Extremes in Diet
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light from God. Take no man’s ideas, but move intelligently in the fear
of the Lord.
If you err, let it not be in getting as far from the people as possible,
for then you cut the thread of your influence and can do them no good.
Better err on the side of the people than altogether away from them,
for there is hope in that case that you can carry the people with you,
but there is no need of error on either side.
You need not go into the water, or into the fire, but take the middle
path, avoiding all extremes. Do not let it appear that you are one-sided,
ill-balanced managers. Do not have a meager, poor diet. Do not let
any one influence you to have the diet poverty-stricken. Have your
food prepared in a healthful, tasteful manner; have your food prepared
with a nicety that will correctly represent health reform.
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The great backsliding upon health reform is because unwise minds
have handled it and carried it to such extremes that it has disgusted
in place of converting people to it. I have been where these radical
ideas have been carried out. Vegetables prepared with only water, and
everything else in like manner. This kind of cookery is health deform,
and there are some minds so constituted that they will accept anything
that bears the features of rigorous diet or reform of any kind.
My brethren, I would have you temperate in all things, but be
careful that you do not strain the point or run our institution into such a
narrow channel that it comes out to a point. You must not fall into every
man’s notions, but be level-headed, calm, trusting in God.—
Letter 57,
1886
Both Extremes to Be Avoided
332. I know that many of our brethren are in heart and practice
opposed to health reform. I advocate no extremes. But as I have been
looking over my manuscripts, I have seen the decided testimonies
borne and the warnings of dangers that come to our people through
imitating the customs and practices of the world in self-indulgence,
gratification of appetite, and pride of apparel. My heart is sick and sad
over the existing state of things. Some say that some of our brethren
have pressed these questions too strongly. But because some may
have acted indiscreetly in pressing their sentiments concerning health
reform on all occasions, will any dare to keep back the truth on this