of Christlike work; but, oh! how different is the spirit and power of its performance."* Still deeper difficulties are the malicious reports which may be placarded about and which have to be lived down; and the indifference of patients to the spiritual side of the work-coming for what they can get of physical benefit, but caring nothing for the call of the Great Shepherd of Souls to return home to the Father's house. "Into a desolate land White with the driven snow, (Their) truant footsteps go. How the chilling apathy of patients must oppress the physician! The enormous inertia to be overcome, even by such favorable means as Medicine, must sometimes almost crowd optimism out of the field; and hope, and even faith, are beleaguered on every side by the crushing weight of difficulty. But the sun shines again and gratitude and humble following of Jesus Christ is the glorious result in the lives of many others; and that is reward enough. The author is quite unable to pronounce on Qualifications the qualifications necessary for such work as Needed. the foregoing pages indicate. The remarks following are almost wholly drawn from those who are able to speak with authority. 1. There can be no question that the foremost qualification needed for a medical missionary is that he should be a sincere and earnest follower of Jesus Christ. It would seem superfluous to write this down. Yet from the author's personal knowledge it is a most needed statement. Not once or twice, but many times, have medical students spoken to us about becoming medical missionaries when * Dr. Arthur Neve in Medical Missions at Home and Abroad. March, 1889 Page 265. + This section is largely adapted from Chap, 10 of "The Medical Mission." Dr, W. J. Wanless. 1898, they freely acknowledged that they were not followers of Jesus Christ. We would bid God-speed to every man or woman who will help to heal the world's heart disease from whatever motive. We rejoice in every humanitarian and humane effort for the alleviation of suffering, and we wish that such efforts might be extended and augmented in these needy lands; but we would nevertheless remind ourselves of the difference between such works of philanthropy and the work of healing the sick in the name and for the sake of the Lord Jesus and with the clearly defined purpose of letting the work of healing be subordinate and introductory to preaching the Good Tidings of the love of God and salvation from sin. As a visitor stands in the busiest part of the City of London at noonday he hears the peal of a score of church bells ringing out the hour. Louder than all the chimes of London booms out the great bell of St. Paul's Cathedral, on whose rim, suspended high above all other bells, are engraved the words, "Woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel." A hundred lesser bells are ringing out the messages of altruism, humanity and the brotherhood of man, but far higher than these peals out the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, a Gospel setting forth not an ideal alone, but bringing a strength into the individual life for the attainment of that ideal. It is this ideal for which the medical missionary lives. If men and women are going with this message, it is requisite that they know very personally the Saviour of whom they speak and experience in daily life the salvation which they, as ambassadors, offer to others. It is true that much of the work is what is termed secular and routine. That is greater reason for the medical missionary being thoroughly furnished unto every good work, and having all the checks and stimuli to be found from a life hid with Christ in God. 2. He should be a good doctor." In the mission field he will be thrown back on his own resources. He is often alone in face of the gravest responsibilities. He is not sustained by an educated public sentiment which will insure for him an enlightened and charitable view of all that he does. He is surrounded by envious charlatans, who will spare no efforts to injure him by detraction and misrepresentation. In such circumstances he has need of all the knowledge and skill furnished by a thorough medical training, of all the resources of a well-balanced mind and a courageous heart. His failure will not injure him alone. His success will advance the cause of Christ." * Professional efficiency does not necessarily mean professional celebrity. It means a thorough, all-round medical education, such as any diligent student may secure by a four to five years' curriculum in a high-grade medical college. A year's hospital or post-graduate experience will be a very valuable addition to such a course. In any case sufficient knowledge should be gained to insure personal confidence and progressive efficiency when on the field. The large amount of surgical and ophthalmic work to be done will naturally suggest those subjects as worthy of specialization in the year after graduation. Do not let any think that their brilliant talents will be wasted and find no adequate field of effort in this work. The highest and best is too low and too poor for the Master's royal service. Harold Schofield did not throw away his talents, which had won him $7,000 in prizes and scholarships, when he went out to China and lived and died there inside of a decade. China is still feeling the vibration of that heart beat; the stray snatches of music in scores of lives have reset themselves into a scheme of a higher and more consistent harmony, through the controlling influence of his life's song. 66 Is it a light or irresponsible work that any should fancy the best is far too good for use where the remuneration is but that of a satisfied conscience and a heart filled with the quiet joy of being serviceable? Ruskin says finely, “ It is an incomparably less guilty form of robbing, to cut a purse out of a man's pocket than to take it out of his hand on the understanding that you are to steer his ship up channel, when you do not know the soundings. The medical man has precious human ships to steer up the channel of disease, which is studded with rocks and shoals, to the harbor of health, and heavy and stringent is the obligation that rests upon him to make himself intimately ac*G. E. Post, M.D., Beyrout. quainted with its pathological soundings; only by assid uous and prolonged study can he hope faithfully to prepare himself for his work." 3. Good health.