The Story of our Health Message

The Organization Completed

At a second meeting held on New Year’s Day further steps were taken, and on January 5 the organization was completed. Dr. J. H. Kellogg was elected as president. In his opening address he pointed to the early work of Joseph Bates in organizing the temperance society at Fairhaven, and to the appropriateness that the denomination of which he was a prominent member, should be the first to organize a temperance society, “with a thoroughgoing temperance platform, and a comprehensive pledge.” (Ibid.) SHM 230.3

No temperance society heretofore organized had gone beyond urging the prohibition of the use of alcoholic beverages and tobacco. The American Health and Temperance Association adopted as its ideal pledge the following: “I do hereby solemnly affirm that with the help of God I will wholly abstain from the voluntary use of alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee, opium, and all other narcotics and stimulants in any form.” (Ibid.) This broader promise was called the Teetotal Pledge. SHM 231.1

For the benefit of those who might not be prepared to go to such lengths in self-denial, provision was made for a second, an antirum and antitobacco pledge; and a third, an antiwhisky pledge. Thus provision was made for “three grades of membership.” SHM 231.2

The object of the association was declared to be the promotion of the health of its members and the advancement of the interests of the cause of “temperance in its truest and broadest sense, by the circulation of health and temperance literature, by securing popular lectures upon those subjects in various parts of the country, and by the wide circulation of suitable pledges and earnest efforts to secure numerous signers.”—Ibid. SHM 231.3

During the next camp meeting season, as the Teetotal Pledge was circulated among Seventh-day Adventists, there was brought to light the need of a revival in health reform among our church members. With the lapse of time since the importance of health reform living had been pressed upon the people, some had grown careless and had returned to the use of tea and coffee. Some, indeed, it was learned, had never given them up, and occasionally a church member was found who was still enslaved to tobacco. A few, even among the ministers, complained that a pledge including tea and coffee was too strong, for they had not yet gained the victory on these points. SHM 231.4