Testimony for the Church — No. 12

Recreation for Christians

I was shown that Sabbath-keepers as a people labor too hard, without allowing themselves change, or periods of rest. Recreation is needful to those who are engaged in physical labor, yet still more essential for those whose labors are principally mental. T12 24.1

I was shown that it is not essential to our salvation, nor for the glory of God, for us to keep the mind laboring, even upon religious themes, constantly and excessively. There are amusements which we cannot approve, because Heaven condemns them,—such as dancing, card-playing, chess, checkers, &c. These amusements open the door for great evil. Their tendencies are not beneficial, but their influence upon the mind is to excite and produce in some minds a passion for those plays which lead to gambling, and dissolute lives. All such plays should be condemned by Christians. Something should be substituted in the place of these amusements. Something can be invented, perfectly harmless. T12 25.1

I saw that our holidays should not be spent in patterning after the world, yet they should not be passed by unnoticed, for this will bring dissatisfaction to our children. On these days when there is danger of our children partaking of evil influences, and becoming corrupted by the pleasures and excitement of the world, let the parents study to get up something to take the place of more dangerous amusements. Give your children to understand you have their happiness and best good in view. T12 25.2

Let families unite together and leave their occupations which have taxed them physically and mentally, and make an excursion out of the cities and villages a few miles into the country, by the side of a fine lake, or in a nice grove, where the scenery of nature is beautiful. They should provide themselves with plain, hygienic food, and spread their table under the shade of some tree, or under the canopy of heaven, provided with the very best fruits and grains. The ride, the exercise, and the scenery, will quicken the appetite, and they can come around a repast which kings might envy. T12 25.3

Parents and children on such occasions should feel as free as air from care, labors, or perplexities. Parents should become children with their children, making it as happy as possible for them. Let the whole day be given to recreation. Exercise of the muscles in the open air, for those whose employment has been within doors and sedentary, will be beneficial to health. All who can, should feel it a duty resting upon them to pursue this course. Nothing will be lost, but much gained. They can return to their occupations with new life and new courage to engage in their labor with new zeal. And such have gained much, for they are better prepared to resist disease. T12 26.1

I saw that but few have a realizing sense of the constant, wearing labor upon the brains of those who are bearing the responsibilities of the work in the Office. Confined day after day, and week after week, within doors, a constant strain upon the mental powers is surely undermining the constitutions of these men, and lessening their hold on life. These brethren are in danger of breaking suddenly. They are not immortal, and without a change they must wear out and be lost to the work. T12 26.2

Precious gifts we have in Brn. Smith, Aldrich, and Amadon. We cannot afford to have them ruin their health through close confinement and incessant toil. Where can we find men to supply their places, with their experience? Two of these brethren have been fourteen years connected with the work in the Office, laboring earnestly, conscientiously, and unselfishly, for the advancement of the cause of God. T12 26.3

These brethren have had scarcely any variation or change, except what fevers and sickness have given them. They should have a change frequently; should devote a day wholly to recreation with their families, who are almost entirely deprived of their society. All may not be able to leave the work at a time, but they should so arrange their work that one or two may leave, leaving others to supply their places, and then give others the same opportunity they have had. T12 27.1

I also saw that these brethren, Aldrich, Amadon, and Smith, should, as a religious duty, take care of the health and strength which God has given them. God does not require them to become martyrs just now to his cause. They will obtain no reward for making this sacrifice, for God wants them to live. Their lives can better, far better, serve the cause of present truth, than their death. T12 27.2

I saw that if either of these brethren should be suddenly prostrated by disease, no one should regard it as a direct judgment from the Lord. It will only be the sure result of the violation of nature's laws. They should take heed to the warning given them, lest they transgress and have to suffer the heavy penalty. T12 27.3

I saw that these brethren could benefit the cause of God by attending as often as practicable Convocation Meetings, at a distance from the place of their confinement and labor. It is impossible for their minds to be enlivened and invigorated as God would have them, to pursue the work so important, which requires healthy nerves and brain, while they are incessantly confined at the Office. T12 28.1

I was shown that it would be a benefit to the cause at large for these men, standing at the head of the work at Battle Creek, to become acquainted with their brethren abroad by associating with them in meeting. It will give the brethren abroad confidence in those who are bearing the responsibilities of the work, and will relieve the brethren bearing these burdens, of the taxation upon the brain, and will make them better acquainted with the progress of the work and the wants of the cause. It will enliven their hopes, renew their faith, and increase their courage. Time thus taken will not be lost, but be spent to the very best advantage. These brethren have qualities making them capable of enjoying social life to the highest degree. They would enjoy the society of brethren abroad at their homes, and would benefit and be benefited by interchange of thought and views. Especially do I appeal to Bro. Smith to change his course of life. He cannot exercise as others in the Office can. Indoor, sedentary employment, is preparing him for a sudden breakdown. He cannot always do as he has done. He must have more life in the open air, having periods of light labor, of some special nature, or exercise of a pleasant, recreative character. Such confinement as he has imposed upon himself would break down the constitution of the strongest animal. It is cruel, it is wicked, a sin against himself, which I raise my voice in warning against. Bro. Smith, more of your time must be spent in the open air, riding, or in pleasant exercise, or you must die, your wife become a widow, and your children who love you so much become orphans. Bro. Smith is qualified to edify others in the exposition of the word. He can serve the cause of God, and be benefited himself, by making efforts to get out to the large gatherings of Sabbath-keepers, and let his testimony be borne to the edification of those who are privileged to hear him. This change would bring him more out of doors, and in the open air. His blood flows sluggishly through his veins for want of the electrifying air of heaven. He has done his part in the work at the Office well, but still he has needed the assistance of the electricity of pure air and sunlight out of doors, to make his work still more spiritual and enlivening. T12 28.2

