Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-01-11


Battle Creek. Mich.---their SeIEDeny-
ing WORK in Chicago.
CHICAGO, Jan. 7, 1895.
used to think knew all about the re-
ligious sect called Adveniists, and felt sure
their strongest characteristics were a gen
eral unkemptness as to person AMI prem
ises and great leanness of purse, they being
so intent upon an immediate flight heaven
ward as to find even a small degree of at
tention to mundane affairs impossible.
But this bubble of self-conceit now lies in
such collapsed condition as inspires me
with the amiable desire to illustrate the
saying that "misery loves company"
Do you fatter yourself that you know
all about the Seventh-Day Adventists, Mr..
Editor? Because if you do, and yet have
Battle Creek, Mich, you have still much
to learn in regard to a people at once pecu-
liar and interesting. l do not know their
proportion to the entire population of the
city, but their house of worship is the
largest in the place, easily holding 5000
people, and is always well filled. In addi-
| ton to this they conduct the largest medi-
cal sanitarium in the world; a hospital,
with which is connected a training-school
for medical missionaries, an Old Peoples
| Home and a Home for Orphans. These
various activities are housed in handsome
buildings, the sanitarium especially being
| luxurious in all its appointments. DR.. j.
| II. Kellogg, its superintendent, is a man of
recognized ability in his professional fact
which leads invalids from all over the
country to resort to Battle Creek, and they
seldom, if ever, leave without having re-
ceved great benefit. The prices charged
are high as in all first-class sanitariums,
! but the profits which accrue therefrom are
all devoted to missionary and philanthropic
work. The SeventhDay Adventists are
strict vegetarians, and DR.. Kellogg is a
| splendid example of the results of this
mode of life. 1t is no eXaggeration to say
that he does the work of several ordinary
men, and has the executive and financial
care of all the institutions mentioned, yet
he never seems weary, and looks many
| years younger than his real age. In his
work he is ably seconded by his wife, who
finds time to give much personal assistance
despite the fact that their family numbers
IL children-all adopted.
Something over year ago, a branch of
the Battle Creek sanitarium was opened in
this city, and soon a number of its nurses
and physicians began to work among the
denzens of darkest Chicago" A medical
mission was opened, with a dispensary,
free bath and laundry, and during the
coolest weather of last winter a soup kitch-
en- was maintained, from which over 10000
penny-dinners were supplied in a single
week. The workers in this mission receive
no salary, yet their work is ver"hard and
disagreeable, and not infrequently their
lives are in jeopardy, the mission being
located in one of the worst alleys in the
city, called Custom House Place. People
are often "slugged" here. 1t is said that
one of the nurses once thought he would
take a look drought it Gt is only about 20
rods long,, and he found two men who had
| been knocked down; in one case the scalp
had been cut open, and in the other the
skull was crushed in. He took them
to the mission and revived them. Next
morning he took the same walk, TO see if
he could find any more unfortunates, and
found poor fellow who had been knocked
down and robbed; his hat, coat shirt,
shoes and stockings we're gone and he was
stiff with cold, though still alive. The
nurse picked him up and carried him into
the mission, gave him a bath, some clothes
and a breakfast, and sent him on his way
reioicing-as well as he could under the
circumstances. Another morning, while
walking along the alley, the nurse himself
was selzed by four of the athletic ne crosses
who infest the locality, and dragged into
their den. He thought his time had come,
surely, but nevertheless managed to say
calmly: 81 presume you don't know who
am; am one of the nurses belonging to
the mission around the corner" Where
upon one of AmazOns exclaimed, "Oh. if
you are one of those nurses, we wouldn't
hurt you for the world" and they opened
the door for him to walk out. Thus it will
be seen that self-denyiDg labor among the
lowly and degraded wins appreciation even
| from those intent upon the worst crimes.
While we would hardly care TO adopt
the peculiar religious tenets of this people,
there is much in their everyday life that
we might do well to initiate. They seem
to live for the good they can do for others.
Although ninety per cent of their number
depend upon their days work for liveli-
hood, the goods and money given by the
members at Battle Creek on the occasion of
their annual thanks-offerng service, Dec.
30, amounted to $4,000. Besides this,
they give One-tenth of their weekly earn.
| ings to the cause so dear to their hearts,
and are always ready to help in special
cases that are brought TO their notice. The
more they give, however, the more they
seem to have, for there is not a more pros
porous community to be found. There is
not a poor family among them, and the
city has never spent one cent TO aid a needy
Adventist during all the years of their resi-
dence there. On the other hand, they are
constantly doing for people outside their
fold, and during Christmas week sent out
a committee to visit every house in the
city to see if there were any in need of help
OF medical services. Their charities are
performed in the most unostentatious way
their fare is simple, their dress plain. Be
lleving as they do that the second advent
is near at hand, they have no motive for
laying up treasure on earth, but labor to
prepare the world for His coming with a
self-denying devotion that cannot but win
respect even from those who have no SYM
pathy with the doctrines they hold.
But how my pen goes racing along when
| get fairly started upon theme that in
terests me. Already methinks l see the
eye of We editor sin a fine frenzy rolling
as he vainly tries to plan how he shall put
nine columns of matter in seven columns
space, and, being now in a different mood
from that in which this letter was begun,
VIII hasten TO sign, f. 7. c.
!