Beverages
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God’s people. The testimonies borne against hurtful indulgences, as
tea, coffee, snuff, and tobacco, have irritated a certain class, because it
would destroy their idols. Many for a while were undecided whether
to make an entire sacrifice of all these hurtful things, or reject the plain
testimonies borne, and yield to the clamors of appetite. They occupied
an unsettled position. There was a conflict between their convictions
of truth and their self-indulgences. Their state of indecision made
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them weak, and with many, appetite prevailed. Their sense of sacred
things was perverted by the use of these slow poisons; and they at
length fully decided, let the consequence be what it might, they would
not deny self. This fearful decision at once raised a wall of separation
between them and those who were cleansing themselves, as God has
commanded, from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit, and were
perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. The straight testimonies
borne were in their way, and caused them great uneasiness, and they
found relief in warring against them, and striving to make themselves
and others believe that they were untrue. They said the people were all
right, but it was reproving testimonies which made the trouble. And
when the rebellious unfurl their banner, all the disaffected rally around
the standard, and all the spiritually defective, the lame, the halt, and
the blind, unite their influence to scatter and sow discord.—
Spiritual
Gifts 4a:36, 37, 1864
The Roots of Intemperance
747. Great efforts are made to put down intemperance; but there
is much effort that is not directed to the right point. The advocates
of temperance reform should be awake to the evils resulting from
the use of unwholesome food, condiments, tea, and coffee. We bid
all temperance workers Godspeed; but we invite them to look more
deeply into the cause of the evil they war against, and to be sure that
they are consistent in reform.
It must be kept before the people that the right balance of the mental
and moral powers depends in a great degree on the right condition
of the physical system. All narcotics and unnatural stimulants that
enfeeble and degrade the physical nature tend to lower the tone of the
intellect and morals. Intemperance lies at the foundation of the moral