Dedication of the Loma Linda Sanitarium
EGW
Sunday, April 15, the beautiful buildings and grounds of the Loma Linda Sanitarium were solemnly dedicated to the service of God. RH June 21, 1906, par. 1
The exercises of the day meant much to those who had made many personal sacrifices in order to help secure the institution and set it in operation. During the forenoon, the friends of the sanitarium began to come in from Los Angeles and its vicinity, and from Riverside, Redlands, San Bernardino, and other places in the beautiful valley, in the heart of which is Loma Linda. The morning hours were spent in looking over the property that has so providentially come into our possession. At noon, a lunch was served on the lawn. RH June 21, 1906, par. 2
Early in the afternoon the people gathered for the dedicatory exercises. Seats had been placed on a gentle sloping lawn, under the shadow of a beautiful grove of evergreen pepper-trees. In front was a large improvised platform, on which were seated the speakers and the singers. The congregation numbered about five hundred. Among those present were several physicians and other leading men from the surrounding cities. RH June 21, 1906, par. 3
During the exercises, the people were told of the remarkable providences that had attended every step taken to secure the property. The purpose we have in view in the establishment of many sanitariums was also dwelt upon. I was present at the meeting only a portion of the time, and spoke with freedom for nearly half an hour on the advantages of outdoor life in the treatment of disease. RH June 21, 1906, par. 4
I tried to make it plain that sanitarium physicians and helpers were to cooperate with God in combating disease not only through the use of the natural remedial agencies he has placed within our reach, but also by encouraging their patients to lay hold on divine strength through obedience to the commandments of God. RH June 21, 1906, par. 5
In Deuteronomy we read: “Harken. O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live.” And when Moses, just before his death, had repeated the statutes of Jehovah in the hearing of all Israel, he declared: “See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; in that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live.” RH June 21, 1906, par. 6
Again he pleaded: “I have set before you life and death; ... choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: that thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days.” RH June 21, 1906, par. 7
In his closing admonitions, Moses once more exhorted Israel to observe “all the words” of God's law. “It is not a vain thing for you,” he declared; “because it is your life: and through this thing [through obedience] ye shall prolong your days.” RH June 21, 1906, par. 8
Physicians and ministers are to unite in an effort to lead men and women to obey God's commandments. They need to study the intimate relationship existing between obedience and health. Solemn is the responsibility resting upon medical missionaries. They are to be missionaries in the true sense of the term. The sick and the suffering who entrust themselves to the care of the helpers in our medical institutions, must not be disappointed. They are to be taught how to live in harmony with heaven. As they learn to obey God's law, they will be richly blessed in body and in spirit. RH June 21, 1906, par. 9
The advantage of outdoor life must never be lost sight of. How thankful we should be that God has given us beautiful sanitarium properties at Paradise Valley and Glendale and Loma Linda! “Out of the cities! out of the cities!”—this has been my message for years. We can not expect the sick to recover rapidly when they are shut in within four walls, in some city, with no outside view but houses, houses, houses—nothing to animate, nothing to enliven. And yet how slow some are to realize that the crowded cities are not favorable places for sanitarium work! RH June 21, 1906, par. 10
Even in southern California not many years ago, there were some who favored the erection of a large sanitarium building in the heart of Los Angeles. In the light of the instruction God had given, we could not consent to the carrying out of any such plan. In the visions of the night, the Lord had shown me unoccupied properties in the country, suitable for sanitarium purposes, and for sale at a price far below the original cost. RH June 21, 1906, par. 11
It was some time before we found these places. First, we secured the Paradise Valley Sanitarium, near San Diego. A few months later, in the good providence of God, the Glendale property came to the notice of our people, and was purchased and fitted up for service. But light came that our work of establishing sanitariums in southern California was not complete; and on several different occasions Testimonies were given that medical missionary work must be done somewhere in the vicinity of Redlands. RH June 21, 1906, par. 12
In an article published in the Review of April 6, 1905, I wrote: RH June 21, 1906, par. 13
“On our way back to Redlands, as our train passed through miles of orange groves, I thought of the efforts that should be made in this beautiful valley to proclaim the truth for this time. I recognized this section of southern California as one of the places that had been presented to me with the word that it should have a fully equipped sanitarium. RH June 21, 1906, par. 14
