Control of Appetite
133
262. In your association with unbelievers, do not allow yourselves
to be swerved from right principles. If you sit at their table, eat tem-
perately, and only of food that will not confuse the mind. Keep clear
of intemperance. You cannot afford to weaken your mental or physical
powers, lest you become unable to discern spiritual things. Keep your
mind in such a condition that God can impress it with the precious
truths of His word.—
Testimonies for the Church 6:336, 1900
A Question of Moral Courage
263. Some of you feel as though you would like to have somebody
tell you how much to eat. This is not the way it should be. We are
to act from a moral and religious standpoint. We are to be temperate
in all things, because an incorruptible crown, a heavenly treasure, is
before us. And now I wish to say to my brethren and sisters, I would
[169]
have moral courage to take my position and to govern myself. I would
not want to put that on some one else. You eat too much and then you
are sorry, and so you keep thinking upon what you eat and drink. Just
eat that which is for the best and go right away, feeling clear in the
sight of Heaven, and not having remorse of conscience. We do not
believe in removing temptations entirely away from either children
or grown persons. We all have a warfare before us, and must stand
in a position to resist the temptations of Satan; and we want to know
that we possess the power in ourselves to do this.—
Testimonies for
the Church 2:374, 1870
264. I am given a message to give to you: Eat at regular periods. By
wrong habits of eating, you are preparing yourself for future suffering.
It is not always safe to comply with invitations to meals, even though
given by your brethren and friends, who wish to lavish upon you many
kinds of food. You know that you can eat two or three kinds of food at
a meal without injury to your digestive organs. When you are invited
out to a meal, shun the many varieties of food that those who have
invited you set before you. This you must do if you would be a faithful
sentinel. When food is placed before us, which, if eaten, would cause
the digestive organs hours of hard work, we must not, if we eat this
food, blame those who set it before us for the result. God expects
us to decide for ourselves to eat that food only which will not cause
suffering to the digestive organs.—
Letter 324, 1905