The Story of our Health Message

A New Editorial Policy

Under these discouraging conditions Elder White took over the editorship of The Health Reformer, at first temporarily to meet the emergency caused by the sickness of the editor. With the November number he began a series of articles entitled “Health Reform, Its Rise and Progress Among Seventh-day Adventists.” Four months later his name appeared as the editor of the journal. In his initial statement of policy for the conduct of the paper he sought to remove the prejudices that had arisen because of extreme views. He wrote: SHM 196.2

“The Reformer proposes to reach the people with all their prejudices, and their ignorance of the laws of life, where they are. It will avoid extreme positions, and come as near those who need reforming as possible, and yet be true to the principles of health reform.”—The Health Reformer, March, 1871. SHM 196.3

A clearer statement of policy was made the following month, in which Elder White wrote: “It {The Health Reformer} will not be satisfied with fighting it out with a few friends in defense of positions which are regarded by all the rest of the world as extremely absurd. It will rather stand in independent and bold defense of the broad principles of hygiene, and gather as many as possible upon this glorious platform.”—Ibid., April, 1871. SHM 197.1

The paper was enlarged from twenty to thirty-two pages. Mrs. White assumed the responsibility for a regular monthly department. Dr. Trail’s department was continued, but there is reason to believe that the new editor gave him some counsel regarding the nature of the subject matter from his pen. He also made it clear to the readers that the doctor alone was responsible for the contents of his department. Regarding this, in a tactful way he wrote: SHM 197.2

“Should either of the Special Departments fail to please all, besides these there are pages enough where all can read tenfold their money’s worth. And no one should feel disturbed on seeing some things in these departments which do not agree with their ideas of matters and things, as the very term, Special Department, shows that the conductors of them are alone responsible for what they say.”—Ibid. SHM 197.3

“My husband and myself united our efforts to improve The Health Reformer,” wrote Mrs. White; and she gives somewhat in detail the united teachings of the leading advocates of health reform, regarding articles of diet, about some of which extreme views had been advocated: SHM 197.4

“We should not with our pens advocate positions that we do not put to a practical test in our own families, upon our own tables. This is dissimulation, a species of hypocrisy.”—Testimonies for the Church 3:21. SHM 197.5