June 5, 1863, I was shown the necessity of my husband's preserving his strength and health, for God had yet a great work for us to do. In his providence we had obtained an experience in this work from its very commencement, and thus our labors would be of greater account to his cause. I saw that my husband's constant and excessive labor was exhausting his fund of strength, which God would have him preserve. If he continued to overtask his physical and mental energies as he had been doing, he would be reaching down into the future, and using up his future resources of strength, and exhausting the capital, and would break down prematurely, and the cause of God be deprived of his labor. He was much of the time performing labor connected with the Office which others might do; also business transactions which he should avoid. God would have us both reserve our strength to be used when he especially required it, and do that work which others could not do, and for which he has raised us up, preserved our lives, and given us a valuable experience, to be a benefit to his people. T12 29.1

I did not make this public, because it was given especially to us. If this caution had been fully heeded, the affliction under which my husband has been a great sufferer would have been saved. The work of God seemed urgent, and to allow of no relaxation or separation from it. My husband seemed compelled to constant, wearing labor. His anxiety for his brethren liable to the draft, and to meet the rebellion in Iowa, kept the mind constantly strained, and the physical energies were utterly exhausted. Instead of having relief, burdens never pressed heavier; and care, instead of lessening, was trebled. But there certainly was a way of escape, or God would not have given the caution he did, or else would have caused that he should not break down under such taxation. I saw that had he not been especially sustained by God he would have realized the prostration of his physical and mental powers much sooner than he did. T12 30.1

When God speaks, he means what he says. When he cautions, it becomes those noticed to take heed. Why I now speak publicly is because the same caution which was given my husband has been given some connected with the Office. They, I saw, were just as liable to be stricken down unless they change their course of action as was my husband. I am not willing that others should suffer as he has done. But that which is the most to be dreaded is, to be lost for a time to the cause and work of God, when the help and influence of all are so much needed. T12 31.1

Those connected with the Office cannot endure, by considerable, the amount of care and labor that my husband has borne for years. They have not the constitution, the capital to draw upon, which my husband has had. They can never endure the perplexities, and the constant, wearing labor which has come upon him, and which he has borne for twenty years. I cannot endure the thought that one in the Office should sacrifice strength and health, through excessive labor, and their usefulness prematurely end, and they be unable to work in the vineyard of the Lord. It is not merely the gatherers of the fruit that are the essential laborers, but all who assist in digging about the plants, watering, pruning, and lifting up the drooping, trailing vines, and leading their tendrils to entwine about the true trellis, the sure support. None of these workmen can be spared. T12 31.2

The brethren in the Office feel that they cannot leave the work for a few days for a change, for recreation; but it is a mistake. They can, and should do so. How much better to leave for a few days, even if there is not as much work accomplished, than to be prostrated by disease and be separated from the work for months, and perhaps never be able to engage in it again? T12 32.1

My husband thought it wrong for him to spend time in social enjoyment. He could not afford to rest. He thought the work in the Office would suffer if he should. But after the blow fell upon him, causing physical and mental prostration, the work had to be carried on without him. I saw that these brethren engaged in the responsible labor in the Office should work upon a different plan, make their arrangements to have change. If more help is needed, obtain it; and let relief come to these who are suffering with constant confinement and with brain labor. They should attend Convocation Meetings. They need to throw off care, share the hospitality of their brethren, enjoy their society and the blessings of the meetings. They will thus receive fresh thoughts, and their wearied energies will be awakened to new life, and they will return to the work far better qualified to perform their part, for they better understand the wants of the cause. T12 32.2

Brethren abroad, are you asleep to this matter? Must your hearts be made faint by another of God's workmen, whom you love, falling. These men are the property of the church. Will you suffer them to die under the burdens? I appeal to you to advise a different order of things. I pray that God may never allow the bitter experience to come to any one of the brethren in the Office that has come upon us. Especially do I commend Bro. Smith to your care. Shall he die for want of air,—the vitalizing air of heaven. The course he is pursuing is really shortening his life. Through confinement in-doors his blood is becoming foul and sluggish, the liver is deranged, the action of the heart is not right. Unless he works a change for himself, nature will take the work into her hands. She will make a grand attempt to relieve the system by expelling the impurities from the blood. She will summon all the vital powers to work, and the whole organism will be deranged, and all this may end in paralysis or apoplexy. If he should ever recover from this crisis, his loss of time is great; but the probabilities of recovery are very small. T12 32.3

If Bro. Smith cannot be aroused, I advise you, brethren, who have an interest in the cause of present truth, to take him as Luther was taken by his friends, and carry him away from his work. T12 33.1

Since writing the above I learn that most of Thoughts on the Revelation was written in the night, after his day's work was done. This was the course which my husband pursued; I protest against such suicide. The brethren whom I have mentioned, who are so confined in the Office, in attending meetings and taking periods of recreation are serving the cause of God. They are preserving themselves in the best conditions of physical health and mental strength to devote themselves to the work. They should not be left to feel crippled because they are not earning wages. Their wages should go on, and they be free. They are doing a great work. T12 33.2

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