Health Institute
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medicine that can be received by a sick man or woman. Heaven is all
health, and the more deeply the heavenly influences are realized the
more sure will be the recovery of the believing invalid. At some other
health institutions they encourage amusements, plays, and dancing
to get up an excitement, but are fearful as to the result of a religious
interest. Dr. Jackson’s theory in this respect is not only erroneous
but dangerous. Yet he has talked this in such a manner that, were his
instructions heeded, patients would be led to think that their recovery
depended upon their having as few thoughts of God and heaven as
possible. It is true that there are persons with ill-balanced minds
who imagine themselves to be very religious and who impose upon
themselves fasting and prayer to the injury of their health. These
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souls suffer themselves to be deceived. God has not required this of
them. They have a pharisaical righteousness, which springs, not from
Christ, but from themselves. They trust to their own good works for
salvation and are seeking to buy heaven by meritorious works of their
own instead of relying, as every sinner should, alone upon the merits
of a crucified and risen Saviour. Christ and true godliness, today and
forever, will be health to the body and strength to the soul.
The cloud which has rested upon our Health Institute is lifting, and
the blessing of God has attended the efforts made to place it upon a
right basis and to correct the errors of those who through unfaithfulness
brought great embarrassment upon it and discouragement upon its
friends everywhere.
Those who have assigned to the charitable uses of the Institute the
interest, or dividend, of their stock, have done a noble thing, which
will meet its reward. All those who have not made an assignment, who
are able to do so, should, at their first opportunity, assign all or a part,
as most of the stockholders have done. And as the growing interest
and usefulness of this institution demand it, all, especially those who
have not done so, should continue to take stock in it.
I saw that there was a large amount of surplus means among our
people, a portion of which should be put into the Health Institute. I
also saw that there are many worthy poor among our people who are
sick and suffering, and who have been looking toward the Institute for
help, but who are not able to pay the regular prices for board, treatment,
etc. The Institute has struggled hard with debts the last three years
and could not treat patients to any considerable extent without full pay.