-Clearly the work is intense with heavy responsibilities. Physically and mentally he is ever subject to an exceptional strain. "Add to this the enervation of a foreign climate and the occasion for sound health is at once manifest. The student who is able at the present time to endure the pressure of a three or four years' medical course in addition to a preliminary education without impairment of his general health or nervous system, will promise well for successful endurance on the foreign field. It is not always necessary that a student possess an athletic physique or robust appearance, but the work does call for the power of endurance, a temperament neither nervous nor phlegmatic, a disposition devoid of irritability, but hopeful and courageous. An extraordinarily healthy appearance, though desirable, is not always demanded, but good staying qualities are indispensable. It is not always those who apparently are best fitted to withstand the strain of work and climate that actually enjoy the best health. Indeed the reverse is often the case. A previous record of good health under continued mental pressure and physical trial at home augurs well for continued good health abroad, and is probably the best guide in the decision as regards bodily endurance abroad.* 66 4. It is desirable, though not essential, that the missionary doctor be apt to teach. He is often the entering wedge for others, he is a buttress to his evangelistic colleagues, he is often preaching best when practising in the name and spirit of Christ. But if he has also the gift of speech, not necessarily of making speeches, but of apt, ready use of his opportunities by well-chosen words of sympathy, advice, rebuke, instruction and inspiration, his influence will be two-fold. For this purpose he should be specially grounded in the Scriptures and imbued with the spirit of prayer. As his acumen in diagnosis is only a prelude to his skill in prescribing the medicine or performing the operation which offers hope and life, so * The Medical Mission. W. J. Wanless. Pages 72, 73. The italics are our own. should his spiritual insight into the wants of his patient be a preparation for the words which may reform his life and save his soul." Appeal. We have seen the need of the heathen world; we have realized a little of the value of Medical Missions, directly, indirectly and reflexly. What are we going to do? Shall we stay here in America, where there is a physician to about every 550 people, or shall we go to India, where it is estimated by no less an authority than Sir William Moore that not 5 per cent. of the population is at present reached by medical aid? It is stated that even in Calcutta, one of the best medically equipped cities of Asia, three-fifths of the people have no medical attendance in their last illness. And this in India, with her government hospitals and dispensaries and her magnificent Lady Dufferin Scheme of relief. Do we not hear the mute appeal from China? In North America there are considerably more than 4,000 physicians to every two and a half million people. China has but one medical missionary for a similar population, though her need is a hundred-fold greater.* We have in addition to the physicians our great hospitals, nursing institutions, orphanages, convalescent homes, and homes for the incurable and dying. We have the knowledge of the laws of health, hygiene and sanitation. If recovery of a friend is unsatisfactory, there are specialists and consultants by the score in our great cities, whose help may be secured. Skilled nurses are obtain "The following statistics include data which have been verified and may stand as a fairly approximate-not absolutely complete-representation of the philanthropic agencies of missions. The total of medical missionaries at present is 680; of this number 470 are men and 210 women. There are 45 medical schools and classes, with 382 male and 79 female students-making a total of 461. There are 21 training schools for nurses, with 146 pupils. Neither of these statements includes 240 female medical students now in training as physicians, nurses and hospital assistants, under the care of the Lady Dufferin Association in India. There are 348 hospitals and 774 dispensaries. Exact statements as to the number of patients annually treated have been obtained from 293 hospitals and 661 dispensaries, the total patients recorded in these returns being 2,009,970, representing 5,087,169 treatments. If we make a proportionate estimate for the 55 hospitals and 113 dispensaries from which reports of the number of patients have not as yet been received, the sum total of those annually treated will be not far from 2,500,000. If we allow an average of three separate visits or treatments for each patient the total of annual treatments will be 7.500,000. There are 97 leper asylums, homes and settlements, with 5453 inmates, of whom 1987 are Christians. There are 227 orphan and foundling asylums, with 14,695 inmates.' (Christian Missions and Social Progress, Vol. II. Dr. Jas. S. Dennis.) |