Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 13 (1898)

Lt 115, 1898

Kellogg, J. H.

“Sunnyside,” Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

December 1, 1898

Previously unpublished. +^Note

Dear Brother Kellogg:

I have been writing some things to Brethren Wilson and Pallant in reference to the workers who are now in a state of invalidism. Brother Pallant is the brother of Sister Semmens, whom we prize highly. He is an earnest, devoted, self-sacrificing worker, and was ordained to the ministry at the Brisbane meeting. Before I spoke to the people on the first Sabbath of the meeting, he offered prayer. It is seldom that I have had the privilege of listening to such a prayer. He prayed as if he were on sure ground, as if he could come to the Lord in boldness, not in self-exaltation, but with an assurance that he would receive that for which he asked. During the camp meeting he preached, and his discourses were plain, clear, and effectual. 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 1

But Brother Pallant’s health has been sacrificed to earnest, continuous labor. In his zeal and earnestness he has lost sight of self. He wished to converse with me, but what an offensive breath he had. I tried not to inhale it, but I think I did, for I was taken sick like one poisoned. I talked with him seriously, and told him that he had been doing great injury to himself. I told him that for the last twenty years the Lord had been giving me messages to give to our ministering brethren, and to students who were preparing to give Bible readings and to become canvassers. The Lord would have them take care of themselves as faithful sentinels. 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 2

I think much of Brother Pallant, but he has made a mistake in feeling that he must do all the work he could possibly accomplish. At times he would become so weary that he could not eat as he should, and would take food that was wholly unfitted for his wearied condition. He kept late hours, and often did not get to rest before eleven or twelve o’clock at night. This irregularity was seriously felt by his wife. She became nervous, and was losing her health and vitality. I showed him that these habits had been all wrong, that he must call a halt. I told him it was necessary for us to know ourselves. 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 3

I said, You are now a sick man, and you feel your need of a physician. We are not wise in the knowledge of others, but we know that in our own individual selves there are great deficiencies. The wisest have to learn their lessons by patient experience. You have been unaware how weak and unwise you are. Now you must be made to feel that you have not treated yourself as you should, but have disregarded the laws of health by your terrible neglect of yourself. Something must be done. That offensive breath must be purified. Get pulverized charcoal, soak it in water, and drink this water freely. Eat no vegetables. Eat fruit, and plain, well-baked bread. Take light exercise, and at night, wear a charcoal compress over the liver and abdomen. 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 4

Keep regular hours. You will need to guard yourself strictly. Do not worry about any one or anything. Look to Jesus. Confess your transgression of nature’s laws, and work for life. Do not stop preaching: that will not hurt, but help you. And when you have overcome present difficulties, do not suppose that you must consider your digestive organs incurable. Tell the Lord all about it. You need not consult any physician. Arouse yourself, and act on the light you have. Study to understand yourself, and be determined to obey the laws the Lord has made to govern your being. Do all you can to break up the disorderly habits you have felt you could not prevent. 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 5

In your work of visiting from house to house, when you are presented with unhealthful food to eat, tell the people you are seeking to turn back the mighty current of physical evil, and that you dare not sacrifice your life through indulgence to please any mortal. Guard the citadel of the body. Improve in a knowledge of how to take care of the house you live in. Nature, if you give her a chance, will seek to counteract the evils placed upon her, and will take up her work and do it wisely and well. 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 6

The laws of life and health must not be trifled with. Human beings must appreciate their God-given capabilities. They are required to study to obey the laws of God, to bring their bodies under intelligent restraint. This is a work they must in no wise neglect. They are not to be under any one’s jurisdiction, to place themselves in position where their health will be endangered. They must respect and care for the physical structure. They must have the best advantages for sleeping, and are not to feel that it is an indifferent matter what they eat, and how many studies they take. They should not exercise violently, or for too many hours a time. They should eat regularly. 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 7

The Lord has so valued man that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. The Lord has placed a high estimate upon every human soul, and He would have everyone intelligent in regard to the laws which He has established to control men. It is not enough for students to follow the judgment of those who would push and crowd, while neglecting to educate by faithful practice. There was a time when ignorance was some excuse for doing violence to ourselves. But the students in our school who would become medical missionaries must so treat themselves that they will have daily increased power to put to a practical use, in missionary use, the knowledge they have acquired. 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 8

