Not for Pleasure Seekers
[
Testimonies for the Church 7:95-97
(1902).]
Why do we establish sanitariums? That the sick who come to them
for treatment may receive relief from physical suffering and may also
receive spiritual help. Because of their condition of health, they are
susceptible to the sanctifying influence of the medical missionaries
who labor for their restoration. Let us work wisely, for their best
interests.
We are not building sanitariums for hotels. Receive into our san-
itariums 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 such articles from our
sanitariums and our hygienic restaurants. Do we not desire to see our
fellow beings freed from disease and infirmity, and in the enjoyment
of health and strength? Then let us be as true to principle as the needle
to the pole.
Those whose work it is to labor for the salvation of souls must keep
themselves free from worldly policy plans. They must not, for the
sake of obtaining the influence of someone who is wealthy, become
entangled in plans dishonoring to their profession of faith. They must
not sell their souls for financial advantage. They must do nothing that
will retard the work of God and lower the standard of righteousness.
We are God’s servants, and we are to be workers together with Him,
doing His work in His way, that all for whom we labor may see that
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our desire is to reach a higher standard of holiness. Those with whom
we come in contact are to see that we not only talk of self-denial and
sacrifice, but that we reveal it in our lives. Our example is to inspire
those with whom we come in contact in our work, to become better
acquainted with the things of God.
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