The Story of our Health Message

Mrs. White’s First Health Publication

Mrs. White’s first publication (a booklet) on the subject of health bore the title “An Appeal to Mothers. The Great Cause of the Physical, Mental, and Moral Ruin of Many of the Children of Our Time.” It dealt primarily with the prevalence of secret vice in children and youth. The purpose and scope of the book is indicated in the opening paragraph, as follows: SHM 88.5

“My sisters, my apology for addressing you on this subject is, I am a mother, and feel alarmed for those children and youth who by solitary vice are ruining themselves for this world and for that which is to come. Let us closely inquire into this subject from the physical, mental, and moral points of view.”—An Appeal to Mothers, 5. SHM 89.1

Following the article by Mrs. White in this booklet are found thirty pages of matter relating to the subject of chastity. The pamphlet concluded with corroborative statements from several authoritative writers. In an introductory note to this portion of the book, the publishers said: “We have thought proper to add to the foregoing the following testimonies from men of high standing and authority in the medical world, corroborative of the views presented in the preceding pages. And in justice to the writer of those pages, we would say that she had read nothing from the authors here quoted, and had read no other works on this subject, previous to putting into our hands what she has written. She is not, therefore, a copyist, although she has stated important truths to which men who are entitled to our highest confidence have borne testimony.”—Ibid., 34. SHM 89.2

The reason for her burden on the matter is said to be a view that was presented before her of “the state of our world” and especially of “the youth of our time.” As she saw a group of imbeciles, with “dwarfed forms, crippled limbs, misshapen heads, and deformity of every description,” the causes of these terrible conditions were set forth. Of this she wrote: SHM 89.3

“Sins and crimes, and the violation of nature’s laws, were shown me as the causes of this accumulation of human woe and suffering. I saw such degradation and vile practices, such defiance of God, and I heard such words of blasphemy, that my soul sickened. From what was shown me, a large share of the youth now living are worthless. Corrupt habits are wasting their energies and bringing upon them loathsome and complicated diseases.”—Ibid., 17. SHM 89.4

Modern statistics regarding the prevalence of insanity and other ills resulting from sexual perversion and excesses enable us today to understand the truthfulness of such a picture far better than could those who lived at the time when this view was given. SHM 90.1