If, while we instruct the student to gird himself for heroic work, he sacrifices his health in acquiring an education, all his time and earnest effort to do a good work will be lost. He will cut off his powers of usefulness. It was plainly revealed to me that with you there is danger of taking altogether too much upon you, even for a physician. I prescribe periods of rest. You are to remember that it is not enough for you merely to give lessons and have rules for study and work, unless you take time to consider every case and see that the students are in a condition healthwise to endure the taxation placed upon them. You must not gather to yourself so many and various lines of work that neglect, failure, and loss of life will be the result. We may have great respect for human nature, but while we reach to the very mire to uplift those who are sunken, corrupted, depraved, let the students be educated to guard every part of the physical machinery. 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 9

It is well for students and teachers to remember that they are mortal. What are they in comparison with what they might have been had they observed the laws of health as the laws of God? The life is indeed more than meat, and the body than raiment. Men are not, even in this age, what they might have been in physical health and moral soundness. Intellectual heights may be reached, but if, in the act of obtaining these advantages, men rack the body with pain and drop into the grave prematurely, what have they gained by straining and stretching the intellect? 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 10

But the Lord desires every teacher to take time not only to give his lessons, but to practice them. Never should a student under your teaching be allowed to practice as a physician unless he is taught under your own eyes to practice the theory of what he has learned. He is to be educated to perform skillful surgical operations, and unless he has performed operations, he is not fit to be recommended as a physician. As an educator, you must make those whom you send forth practitioners whom you can recommend and trust. 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 11

If a worker becomes worn out and incapacitated for labor, we must respect human nature because of the sacrifice made on Calvary. Christ died to restore corrupted human beings, and He desires them to look upon Him and live. But many students who think they are fitting themselves to lay hold of and carry responsibilities will make distressing failures because the laws of life, which if observed, would have helped and aided in the accomplishment of different results, were disregarded and neglected. Nature abused or ill-treated in any way expresses her feelings as a faithful monitor in aches and pains. 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 12

Are we not children of one common Father, and are we not treated by Him as such? Has not ample provision been made by the Lord God who rules in the heavens that man shall not be treated as a machine? At an infinite cost, God made provision to restore His moral image in man, that in face and character Christ may discern His own image, which was effaced by transgression. Let us consider the possibilities and probabilities before each student who is placed under teachers to be instructed. The Lord does not crowd upon human agents burdens that will break down the living machinery by over-taxation. 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 13

The Lord does not call upon you to bear so many burdens. There are too many things crowding you, my brother. I know you desire to do all things for the glory of God. The sincere Christian physician has a most important work before him. In His providence God has entrusted you with great responsibilities. But you are not immortal. It would be better to send forth a smaller number of physicians, well instructed not by mere study, not by looking on, but by practical work, than to send forth so many so-called physicians whom you have not educated to do as well as to teach. Teach the students to care for themselves, that they may be sound practitioners. Remember that they are to deal with human beings allied through Christ to God and to the angels. 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 14

Students are to strive for the mastery. They are to seek for perfection, that they may not remain novices, but be capable, by precept and practice, to take hold of the strength in the Invisible, and do His work with faith, trusting in Him. Every opportunity is to be made the most of. Teach the students to respect and reverence God, who has exalted men by giving Jesus Christ that they might belong to the divine family, that they might be sons and daughters of God. Teach the students to guard the human machinery, that each part may act in harmony with the other, that every God-given power, every faculty, should become what God intended it should be. Thus students will be enabled to do their work with an efficiency and capability that will honor the truth of God which is to test the human family in this last time. 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 15

Should not sons and daughters of the eternal God, always beholding Jesus, reverence themselves as Christ’s property, Christ’s husbandry, Christ’s building? Shall we not reveal in our lives the wisdom of God, the righteousness of Christ? Shall we for a moment forget the injunction, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all things be done with charity.” [1 Corinthians 16:13, 14.] 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 16

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” [Ephesians 6:10-18.] 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 17

“Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” [1 Peter 2:9.] 13LtMs, Lt 115, 1898, par. 18