The Story of our Health Message

The Health Reformer Popular

A few weeks later, in a vein of humor, he gave a more detailed account of their daily program in preparation for the weekly recitation: “Our daily life is somewhat as follows: We get up in the morning and sit down for a little study, then we go to breakfast and prayers. Then, if nothing special is to be done, we return to our work and engage in study till nearly bath time, if it is bath day. We then go to administer a suitable dose of water or lightning to several specimens of poor suffering humanity. Then more study. Next, dinner. Then perhaps something else or more study. In the afternoon there will probably be some movements to give to someone who is too lazy to exercise himself. Then we study till we go to bed, unless we recite or have special business elsewhere.”—E. J. Waggoner Letter, July 8, 1875. SHM 208.2

In addition to his work of tutoring the young men in their medical studies, Dr. Kellogg was able to give more time to editorial work on The Health Reformer. He led out also in preparing the Hygienic Family Almanac, an annual first prepared in the summer of 1874. This proved to be a very popular work, and the church membership rallied enthusiastically to its circulation. By January 1, 1875, as many as 47,000 copies of the first number had been printed. Agents and canvassers reported ready sales. The children were selling scores of them. Hundreds were placed in friendly stores, where they were sold or given away. In some instances it was sold on railroad trains. Elder White wrote: SHM 208.3

“It contains as much of the most valuable reading on the subject of health as is found in a thirty-two-page tract, besides all else usually pertaining to an almanac. It is just the thing to place at the firesides of 25,000 of your friends you wish to instruct on the health question.”—The Review and Herald, September 15, 1874. SHM 209.1

A young man, who was later to become a well-known minister, was inspired to employ the poetic muse in urging the distribution of the second edition of this publication. Under the heading “Health Almanac,” he wrote: SHM 209.2

“Oh, the blessing of health! Who its worth can declare?
Yet how many are sick! and the healthy how rare!
In a land of great light, and of blessings untold,
How few seem to think good health better than gold.
How ignorant our race! how lamentably blind,
With regard to the laws of the body and mind!
Do you, reader, rejoice in the light of hygiene?
If so, is your light by your works being seen?
How can you withhold these invaluable facts
So clearly expressed in our little health tracts?
Oh, scatter them freely! let not your hand slack!
Above all distribute the Health Almanac.” —H. A. St. John, in The Review and Herald, December 9, 1875. SHM 209.3