Manuscript Releases, vol. 21 [Nos. 1501-1598]
MR No. 1558—Dietary Advice to a Sanitarium Physician; Let the Adventist Light Shine
(Written January 22, 1901, from St. Helena, California, to Dr. S. Rand, Hamilton, Newcastle, New South Wales.)
I wish to express to you my satisfaction at your connection with the Hamilton Bath Business and the Retreat. There is a large and progressive work to be done in Newcastle and Maitland. I look upon this work as a growing work, and if it is not hindered by unChristlike, unwise movements it will do much good. 21MR 285.1
My brother, I wish your ideas upon health reform were more clear and pronounced. Your advice in regard to the eating of meat and butter is not as it should be. That is not giving correct ideas. In many cases the result of eating these articles has been bring more suffering upon the patients than relief. You need health reform in practice. You need to teach health reform and keep your own soul in the love of God. 21MR 285.2
I have received letters from New Zealand in which the writers stated that nut foods do not agree with them. I did not know just how to answer these letters. In the night season I was instructed that education in using the nut food needs reforming, that too large a quantity of nut food is an injury. The combination is not correct when nuts are cooked with other food, and that some nuts are not as wholesome as others. These experiments must not be too certainly recommended, but experiment and move carefully. [Unless this is done], using this nut food will do harm. A reform must be made in the matter of health foods. 21MR 285.3
The foods used should correspond to the climate. Some foods suitable for one country would not do at all to be recommended in another place. And the nut foods should be made as inexpensive as possible so they can be procured by the poor. Light has been given me that almonds are preferable to peanuts, but peanuts in limited quantities may be used in connection with grains to make nourishing food which can be cared for by the digestive organs. But every soul must experiment for himself. Every family that have capabilities must improve them learning how to cook. 21MR 285.4
But let all who can eat freely of fruit. Fruits and grains are preferable to nuts. 21MR 285.5
Olives may be prepared in such a way that they will be superior to any drug in helping consumptives and those who have inflamed, irritated stomachs. Olives might be eaten with good results at every meal. The advantage supposed to be gained by the eating of butter may be obtained by eating properly-prepared olives. The oil in olives is a remedy for constipation and kidney diseases. 21MR 285.6
It would be well for us to do less cooking and eat more fruit in its natural state. Let us eat freely of fresh grapes, apples, peaches, oranges, blackberries, and all other kinds of fruit which can be obtained. Let these be prepared for winter use by canning, always using glass instead of tin. 21MR 286.1
Dr. Rand, educate yourself to discard all flesh meat. Soon butter will never be recommended, and after a time milk will be entirely discarded, for disease in animals is increasing in proportion to the increase of wickedness among men. The time will come when there will be no safety in using eggs, milk, cream, or butter. 21MR 286.2
God will give His people ability and tact to prepare wholesome food without these things. Let our people in Australia discard all unwholesome recipes and learn how to live healthfully, in accordance with the directions God has given. Let them impart this knowledge as they would Bible instruction. Let them preserve the health and increase the strength by avoiding the large amount of cooking which has filled the world with chronic invalids. We are coming to the time when recipes for cooking will not be needed, for God's people will learn that the food God gave Adam in his sinless state is the best for keeping the body in a sinless state. 21MR 286.3
Hot drinks are not required, except as a medicine. The stomach is greatly injured by a large quantity of hot food and hot drink. Thus the throat and digestive organs, and through them the other organs of the body, are enfeebled. 21MR 286.4
The Lord would be pleased to see His people intelligent upon many matters where they are now ignorant. Let those who have obtained knowledge of how to eat and drink and dress so as to preserve health impart this knowledge to others. Let the poor have the gospel of good health preached unto them from a practical standpoint that they may know how to care for the body properly. 21MR 286.5
Our people should experiment how to prepare food without the use of milk or butter. The time is near when the whole animal creation will groan under the disease which curses our earth because of the iniquity of the fallen race. 21MR 286.6
How safe is it now to use these articles? We may not say with certainty, for it is difficult to know which cattle are diseased and which are not. One thing we do know. The physicians connected with our sanitariums should be health reformers in every respect. They should never prescribe flesh meat or butter for their patients. Let them prescribe instead a diet of bread and fruit. 21MR 286.7
