Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-07-23
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.


tercst OF medical missions. Preach
heal x q 8
In this chapter we have the commits
sion OF Christ to kse twelve apostles
Just before He sent them upon their
first missionary journey. In this COM
mission two things are uppermost;
First. they are to preach; second, they
are to heal. "And as We so preach.
saying the kingdom OF heaven is at
hand. Heal the sick. cleanse the lepers,
cast out devils, free9y SIS We have re-
lceived freely give" In this commits
sion we can see that Christ recognizes
THE Importance of both the body and
ithe soul, and we can also see that he
recognizes the opportunity OF reaching
1.-THE soul through the body.
One of the superior characteristics
of the church of Christ is that it pays
proper attention TO the entire man. Ii
mot only emphasizes the value and the
Importance of the soul. but also of the
Imind and OF the body. Stoicism en-
lphasizes the mind and ignores the body
land the soul Epicureanism emphasizes
the importance OF the physical life. but
ignores the mind and the soul. But
christianity attaches due Importance to
every part of man. 1t also recognizes
the great advantages that come to
spiritual workers through attention to
and the care of the body.
The intimate relations that exist be
tween the body. the mind and the soul
illustrate the Importance Of Christian
iity's position Ia this respect 1t would
be an impossibility 10 lead man to
Christ who is hungry. No less dis
ltinguished evangelist than Mr.. Moody
has declared, "a man with cold feet
cannot be converted The body. the
mind and the soul all bear, the most
Intimate relations the one TO the other.
lat is impossible to treat one without
due and proper attention 10 all. Rec
ognizing this principle. Christianity
has paid proper attention to the mind
and to the body, having OF course In
mind the reaching OF the soul above
everything else.
This attitude OF Christianity toward
Hhe body has been specially applied TO
the work OF foreign missions This
has been done for number Of reasons.
In In most heather countries medical
science is very little advanced. Per-
haps there is nothing cruder in heath
en- life than the methods of taking care
of the body. Medical science Is scarce
ly understood at all. The methods Of
the physicians OF heathendom are
most crude and instead OF benefting
the health are usually injurious TO IL.
This condition made II absolutely noe
esnry for Christian missionaries to
pay attention TO medical science. Even
before medical missionaries were sent
10 the foreign fields the others had TO
give some attention to this subject.
k2) Medical missionaries are not only
necessary. but they are also very
powerful influence. Ii is possible
Through them to gain admission TO
many places where otherwise II would
be impossible TO 30. The women OF
most oriental countries can be reached
Through the women doctors as In no
other way. They live ordinarily most
Exclusively and under most eircum-
stances are absolutely inaccessible or
were SO until medical missions played
such an important part In our foreign
missionary work CD Through medical
missions 1t is possible TO gain the con-
fdence OF foreigners as In 40 other
way. They are naturally suspicious
and preiudiced. but when they see the
benefeent results OF medical missions
their loved ones healed or saved from
disease, this prejudice largely passes
away. They can realize that this at
tituds is at least be%eficent, and they
are naturally, therefore. the more read
1ly convinced that the gospel truths
will have the same effect upon their
souls. The king OF an oriental country
swas LED to practically embrace Chris
hanity ana to support Christian mis-
sions as a result OF the healing of
sick son. Such illustrations are very
common The hearts of the people
ars reached through the medical work.
their confidence Is obtained. and thus
IT Is an easy matter 10 present the
truths OF the gospel OF Jesus Christ,
and the minds of the people instead OF
being pre1udiced against it are open
and free 10 receive it