Summary 

During the last 100 years the Adventists invested hundreds of health care personnel and millions of dollars to build up 20 hospitals, during the first half of the century in China and the last half in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Many thinking people have asked  “why?” and “what for?” The same question can be asked for the evangelistic and educational work. The simplest answer is: They did it because Jesus did it and He commanded His disciples to do the same. Now let us summarize and analyze this experiment of health services.

(1) Most medical missionaries were very young, only in theft twenties, when they started the work. They were courageous, diligent and dedicated.

(2) The beginnings were small, but the Lord blessed them. These hospitals grew beyond their best expectation, and they were, in 95% of the cases, self-supporting.

(3) These medical missionaries were energetic and diligent workers. The doctors did surgical operations, clinic, teaching, solicitation, preaching, driving, and for Dr. Miller, vegetarian food research. Loma Linda or Worthington foods are mostly the products of DrMiller’s experiments, improvement of the old-fashion Chinese foods.

(4They offered their time, skill, and love to the extent of losing their lives: Maude Miller passed away in Henan only 1½ years after her arrival. She and Dr. Harry Miller, both in their twenties, have not begun to realize their dream. But she left her husband and all her loved ones in the United States, slept under the cold soil in China. When Dr. Miller and friends prepared for the funeral, he was advised not to have the burial in daytime; less he would offend the people. So the coffin was carried out in the evening and buried. You can imagine the extreme agony and loneliness of Henry Miller that evening when he returned to his empty house. Before she died she wrote a letter, later published on the Review, in it she requested that others would come to take her place. This request was answered many times by dedicated medical missionaries who followed her footstep and went to China.
- Dr. Coulston, Whose brief story just mentioned, was truly a martyr for the cause.
- Dr. Lee Tien-Xi, falsely accused, being wrongly executed by the communist government, died because he was a faithful worker for his Lord.
- Dr. Lee Shu Hwa, also a falsely accused doctor, then the Medical Director of the North-West China Hospital, was another sacrifice on the alter.
- We lost at least six adult medical missionaries who died on the job.

(4) When their hearts were touched by the spirit of these medical missionaries, people with means opened their purse and donated large amount of funds to our hospitals: Mr. Detwilder donated the cost of land and construction for the Wai On Hospital. Marshall Chang Xue-Liang, whose drug problem was cured by DrHarry Miller, gave generously. He helped build at least 7 hospitals: Lanzhou, Wuhan, Chungqing, Guangzhou, Zhangjiahou, Chiastou, Shanghai and Shenyang. Last, but not the least, Mr. Lee yen-nan; an SDA layman donated the Taishan Hospital.

- Dr. Law Keemwas the second doctor who died in service. Blood poisoning killed him when he was still a young person.

- Mrs. Laura Falconer, who was buried at Happy Valley, Hong Kong, a spot facing the Pioneer Memorial Church at the foot of the hill where we have our Hong Kong Adventist Hospital, was another casualty.

Of course there were others: Dr. Miller gave all the gifts from patients, some times in the tens of thousands of dollars, to the hospital be served. It was estimated that he gave a total of $2.5 mil. to the medical work in China. 

Elders Longway and Milne gave their savings. Dr. Chan Shun gave the first million Hong Kong Dollars, to the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital. A Mr. S H Tang gave HK$200,000 to the Tsuen Wan Adventist Hospital. And many more. Without these gifts, there would have been much less health care work in China.

(6) Wherever circumstances allowed, these hospitals operated nursing schools. In Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wai Chow, Naning, Wuhan, Chungqing, Northwest, Yencheng, and Shenyang Hospitals, we had our nursing schools. Even though we are short in personnel, money and materials costs money to run these schools for in those days students did not have money to pay for tuition and fees, instead the hospitals had to pay for their room and board, uniform and other expenses, such as health insurance. But it was the only way to assure better quality of nursing care. It was one of the main reasons Adventist hospital had a reputation of kind and loving services.

(7) This brief survey gives us a glimpse of our health care work in China. We had very little to begin this work. But when the pioneers put their feet in the water in faith, the water parted. Even though we are short in personnel, money and materials, we saved many lives and glorified God’s name. The wars were constantly on, so the overseas leaders came and left, to return home or to be locked up in concentration camp, but we kept marching on and the Lord richly blessed us. If His coming is delayed a bit more, I am sure we will build more hospitals in China.

(8) The support from the General Conference was crucial in the success of our Health Care work in China.