The Story of our Health Message

Lectures on Health

After leaving Dansville, Elder and Mrs. White held some meetings in the eastern states. At each place they spoke upon the subject of health to those in attendance. An indication of the enthusiasm of the speakers and of the deep interest on the part of the hearers is found in the fact that at one place after Elder White had spoken for two hours on this theme, he was followed for another hour by Mrs. White; and, to quote Elder White, “the audience was held for three hours without manifesting the least impatience.”—The Review and Herald, November 29, 1864. SHM 102.5

Elder J. N. Loughborough, who accompanied Elder and Mrs. White through New England at this time, bears a testimony to the helpfulness of their instruction and of the personal benefits he had received since making the changes in health habits as set forth through the Spirit of prophecy. In rendering his report, he said: SHM 103.1

“For the short time I have been striving to live strictly in accordance with the laws of life, I have been greatly benefited. ... SHM 103.2

“Never was sleep sweeter, or health better, or my mind more cheerful, since I first started in the service of God at the age of seventeen years, than for the last two months. With the short experience I have had, I would not, for any consideration, go back to the meat, spice, pepper, sweet cake, pickles, mustard, headache, stomach-ache and gloom, and give up the good wholesome fruit, grain, and vegetable diet, with pure cold water as a drink, no headaches, cheerfulness, happiness, vigor, and health. SHM 103.3

“But I do not urge these things upon others or judge them about their meat. But I do esteem it a privilege to tell them what a temporal blessing I have found in this direction.”—The Review and Herald, December 6, 1864. SHM 103.4

In his report of this eastern tour Elder White wrote: “The health question is attracting great attention from our people.” And after speaking of a number of matters that demanded attention, he concluded his report by saying: “We also want time to read up and give some lectures to our people on the subject of health. Work increases upon our hands, and we design to be free from every unnecessary burden, so as to labor the most efficiently for the present, as well as the future, good of our fellow men.”—The Review and Herald, November 22, 1864. SHM 103.5