The Gospel of Health
November 1, 1897
Bible Temperance
It is necessary for every believer to be strictly temperate. The people in our world indulge pernicious habits, thus destroying their God-given susceptibility and the power of discerning sacred things. The moral sense of many of those living at the present day is clouded by wrong habits. With many, appetite is the law that governs. GosHealth November 1, 1897, par. 1
There is need of a better understanding of the principles of health reform. Temperance in eating, drinking, and dressing is essential. The advocates of temperance should place their standard on a broader platform. They would then be laborers together with God. With every iota of their influence, they should encourage the spread of reform principles. Let appetite rule instead of principle, and the whole human machinery will be implicated. The violation of physical law is a violation of the law of God. Those who eat too much, and whose food is of an objectionable quality are easily led into dissipation. In proportion to the darkness of their minds, will they give license to their appetites and passions. GosHealth November 1, 1897, par. 2
Tea and coffee are neither wholesome nor necessary. They are of no use so far as the health of the body is concerned. But practise in the use of these things becomes habit. When men and women are truly converted, they will conscientiously regard their habits of eating, drinking, and dressing. They will seek to avoid physical, mental, and moral feebleness. GosHealth November 1, 1897, par. 3
Tobacco produces an effect on the system fully as harmful as liquor. It stimulates for the time being, but when its immediate influence is gone, those who have used it sink as far below par as they have been elevated above it. All those who cling to this habit, who refuse to practise health reform by placing themselves on the platform of temperance in all things, must bear the consequences of their course of action. GosHealth November 1, 1897, par. 4
No man can be truly a minister of righteousness, and yet be under the inspiration of sensual appetites. He cannot indulge the habit of using tobacco, and yet win souls to the platform of true temperance. The cloud of smoke coming from his lips has no salutary effect upon a liquor drinker. The gospel sermon must come from lips undefiled by tobacco smoke. With pure, clean lips, God's servants must tell the triumphs of the cross. The practise of using liquor, tobacco, tea, and coffee must be overcome by the converting power of God. There shall nothing enter into the kingdom of God that defiles. GosHealth November 1, 1897, par. 5
The life that many live is not half what it ought to be. Light is shining upon the subject of temperance, and much labor has been put forth to instruct people upon this point, but the dietetic habits of those who live for selfish gratification, who do not wish to be corrected, and refuse to practise health reform, leave them diseased and enfeebled. They may ask the Lord to heal them; but will He who caused the light to shine out of darkness heal them of that which is the result of not heeding this light, but continuing to eat, drink, and dress unhealthfully? Shall we not seek to do all that it is possible for us to do by placing ourselves in the right relation to health reform? Then we can say, “Father in heaven, I have done all that I can to place myself in a correct position by denying appetite and following the light given in regard to health. Heal me of disease, that I may glorify thee.” GosHealth November 1, 1897, par. 6
It is labor lost to teach people to go to God as the healer of their infirmities unless they are educated also to lay aside every wrong practise, and cease to indulge perverted appetite. They must be taught to use the provisions God has given. To refuse the remedies which they may have as well as not, without paying a doctor's fee, and to neglect to let into every room in the house God's pure air and sunshine, show a lack of faith in him. Faith in God's power to heal infirmities is dead unless the one diseased improves the light God has given him by bringing his habits into harmony with right principles. GosHealth November 1, 1897, par. 7
The grace of God is always reformatory. Every human being is in a school, where he is to learn to give up hurtful practises, and obtain a knowledge of what he can do for himself. Those who ignore these things, who take no precautions in regard to getting pure air to breathe and pure water to drink, cannot be free from disease. Their systems are defiled, and the human structure injured. Such people are careless, reckless, presumptuous, and self-destroying. Knowledge is strewn along their pathway, but they refuse to gather up the rays of light, saying that they depend on God. But will God do those things that he has left for them to do? Will he supply their neglect to co-operate with him? Will he wink at their willing ignorance, and do great things for them by restoring soul, body, and spirit, while they ignore the most simple agencies, the use of which would bring them their health? While day by day they indulge their appetites by eating that which brings disease, can they expect the Lord to work a miracle to restore them? This is not the Lord's way of working. By doing this, they make the Lord altogether such an one as themselves. Faith and works go together. GosHealth November 1, 1897, par. 8
I beseech my brethren and sisters to lay aside their darling luxury of tea and coffee, the use of which creates an unnatural state of mind and body. “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments.” How are their garments defiled?—By eating of that which brings disease and infirmity. “And they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” GosHealth November 1, 1897, par. 9
All may become intelligent if they will. Those who worship God in the beauty of holiness will work in harmony with God by striving to supply the best conditions for worship. Says Christ: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Those who follow God's directions will be prepared to receive the Heavenly Guest; for they have listened to the voice of God, speaking through his word and his messengers. GosHealth November 1, 1897, par. 10
But those who do not hear and obey the warnings and instructions of God cannot understand what sanctification of soul and body means. What word has God for those who ignore the light that is flashing around, and then ask to be prayed for, that they may be sanctified and healed?—The same word that he had for Cain: “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.” GosHealth November 1, 1897, par. 11
Let all examine their own hearts, to see if they are not cherishing that which is a positive injury to them, and instead of opening the door of the heart to let Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness in, are complaining of the dearth of the Spirit of God. Let these search for the idols and cast them out. Let them cut away every unhealthful indulgence in eating and drinking. Let them bring their daily practise into harmony with nature's laws. By doing, as well as believing, an atmosphere will be created about the soul that will be a savor of life unto life. GosHealth November 1, 1897, par. 12
August 25, 1897.