Teaching Health Principles
365
Present Temperance in Its Most Attractive Form
800. The Lord desires every minister, every physician, every
church member, to be careful not to urge those who are ignorant of
our faith to make sudden changes in diet, thus bringing them to a
premature test. Hold up the principles of health reform, and let the
Lord lead the honest in heart. They will hear and believe. The Lord
does not require His messengers to present the beautiful truths of
health reform in a way that will prejudice the minds of others. Let no
one place stumbling blocks before those who are walking in the dark
paths of ignorance. Even in praising a good thing, it is well not to be
too enthusiastic, lest you turn out of the way those who come to hear.
Present the principles of temperance in their most attractive form.
We must not move presumptuously. The laborers who enter new
territory to raise up churches must not create difficulties by attempting
to make prominent the question of diet. They should be careful not
to draw the lines too closely. Impediments would thus be thrown on
the pathway of others. Do not drive the people. Lead them. Preach
the word as it is in Christ Jesus.... Workers must put forth resolute,
persevering effort, remembering that everything cannot be learned at
once. They must have a fixed determination patiently to teach the
people.—
Letter 135, 1902
[466]
801. Do you not remember that we have an individual accountabil-
ity? We do not make articles of diet a test question, but we do try to
educate the intellect, and to arouse the moral sensibility to take hold of
health reform in an intelligent manner, as Paul presents it in
Romans
13:8-14
;
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
;
1 Timothy 3:8-12
.—
MS 1a 1890
Meet the People Where They Are
802. On one occasion Sara [McEnterfer] was called to a family
at Dora Creek, where every member of the household was sick. The
father belonged to a highly respectable family, but he had taken to
drink, and his wife and children were in great want. At this time of
sickness there was nothing in the house suitable to eat. And they
refused to eat anything that we took them. They had been accustomed
to having meat. We felt that something must be done. I said to Sara,
Take chickens from my place, and prepare them some broth. So Sara