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Faithfulness in Health Reform
135
I have been instructed that the students in our schools are not to
be served with flesh foods or with food preparations that are known
to be unhealthful. Nothing that will serve to encourage a desire for
stimulants should be placed on the tables. I appeal to old and young
and to middle-aged. Deny your appetite of those things that are
doing you injury. Serve the Lord by sacrifice.
Let the children have an intelligent part in this work. We are
all members of the Lord’s family, and the Lord would have His
children, young and old, determine to deny appetite and to save the
means needed for the building of meetinghouses and the support of
missionaries.
I am instructed to say to parents: Place yourselves, soul and
spirit, on the Lord’s side of this question. We need ever to bear in
mind that in these days of probation we are on trial before the Lord
of the universe. Will you not give up indulgences that are doing you
injury? Words of profession are cheap; let your acts of self-denial
testify that you will be obedient to the demands that God makes
of His peculiar people. Then put into the treasury a portion of the
means you save by your acts of self-denial, and there will be that
with which to carry on the work of God.
There are many who feel that they cannot get along without
flesh food; but if these would place themselves on the Lord’s side,
resolutely resolved to walk in the way of His guidance, they would
receive strength and wisdom as did Daniel and his fellows. They
would find that the Lord would give them sound judgment. Many
would be surprised to see how much could be saved for the cause
of God by acts of self-denial. The small sums saved by deeds of
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sacrifice will do more for the upbuilding of the cause of God than
larger gifts will accomplish that have not called for denial of self.
Seventh-day Adventists are handling momentous truths. More
than forty years ago the Lord gave us special light on health reform,
but how are we walking in that light? How many have refused to
live in harmony with the counsels of God! As a people, we should
make advancement proportionate to the light received. It is our duty
to understand and respect the principles of health reform. On the
subject of temperance we should be in advance of all other people;
and yet there are among us well-instructed members of the church,
and even ministers of the gospel, who have little respect for the light