Now, my brother, you are suffering from dyspepsia. This should not be. In the institution with which you are connected, you should see that the table is provided with the best food that can be prepared. And as regularly as possible take your seat at the table with the family. Association with others at the meal and pleasant, cheerful conversation will be a great blessing to you. But you are not a health reformer and therefore will be a deficient instructor. 21MR 287.1
You should have your office in the institution. In the providence of God your business may become much larger than it is. God may provide for you a more suitable location. But if He does not, do the best you can, and above all, be a health reformer. 21MR 287.2
Do not think that you must blanket your faith in order to obtain patronage. The reason that we as a people establish sanitariums is that the souls as well as the bodies of men and women may be saved. The truth is never to be concealed, for we are to be God's light-bearers to the world. Christ says, “Ye are the salt of the earth.” By your pure doctrines, your correct deportment, your prayers, your Christlike example, you are to exert a preserving influence in the world. “But if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted?” [Matthew 5:13]. 21MR 287.3
The Jewish leaders had hidden the truth by a mass of tradition. Christ pronounced their teachings of no value. They were as salt which has lost its savor. (Physicians that are not health reformers will be losing very much of their honor in advising and treating the sick.) Christ came to this world to rescue the jewels of truth from the rubbish of falsehood and tradition and all selfish indulgence, and give them back to the world clothed with their original purity and life-giving power, that the souls and bodies of men might be preserved from corruption. And He desires His people in this age to present the truth in all its freshness, that it may stand out in marked contrast with the customs and practices of the self-indulgent, meat-eating people of the world. 21MR 287.4
All human thought is but a fractional part of what is comprehended in the mind of Christ. He caused the truth to stand out superior to the most learned lore of the rabbis. He made the truth appear in its original excellence, for He is the Author of all truth. In His hands truth was simplified, dignified, and ennobled. Shall we follow His example? 21MR 287.5
“Ye are the light of the world.” Thus He regards those who believe and practice the truth. When truth is mingled with error and selfish indulgence, its saving properties are destroyed. God calls upon the people on whom His light has shone to present the truth as it is in Jesus, to show by their genuine goodness the power of truth, to reveal in their lives the saving principles of the gospel. By their words and actions they are to cause the preserving qualities of truth to appear with distinctness. Let them remember that the men and women in the world form their opinion of God by the characters of those who profess to serve Him. [Matthew 5:15-19, quoted.] 21MR 287.6
It is our work to give this message. We are to teach men and women not to regard lightly one principle of the law of God. By precept and example we are to explain the nature of God's holy requirements. Thus we shall be in the world a savor of life unto life. 21MR 288.1
Physicians are inclined to feel justified in doing many things on the Sabbath which they should refrain from doing. The needs of suffering humanity are never to be neglected. But as far as possible, all work should be laid aside on the Sabbath. At this time we should do all in our power to let light shine to a benighted world, for Satan is doing his utmost to cast his hellish shadow across the pathway of every soul. 21MR 288.2
Please read Exodus 31:12-18. Could anything be more positive than this? The Sabbath of the fourth commandment is not to be hidden under a bushel. In all our sanitariums the light on this question is to shine forth. By our methods of work we are to exalt God's memorial and refrain from lessening the sacred, exalted character of the law of God. We are ever to acknowledge the binding claims of the Sabbath command before all believers and unbelievers. This, God declares, is a sign between Him and us throughout our generations forever. 21MR 288.3
Let us remember that it means much to the educators and those being educated in our sanitariums to keep the Sabbath aright. This should be regarded as much more important and essential than it has been in the past. Testing truth is to be given to the world. Men are to be taught that the seventh day is God's memorial of creation. Yet this truth is not to be presented in such a way as to render it offensive. The light is to shine forth in such a way that it will illuminate the minds of all.—Letter 14, 1901. 21MR 288.4
Ellen G. White Estate
Silver Spring, Maryland,
February 28, 1991.
Entire Letter.