My grandfather’s letter will discuss whether Seventh-day Adventist sanitariums are a curse or a blessing and if they are for financial gain.

If you missed the first four parts, you can find them under the Health section and subheading Archibald William Truman M.D. Writings. You can go directly there with this link. https://healthyhomesteadingadventures.com/category/health/archibald-william-truman-m-d-writings/

A Sanitarium — A Curse or a Blessing

Could it be that some of our sanitariums, in sacrificing the principles of truth, in lowering and trailing our health reform standards in the dust, are giving a false picture to the world of the ministry of Christ and are thus “hindering” the “advance” ” of the truth,” and even proving “a curse” to the advent movement? This grievous possibility is not a suggestion of mine. “How readest thou?” It is written “the great object of this institution should be to improve the health of the body that the afflicted may more highly appreciate eternal things. If this object is not continually set before the mind, and efforts are not made to this end, it will prove a curse instead of a blessing. — With God and angels on their side, his commandment-keeping people can but prosper.”

Is the Object of a Sanitarium Financial Gain?

“This institution is not to be established for the object of gain, but to aid in bringing God’s people into such a condition of physical and mental health as will enable them to rightly appreciate eternal things and to correctly value the redemption so dearly purchased by the sufferings of our Saviour.”

Thank God, a sanitarium properly conducted can and should make its way financially, but as a pattern of Christ’s ministry, it exists to give and not to get. A Seventh-day Adventist sanitarium exists to make money precisely as an evangelistic company, a Seventh-day Adventist church, a school, or a conference exists to make money. All of these need and must have means for financial support, to enable them to carry forward their work.

The objective of a sanitarium is financial gain no more and no less than was financial gain the objective of our Divine Master and His disciples. They had a purse and a treasurer.

“Our sanitariums are established for one object–the advancement of present truth.” 7T p. 96.

“They must not sell their souls for financial advantage.” 7T p. 96

Are Sanitariums Fancy Hotels?

“We are not building sanitariums for hotels. Receive into our sanitariums only those who desire to conform to right principles, those who will accept the foods that we can conscientiously place before them. Should we allow patients to have intoxicating liquor in their rooms or should we serve them with meat, we could not give them the help they should receive in coming to our sanitariums. We must let it be known that from principle, we exclude these articles from our sanitariums and from our hygienic restaurants.” 7T p. 95

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Sanitariums are to be Missionary Institutions

“The sanitarium is to be a missionary institution in the fullest sense of the word, and its character in this respect must be preserved or it will not bear upon it the superscription of God. To keep it thus will require godliness of life and character in every worker.” CH p. 286.

Instead of our sanitariums now being missionaries “in the fullest sense of the word,” in every sense of the word, can it be shown that these community hospitals are now truly missionaries in “any sense” of the word? Wherein are they missionary– because they employ a chaplain? TheUnited States Senate does that. I know there are some missionary nurses and other Christian workers who faithfully serve within them, and God still has equity in our sanitariums. Remember, “God’s purpose in their establishment remains the same.” 6T 224.

Primary Design for Sanitariums

The very first Divine purpose for the establishment of a Seventh-day Adventist sanitarium was to aid “in the preparation of a people for the Lord’s second coming.” A sanitarium was primarily designed as a place where our own people who fall ill could go and could receive the most health-restoring diet, the best treatments under restful mental and spiritual influences which would not compromise their faith, at prices which they could afford.

“In the vision given me December 25, 1865, I saw that the health reform was a great enterprise, closely connected with the present truth and that Seventh-day Adventists should have a home for the sick, where they could be treated for their diseases, and also learn how to take care of themselves so as to prevent sickness.” 1T p. 553.

“Our people should have an institution of their own, under their own control for the benefit of the diseased and suffering among us” and where “unbelievers” would have “their prejudice removed,” where “their prejudice will be overcome,” etc. 1T p. 492, 493.

“I was shown that we should provide a home for the afflicted — and not compel those who are sick and desirous of living out the truth to go to popular water cure institutions for the recovery  of their health, where there is no sympathy for our faith.” 1T p. 489.

“I was shown that Sabbath-keepers should open a way for those of like precious faith to be benefited without their being under the necessity of expending their means at institutions where their faith and religious principles are endangered,” etc. 1T p. 490.

Is that “design” clear? And “God’s purpose in their establishment remains the same.” Have not our sanitarium hospitals been priced clear out of the reach of the average Seventh-day Adventist?

