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Chapter 53—Extremes in Health Reform
At the time of the yearly conference at Adams Center, New
York, October 25, 1868, I was shown that the brethren in-----were
in great perplexity and distress because of the course pursued by
B and C. Those who have the cause of God at heart cannot but
feel jealous for its prosperity. I was shown that these men were not
reliable. They were extremists and would run the health reform into
the ground. They were not pursuing a course which would tend to
correct or reform those who were intemperate in their diet; but their
influence would disgust believers and unbelievers, and would drive
them further from reform, instead of bringing them nearer to it.
Our views differ widely from those of the world in general.
They are not popular. The masses will reject any theory, however
reasonable it may be, if it lays a restriction upon the appetite. The
taste is consulted instead of reason and health. All who leave the
common track of custom, and advocate reform, will be opposed,
accounted mad, insane, radical, let them pursue ever so consistent
a course. But when men who advocate reform carry the matter to
extremes, and are inconsistent in their course of action, people are
not to blame if they do become disgusted with the health reform.
These extremists do more injury in a few months than they can undo
in their whole lives. By them the entire theory of our faith is brought
into disrepute, and they can never bring those who witness such
exhibitions of so-called health reform to think that there is anything
good in it. These men are doing a work which Satan loves to see go
on.
Those who advocate unpopular truth should be most consistent
in their lives, and should be extremely careful to shun everything
like extremes. They should not labor to see how far they can take
their position from other men; but, otherwise, to see how near they
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can come to those whom they wish to reform, that they may help
them to the position which they themselves so highly prize. If they
feel thus, they will pursue a course which will recommend the truth
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