Health Institute
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even words not the most kindly, however provoking the patient may
be.
One of the great objects of our Health Institute is to direct sin-sick
souls to the Great Physician, the true healing Fountain, and call their
attention to the necessity of reform from a religious standpoint, that
they no longer violate the law of God by sinful indulgences. If the
moral sensibilities of invalids can be aroused and they see that they are
sinning against their Creator by bringing sickness upon themselves and
by the indulgence of appetite and debasing passions, when they leave
the Health Institute they will not leave their principles behind, but will
take them with them and be genuine health reformers at home. If the
moral sensibilities are aroused, patients will have a determination to
carry out their convictions of conscience; and if they see the truth they
will obey it. They will have true, noble independence to practice the
truths to which they assent. And if the mind is at peace with God, the
bodily conditions will be more favorable.
The greatest responsibility rests upon the church at Battle Creek
to live and walk in the light, and to preserve their simplicity and
separation from the world, that their influence may tell with convincing
power upon strangers to the truth who attend our meetings. If the
church at Battle Creek is a lifeless body, filled with pride, exalted above
the simplicity of true godliness, and leaning to the world, its influence
will be to scatter from Christ and to make the most solemn and essential
truths of the Bible of no force. The members of this church have
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opportunities to be benefited by lectures from the physicians of the
Health Institute. They can obtain information upon the great subject
of health reform if they desire it. But the church at Battle Creek, who
make great profession of the truth, are far behind other churches who
have not been blessed with the advantages they have had. The neglect
of the church to live up to the light which they have had upon health
reform is a discouragement to the physicians and to the friends of the
Health Institute. If the church would manifest a greater interest in the
reforms which God Himself has brought to them to fit them for His
coming, their influence would be tenfold what it now is.
Many who profess to believe the Testimonies live in neglect of the
light given. The dress reform is treated by some with great indifference
and by others with contempt, because there is a cross attached to it.
For this cross I thank God. It is just what we need to distinguish and