The Temptation to Depart From Principle

“The managers of the sanitariums will often be tempted to depart from the principles which should govern such an institution, but they should not vary from the right course to gratify the inclinations or minister to the depraved appetites of wealthy patients or friends. The influence of such a course is only evil. Deviations from the teachings given in lectures or through the press, have a most unfavorable effect upon the influence and morals of the institution,  and will to a great extent counteract all efforts to instruct and reform the victims of depraved appetites and passions and to lead them to Christ, the only safe refuge. The evil will not end here. The influence affects not only the patients but the workers as well. When the barriers are once broken down, step after step is taken in the wrong direction. Satan presents flattering worldly prospects to those who will depart from principle and sacrifice integrity and a Christian honor to gain the approbation of the ungodly.” 4T p. 577.

“This is That” — “This is Not That.”

Upon the Day of Pentecost when the disciples were charged with being “drunken with new wine,” Peter, with convincing power, could point his accusers to the words of the prophet Joel and declare, “This is that,” “this is that” which was spoken by the prophet.

In 1868, three years after the great Christmas vision of sanitarium work was given, and after various compromises had crept into our first health institution, the Lord’s messenger viewed the distorted picture which caused her “to suffer disappointment and grief,” and she wrote, “when I saw these things I said, ‘THIS IS NOT THAT.'” “This is not that which was shown me as an institution for the sick, which would share the signal blessing of God. THIS IS ANOTHER THING.” 1T p. 634

“The Poor Ye Have Always With You.”

Another very important design of God for our sanitariums — they were ” to be a refuge for the poor and lowly.” 8T p. 141 Do you know of any sanitarium that has that reputation? “Prices should not be set so high to meet current expenses that the poor will, to a large extent, be excluded from the benefits of the sanitarium. ” 8T p. 142 Are these not now entirely excluded?

The “Pattern Picture” is beautifully balanced. A sanitarium cannot operate upon good will, good principles, or good public charity. It must have sound financial policies. The afflicted family, the churh and the sanitarium are to share the burden for the worthy poor among us. 

“Glendalizing Our Sanitariums.”

If God were to scrutinize our sanitarium program in North America today, would His verdict again be, “dependence has been placed upon human wisdom and failure has been the result.”? These words of stern rebuke refer directly to the sanitarium work in Southern California. “The Lord has not been honored or glorified by the past showing of the sanitarium work in Southern California. This work has been greatly hindered because men have relied upon human devising instead of following the Lord’s leading. Dependence has been placed upon human wisdom, and failure has been the result. — “One of dignity and authority arose and said: ‘Never, never repeat a mistake of the past. Men have placed too much confidence in themselves.’ — You have,’ said our instructor, ‘come to an important place in the history of your work.'” LLMs p. 45.

To the ambitious, glory-seeking Battle Creek Sanitarium doctor, the Lord’s messenger wrote: “Years ago the large responsibilities centering in Battle Creek should have been distributed. You may look with satisfaction at the wide-spreading sanitarium at Battle Creek, but the Lord does not look upon it with the same approval that you do. — If institutions had been built up in other places — there would have been far more strength, far more efficiency in our work.” 8T p. 149.

The new Glendale Sanitarium building erected in 1920 was six inches longer than the great Battle Creek Sanitarium. Since that time a large 4-story wing (perhaps as large as any Seventh-day Adventist sanitarium ought to be) was added, and now, another large building “for psychiatric patients” is being constructed, while a thousand American cities, needing a Seventh-day Adventist sanitarium, can have nothing. Are we endeavoring to out-Battle-Creek the ambitioius Battle Creek Sanitarium tower builders? May God anoint our vision and help us to lift up our eyes and see the whitening fields and pause in our onward rush long enough to “measure our Divine Pattern” and see if we are not falling woefully short of the mark.

My Conclusion

Was my grandfather just an old fuddy-duddy? Doesn’t He know that God changes with the times? Or does He know that God doesn’t change?  The result of disobeying God with the Battle Creek Sanitarium was a judgment that burned it to the ground (See part 4). He would have been startled to see the new high rise at the Loma Linda Medical Center. Our merciful Father has delayed judgment, but it will come. May God have mercy on the people in the hospital when it does come that there be no loss of life. Pray for revival and reformation. Pray that we will return to the blueprint.