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Testimonies for the Church Volume 3
oppressed him: “Be of good cheer;” I, your Saviour, came to forgive
sins. How quickly the pallid countenance of the sufferer changes!
Hope takes the place of dark despair, and peace and joy take the place
of distressing doubt and stolid gloom. The mind being restored to
peace and happiness, the suffering body can now be reached. Next
comes from the divine lips: “Thy sins be forgiven thee;” “arise; and
walk.” In the effort to obey the will, those lifeless, bloodless arms are
quickened; a healthful current of blood flows through the veins; the
leaden color of his flesh disappears, and the ruddy glow of health takes
its place. The limbs that for long years have refused to obey the will
are now quickened to life, and the healed paralytic grasps his bed and
walks through the crowd to his home, glorifying God.
This case is for our instruction. Physicians who would be suc-
cessful in the treatment of disease should know how to minister to a
diseased mind. They can have a powerful influence for good if they
make God their trust. Some invalids need to be relieved of pain before
the mind can be reached. After relief has come to the body, the physi-
cian can frequently the more successfully appeal to the conscience,
and the heart will be more susceptible to the influences of the truth.
There is danger of those connected with the Health Institute losing
sight of the object for which such an institution was established by
Seventh-day Adventists, and working from the worlding’s standpoint,
patterning after other institutions.
The Health Institute was not established among us for the purpose
of obtaining money, although money is very necessary to carry forward
the institution successfully. Economy should be exercised by all in the
expenditure of means, that money be not used needlessly. But there
should be sufficient means to invest in all necessary conveniences
which will make the work of helpers, and especially of physicians,
as easy as possible. And the directors of the Institute should avail
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themselves of every facility which will aid in the successful treatment
of patients.
Patients should be treated with the greatest sympathy and tender-
ness. And yet the physicians should be firm and not allow themselves,
in their treatment of the sick, to be dictated to by patients. Firmness on
the part of the physicians is necessary for the good of the patients. But
firmness should be mingled with respectful courtesy. No physician or
helper should contend with a patient, or use harsh, irritating words, or