General Conference Bulletin, vol. 7
The Evening Service
W. A. Spicer, C. P. Bollman, C. C. Crisler, T. E. Bowen, H. E. Rogers, J. N. Anderson
PHYSIOLOGICAL SIGNS OF THE TIMES
GEO. THOMASON, M. D. June 4, 7:30 P. M.
Dr. Thomason, of the St. Helena (Cal.) Sanitarium, read a paper on the physiological signs of the times, in which he declared that the physical degeneracy of man makes necessary the soon coming of Christ. This is true in spite of the fact that we hear on every side that the life span of man is increasing, and that the conquest of many diseases is an established fact. While these facts seem to point to an increasing of the vitality of the race, yet statistics show that men are dying younger than they did fifty years ago. GCB June 6, 1913, page 304.6
Tuberculosis claims its victims by the hundreds of thousands, yet two out of every three cases could be avoided by giving proper attention to the building up of the vital forces. Statistics were read showing the increase of other diseases. The earlier age at which the arteries harden indicate that men are growing old much earlier than did their fathers. Venereal diseases are spreading to an alarming extent. If insanity should increase at its present rate, in one hundred fifty years every man, woman, and child would be either an idiot or an imbecile. This is in itself an important sign of the times, and indicates the necessity of the soon coming of Christ. GCB June 6, 1913, page 304.7
A million and a half people die in this country every year. Two thousand people die every day from easily preventable diseases. The application of the principles of healthful living by all, would save every day more people than went down on the “Titanic.” GCB June 6, 1913, page 304.8
The evils of the drink habit were dwelt upon with convincing clearness. Quotations were read showing that men of science see in alcohol the greatest foe of mankind. Tobacco and alcohol were mentioned as almost equal in causing physical degeneracy. The tobacco habit among women is rapidly increasing. Many fashionable hotels and cafes provide smoking rooms for women. Morphin, cocain, and other drugs are used to an alarming extent. The outlook for future generations is well-nigh hopeless. GCB June 6, 1913, page 304.9
The only means of rescue from all these evils is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The principles of healthful living committed to the chosen people of God in this age ought to make the church conspicuous for the part it plays in physical regeneration. GCB June 6, 1913, page 304.10
A VISIT TO THE CAFETERIA, WHERE DELEGATES AND VISITORS DINE
On Tuesday of this week a large number of presidents of conferences and others interested in better facilities and greater efficiency in camp-meeting work, were taken on a tour of inspection through the large dining pavilion and the kitchen where all the food for the delegates and visitors has been prepared during the encampment. GCB June 6, 1913, page 304.11
The visitors were given much valuable instruction in dining arrangements and the preparation of food by E. G. Fulton, manager of a large vegetarian cafeteria in Los Angeles, Cal., who came from the Pacific Coast especially to operate the dining tent, and Mr. Harvey Brett, of 141 West Thirty-sixth Street, New York, who is the agent for all the labor-saving machines in the kitchen which have been used in the preparation of food and the washing of dishes. Mr. Brett gave a very interesting demonstration of the way these machines were operated, and the amount of work they could do. GCB June 6, 1913, page 304.12
Brother Fulton informed the brethren that so far during the session, the dining tent had served 80,000 meals, and that on several occasions 2,500 people had been served in an hour and a half. The employees at the dining tent number 125, and wages are paid to the amount of $600 a week. GCB June 6, 1913, page 304.13
During the encampment, thousands of loaves of bread had been run through the bread-slicing machines and consumed; 9,000 pies had been used, 9,174 dozen buns, muffins, and cookies, as well as 3,500 gallons of milk, 500 gallons of cream, 2,000 pounds of butter, 5,100 dozen eggs, more than 2,000 bushels of potatoes, and more than 30 barrels of cabbage. GCB June 6, 1913, page 304.14
Harvey B. Mellon, of Baltimore, the inventor of Nervo Cereal Coffee, supplied all the cereal coffee used in the dining tent free of charge. GCB June 6, 1913, page 304.15
After taking the brethren past the steam tables, where the food is kept hot until served, and past which the thousands of campers stream every day, choosing their own food, Brother Fulton led them back into the precincts of the kitchen. There they were shown the way food is prepared by the machines. All of these machines have been supplied to the Conference free of charge by Mr. Brett, the agent of the manufacturers. One of the machines is a food chopper, and is able to cut vegetables to supply 5,000 meals an hour, and does it in a sanitary as well as a noiseless way. Another machine is a friction vegetable paring machine. This is filled up with vegetables, the motor started, and water turned on, resulting in a friction which removes the outer skins without tearing, pounding, or bruising the vegetables, while the water is constantly spraying over them, thus carrying off the parings and thoroughly washing the vegetables. GCB June 6, 1913, page 304.16
There is also an automatic individual butter cutter, which prepares the large tubs of butter for individual service, cutting the butter into square, smooth, uniform-sized patties. There are also two large dish-washing machines by which are handled thousands of pieces of crockery an hour. All of these machines are operated by electricity. GCB June 6, 1913, page 304.17
At the close of the demonstrations, the brethren heartily thanked Brother Fulton and Mr. Brett for supplying the information and instruction they had given. Many of the ideas and suggestions received will undoubtedly be put into effect at the camp-meetings this summer. GCB June 6, 1913, page 304.18
C. B. HAYNES