Health Institute
585
than I ever had before. I still fondly hope to see the Health Institute at
Battle Creek prospering and in every respect the institute shown me.
But it will take time to fully correct and outgrow the errors of the past.
With the blessing of God this can and will be done.
The brethren who have stood at the head of this work have appealed
to our people for means, on the ground that the health reform is a part
of the great work connected with the third angel’s message. In this
they have been right. It is a branch of the great, charitable, liberal,
sacrificing, benevolent work of God. Then why should these brethren
say: “Stock in the Health Institute will pay a large per cent,” “it is a
good investment,” “a paying thing”? Why not as well talk of stock in
the Publishing Association paying a large per cent? If these are two
branches of the same great, closing work of preparation for the coming
of the Son of man, why not? Or why not make them both matters of
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liberality? The pen and the voice that appealed to the friends of the
cause in behalf of the publishing fund held out no such inducements.
Why, then, represent to wealthy, covetous Sabbathkeepers that they
may do great good by investing their means in the Health Institute, and
at the same time retain the principal, and also receive large per cent for
the simple use of it? The brethren were called upon to donate for the
Publishing Association, and they nobly and cheerfully sacrificed unto
the Lord, following the example of the one who made the call, and the
blessing of God has been upon that branch of the great work. But it is
to be feared that His displeasure is upon the manner in which funds
have been raised for the Health Institute, and that His blessing will not
be upon that institution to the full, till this wrong shall be corrected. In
my appeal to the brethren in behalf of such an institution, in
Testimony
for the church, vol 1, No. 11, page 492
, I said:
“I was shown that there is no lack of means among Sabbathkeeping
Adventists. At present their greatest danger is in their accumulations
of property. Some are continually increasing their cares and labors;
they are overcharged. The result is, God and the wants of His cause are
nearly forgotten by them; they are spiritually dead. They are required
to make a sacrifice to God, an offering. A sacrifice does not increase,
but decreases and consumes.”
My view of this matter of means was that there should be “a
sacrifice to God, an offering;” and I never received any other idea.
But if the principal is to be held good by stockholders, and they are