionary field and there is no better place on earth for missionary work. If we had the right person to take charge of the work and carry it forward, a great work might be accomplished. If we had at the Sanitarium a larger number of physicians of ability who could be relied upon thoroughly, I could myself get a considerable time to give to this kind of work, and in fact; do manage to do some work of this kind, and have been developing plans by which all our nurses and attendants could do something understandings in connection with this work. One plan has been for each nurse to select a subject each morning for religious thought, an and cake it a part of the work of the day to present it to the patients with whom they come in contact, some good thought that would be likely to lead their minds to inquire further. I think that there is some good work being done in this way.MMM 190.1