The Chaplain and His Work
It is of great importance that the one who is chosen to care for the
spiritual interests of patients and helpers be a man of sound judgment
and undeviating principle, a man who will have moral influence, who
knows how to deal with minds. He should be a person of wisdom and
culture, of affection as well as intelligence. He may not be thoroughly
efficient in all respects at first; but he should, by earnest thought and
the exercise of his abilities, qualify himself for this important work.
The greatest wisdom and gentleness are needed to serve in this position
acceptably, yet with unbending integrity, for prejudice, bigotry, and
error of every form and description must be met.
This place should not be filled by a man who has an irritable
temper, a sharp combativeness. Care must be taken that the religion of
Christ be not made repulsive by harshness or impatience. The servant
of God should seek, by meekness, gentleness, and love, rightly to
represent our holy faith. While the cross must never be concealed, he
should present also the Saviour’s matchless love. The worker must
be imbued with the spirit of Jesus, and then the treasures of the soul
will be presented in words that will find their way to the hearts of
those who hear. The religion of Christ, exemplified in the daily life
of His followers, will exert a tenfold greater influence than the most
eloquent sermons.... If all connected with the sanitarium are correct
representatives of the truths of health reform and of our holy faith,
they are exerting an influence to mold the minds of their patients. The
contrast of erroneous habits with those which are in harmony with the
truth of God, has a convicting power.—
Testimonies for the Church
4:546, 547
(1878).
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