Health Reform Health

Reform Requires Physical, Mental, and Moral Energies

Some have sneered at health reform, and have said it was all unnecessary, that it was an excitement which tended to divert minds from present truth. They have said that matters were carried to extremes. Such do not know what they are talking about. While men and women professing godliness are diseased from the crown of the head to the sole of the feet; while their physical, mental, and moral energies are enfeebled through gratification of depraved appetite and excessive labor, how can they weigh the evidences of truth, and comprehend the requirements of God? If their moral and intellectual faculties are beclouded, they cannot appreciate the value of the atonement or the exalted character of the work of God, nor delight in the study of his word. How can a nervous dyspeptic be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh him, a reason for the hope that is in him, with meekness and fear? How soon would such a one become confused and agitated, and by his diseased imagination be led to view matters in an altogether wrong light, and by a lack of that meekness and calmness which characterized the life of Christ, be caused to dishonor his profession while contending with unreasonable men? {CTBH 153.5}

As a people, with all our profession of health reform, we eat too much. Indulgence of appetite is the greatest cause of physical and mental debility, and lies at the foundation of a large share of the feebleness which is apparent everywhere. {CTBH 154.1}

The controlling power of appetite will prove the ruin of thousands, who, if they had conquered on this point, would have had the moral power to gain the victory over every other temptation. But those who are slaves to appetite will fail of perfecting Christian character. The continual transgression of man for over six thousand years has brought sickness, pain, and death as its fruit. And as we draw near the close of time, Satan's temptations to indulge appetite will be more powerful, and more difficult to resist. {CTBH 154.2}

We were in a meeting where important instruction in many lines was being given. Among those assembled were physicians, editors, publishers, ministers, and a large number of other persons. We were considering many things in regard to health reform. The matters of exercise and reformatory methods in regard to the foods we eat were under discussion. Some were advocating a flesh-meat diet. Speaking in support of this diet, they said that without it they were weak in physical strength. {TSDF 197.3}

But the words of our Teacher to us were, "As a man thinketh, so is he." The flesh of dead animals was not the original food for man. Man was permitted to eat it after the flood because all vegetation had been destroyed. But the curse pronounced upon man and the earth and every living thing has made strange and wonderful changes. Since the flood the human race has been shortening its period of existence. Physical, mental and moral degeneracy is rapidly increasing in these latter days. {TSDF 197.4}

The educational work in the medical missionary line is a great advance step toward awakening man to his moral responsibilities. Had the ministers taken hold of this work in accordance with the light that God has given them in various lines, there would have been a most decided reformation in eating, in drinking, and in dressing. But there are those who have stood directly in the way of the advance of health reform. They hold the people back by their indifferent or depreciatory remarks and their supposed pleasantries and jokes. They themselves and a large number of others have been sufferers, even unto death, but all have not yet learned wisdom. {TSDF 197.5}