“Why have such fields as Redlands and Riverside been left almost unworked? As I looked from the car window, and saw the trees laden with fruit, I thought, Would not earnest, Christlike efforts have brought forth just as abundant a harvest in spiritual lines? In a few years these towns have been built up and developed, and as I looked upon their beauty and the fertility of the country surrounding them, there rose before me a vision of what the spiritual harvest might have been had earnest, Christlike efforts been put forth for the salvation of souls. RH June 21, 1906, par. 15
“The Lord would have brave, earnest men and women take up his work in these places. The cause of God is to make more rapid advancement in southern California than it has in the past. Every year thousands of people visit southern California in search of health, and by various methods we should seek to reach them with the truth. They must hear the warning to prepare for the great day of the Lord, which is right upon us.... RH June 21, 1906, par. 16
“We are called upon by God to present the truth for this time to those who year by year come to southern California from all parts of America. Workers who can speak to the multitudes are to be located where they can meet the people, and give them the warning message. Ministers and canvassers should be on the ground, watching their opportunity to present the truth and to hold meetings. Let them be quick to seize opportunities to place present truth before those who know it not. Let them give the message with clearness and power, that those who have ears to hear may hear.” RH June 21, 1906, par. 17
These words were written before I had learned anything about the property at Loma Linda. Still the burden of establishing another sanitarium rested upon me. In the fall of 1903 I had a vision of a sanitarium in the midst of beautiful grounds, somewhere in southern California, and no property I had visited answered to the presentation given in this vision. At the time, I wrote about this vision to our brethren and sisters assembled at the Los Angeles camp-meeting early in September, 1903. RH June 21, 1906, par. 18
While attending the General Conference of 1905, at Washington, D. C., I received a letter from Elder J. A. Burden, describing a property he had found four miles west of Redlands, five and one-half miles southeast of San Bernardino, and eight miles northeast of Riverside. As I read his letter, I was impressed that this was one of the places I had seen in vision and I immediately telegraphed him to secure the property without delay. He did so, and as the result, Loma Linda is in our possession. RH June 21, 1906, par. 19
Later, when I visited this property, I recognized it as one of the places I had seen nearly two years before in vision. How thankful I am to the Lord our God for this place, which is all prepared for us to use to the honor and glory of his name! RH June 21, 1906, par. 20
Loma Linda cost us forty thousand dollars. The original cost was over three times this sum. There were seventy-six acres of land in the tract, and thirty have been added since. As a sanitarium site, the property is a valuable one. The grounds have been carefully laid out, at great expense to the original owners, and are beautified by well-kept lawns and flower gardens. The extensive view of valley and mountain is magnificent. One of the chief advantages of situation at Loma Linda is the pleasing variety of charming scenery on every side. RH June 21, 1906, par. 21
But more important than magnificent scenery and beautiful buildings and spacious grounds, is the close proximity of this institution to a densely populated district, and the opportunity thus afforded of communicating to many, many people a knowledge of the third angel's message. We are to have clear spiritual discernment, else we shall fail of understanding the opening providences of God that are preparing the way for us to enlighten the world. The great crisis is just before us. Now is the time for us to sound the warning message, by the agencies that God has given us for this purpose. Let us remember that one most important agency is our medical missionary work. Never are we to lose sight of the great object for which our sanitariums are established,—the advancement of God's closing work in the earth. RH June 21, 1906, par. 22
Loma Linda is to be not only a sanitarium, but an educational center. With the possession of this place comes the weighty responsibility of making the work of the institution educational in character. A school is to be established here for the training of gospel medical missionary evangelists. RH June 21, 1906, par. 23
Much is involved in this work, and it is very essential that a right beginning be made. The Lord has a special work to be done in this part of the field. He instructed me to call upon Elder and Mrs. S. N. Haskell to help us in getting properly started a work similar to that which they had carried on in Nashville and at Avondale. They came, and are now laboring with all the powers of their being to do a solid work. They conduct classes regularly in the institution, and have established a Bible training-school at San Bernardino, from which center is extending an influence throughout this district. Prof. W. E. Howell and his wife have consented to unite with the forces at Loma Linda in an effort to develop the school that must be carried on there. As they go forward in faith, the Lord will go before them, preparing the way. RH June 21, 1906, par. 24