The Story of our Health Message

Elder White Active Again

It was two years after Elder White had left Battle Creek as a patient for Dansville that he recorded in his report for the Review and Herald, under date of September 15, 1867: SHM 162.3

“By invitation from Dr. Lay, I spoke this morning to the patients and many others at the health institute, giving my own experience. I spoke mainly upon the evil results of inactivity during the first part of my sickness and of the beneficial results of active life as experienced by myself.”—The Review and Herald, September 17, 1867. SHM 162.4

Such a public advocacy of his change of convictions was deeply gratifying to his wife, to whose care and devotion he undoubtedly owed his life. SHM 162.5

As Elder and Mrs. White resumed their public labors after his long period of retirement due to sickness, they united with their ministering brethren in driving home with logic and reason the chief measures of dietetic reform as they were then made known. These included the discarding entirely of tobacco, alcohol, tea, coffee, flesh food—especially pork—spices, and rich condiments; moderation in the use of salt, sugar, and of such animal products as milk, butter, and eggs; and also the use of graham or whole-wheat flour in place of the refined white flour. The two-meal system was quite generally adopted at that time; and for the sisters the healthful style of dress, having the beneficial features of the “American costume,” without its immodest brevity of skirt, was recommended. SHM 163.1

A summary of one of Elder White’s discourses on the subject of sanctification will illustrate the style of his preaching, as does also the force of his arguments in setting forth these principles of health. His text was 2 Peter 1:1-11, and he based that portion of the discourse dealing with the health reform upon the injunction to “add to knowledge temperance.” (Verse 6.) SHM 163.2

“Why not add patience to knowledge?” he asked, and concluded that it is “because it is impossible for an intemperate man to be patient. ... Who has not seen the impatience of the drunkard?” He set forth the evils of intoxicating drink. Then coming a “little closer,” he condemned tobacco as filthy, expensive, and “injurious to the constitution.” SHM 163.3

“There is but one creature that God has made, who will take tobacco; and that is man! In this respect man does the swine the honor to look up to him as occupying a more exalted position than himself! You offer tobacco to the horse, and he will snort at it. You offer it to the cow, and she will shake her horns over it. While if you offer it to the swine, he would squeal over it. But man takes it as a sweet morsel to roll beneath his tongue.”—Ibid., April 9, 1867. SHM 163.4

Coming again “a little closer,” the speaker asked: “Why send to China or to Java for your herbs? Of what use to the human frame are coffee and tea?” No nutrition is to be found in either. This is made evident by the bees who would gather honey from the clover, but would ignore coffee or tea. The morning headache of the tea drinker places her in “great danger of becoming impatient” unless “domestic matters move very smoothly.” In contrast to this experience of the tea drinker, the morning hours are the best “to the well and healthy man or woman.”—Ibid. SHM 164.1