The Story of our Health Message

An Expanding Temperance Program

In the meantime the cause of temperance was not neglected. In 1879 (as indicated on page 230) the American Health and Temperance Association was organized by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and thereafter did good work. But when the Eighteenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States was repealed in favor of the manufacture and sale of intoxicating beverages, the temperance forces of the denomination, foreseeing the resultant evils of the liquor traffic in this country, strengthened themselves and at the Spring Council held in 1932 were reorganized as the American Temperance Society of Seventh-day Adventists. The Review and Herald, May 26, 1932, p. 8. Opportunities and efforts in behalf of temperance increased in both America and other lands until the need of reorganization presented itself again. Therefore, on January 27, 1947, the American Temperance Society was reorganized to foster the denominational temperance work in America. And at the same time the International Temperance Association was organized to supervise and promote the temperance work of the church in the whole world field. The Review and Herald, July 10, 1947, p. 17. Thus the contribution of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to the cause of temperance through the years constitutes an important part of the story of its health work. SHM 429.1