Medical Ministry

Appeal to a Physician

You cannot understand how much more effectual your services in the religious interest would be, and how much more satisfactory to yourself, if you would follow the light which has been given you.... Shall your appetites, habits, and practices be of that order that you will educate those who are connected with you to make excuses similar to those that you have made for the indulgence of eating the flesh of dead animals? MM 276.5

Back to the Primitive Diet

The Lord intends to bring His people back to live upon simple fruits, vegetables, and grains. He led the children of Israel into the wilderness, where they could not get a flesh diet; and He gave them the bread of heaven. “Man did eat angels’ food.” But they craved the fleshpots of Egypt, and mourned and cried for flesh, notwithstanding that the Lord had promised them that if they would submit to His will He would carry them into the land of Canaan and establish them there, a pure, holy, happy people, and there should not be a feeble one in all their tribes; for He would take away all sickness from among them. MM 277.1

The Murmuring of Israel

But although they had a plain “Thus saith the Lord,” they mourned and wept, and murmured and complained, until the Lord was wroth with them. Because they were so determined to have the flesh of dead animals, He gave them the very diet He had withheld from them.... MM 277.2

The Lord could have given them flesh had it been essential for their health, but He who created and redeemed them, led them the long journey in the wilderness to educate and discipline and train them in correct habits. The Lord understood what the influence of flesh eating has upon the human system. He would have a people that would, in their physical appearance, bear the divine credentials notwithstanding their long journey.... MM 277.3

One of the great errors that many insist upon is that muscular strength is dependent upon animal food. But the simple grains, fruits of the trees, and vegetables have all the nutritive properties necessary to make good blood. This a flesh diet cannot do.... MM 277.4

We are composed of what we eat, and eating much flesh will diminish intellectual activity. Students would accomplish much more in their studies if they never tasted meat. When the animal part of the human agent is strengthened by meat eating, the intellectual powers diminish proportionately. A religious life can be more successfully gained and maintained if meat is discarded, for this diet stimulates into intense activities lustful propensities, and enfeebles the moral and spiritual nature. “The flesh warreth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh.” MM 277.5

We greatly need to encourage and cultivate pure, chaste thoughts, and to strengthen the moral powers rather than the lower and carnal powers. God help us to awake from our self-indulgent appetites! ... MM 278.1

A Cause of Mortality

Cancers, tumors, and all inflammatory diseases are largely caused by meat eating. MM 278.2

From the light God has given me, the prevalence of cancers and tumors is largely due to gross living on dead flesh. I sincerely and prayerfully hope that, as a physician, you will not forever be blind on this subject, for blindness is mingled with a want of moral courage to deny your appetite, to lift the cross, which means to take up the very duties that cut across the natural appetites and passions.... MM 278.3

I have the subject presented to me in different aspects. The mortality caused by meat eating is not discerned; if it were, we would hear no more arguments and excuses in favor of the indulgence of the appetite for dead flesh. We have plenty of good things to satisfy hunger without bringing corpses upon our table to compose our bill of fare.... MM 278.4

I have had opened before me the stumbling block which this diet question has been to your own spiritual advancement, and what a stumbling block you have placed in the pathway of others, and all because your own sensibilities were blunted through the selfish gratification of appetite. For Christ's sake look deeper, study deeper, and act in accordance with the light God has been pleased to give you and others on this subject.—Letter 72, 1896. MM 278.5