The Story of our Health Message

Elder Andrews’s Experience

In 1863, at the age of thirty-four, Elder Andrews found himself in very poor health, with a congested brain, nervous dyspepsia, catarrh, salt rheum, and suffering from periods of utter prostration. “My general strength,” he wrote, “was easily exhausted. I found it difficult to perform the labor which devolved upon me as a preacher. ... I had no degree of hope that I should ever again possess a sufficient measure [of health] to make life in itself anything desirable.”—The Health Reformer, July, 1869. SHM 25.2

He recognized that the foundation for this condition had been laid in his youth, regarding which he wrote: SHM 25.3

“I was not instructed in the principles of hygiene, for my father and mother had neither of them any just knowledge of these. I was kept from the use of tobacco, and from even tasting strong drink; but I learned almost nothing of the evils of unwholesome food—at least, of such as was common in our own family. I did not know that late suppers, and ‘hearty ones’ at that, were serious evils. I had no idea of any special transgression in eating between meals. ... I supposed old cheese was good to aid digestion.... As to mince pie and sausage, I had no thought that these were unwholesome, unless too highly seasoned, or, as it was termed, ‘made too rich.’ ‘Hot biscuit and butter,’ doughnuts, pork in every form, pickles, preserves, tea, coffee, etc., were all of common use.”—The Health Reformer, December, 1871. SHM 26.1

To such ignorance of good dietetic principles Elder Andrews added the confession that, in common with most people of his time, he did not see the relation between the transgression of the laws of health and the resulting physical ailments. He said: SHM 26.2

“I had little other idea of headache, dyspepsia, nausea, fevers, etc., than that these were things that for the most part were wholly out of our control, and that like the various phenomena of nature they were ordered by God’s hand, and man had generally no agency therein. Do not smile at this strange notion. It is strange, indeed, that such ideas should prevail; but that they do prevail even now, you may satisfy yourself by calling out the ideas of the very next person you meet.”—Ibid., 170. SHM 26.3

It is only as we picture this background of health conditions as they were a century ago, that we can truly appreciate the great advance in the knowledge of physiology, hygiene, dietetics, and therapeutics that has been made in this generation, and which is the rich heritage of those who live today. SHM 26.4

Seventh-day Adventists, we shall show, were providentially led to accept as a matter of religious principle the sound reforms in health habits—and that at a time when these health principles were not popular—and to throw their energies into the campaign of health education that time has demonstrated to be rational and progressive. SHM 26.5