Keep Clear God’s Connection With Man
137
the cause of their illness. Their chief anxiety is to rid themselves of
pain and inconvenience.
By the use of poisonous drugs, many bring upon themselves life-
long illness, and many lives are lost that might be saved by the use of
natural methods of healing. The poisons contained in many so-called
remedies create habits and appetites that mean ruin to both soul and
body. Many of the popular nostrums called patent medicines, and even
some of the drugs dispensed by physicians, act a part in laying the
foundation of the liquor habit, the opium habit, the morphine habit,
that are so terrible a curse to society
Drug medication, as it is generally practiced, is a curse. Educate
away from drugs. Use them less and less, and depend more upon
hygienic agencies; then nature will respond to God’s physicians—pure
air, pure water, proper exercise, a clear conscience. Those who persist
in the use of tea, coffee, and flesh meats will feel the need of drugs,
but many might recover without one grain of medicine if they would
obey the laws of health. Drugs need seldom be used
Seventh-day Adventists—An Example to the World
As a people we profess to be reformers, to be light bearers in the
world, to be faithful sentinels for God, guarding every avenue whereby
Satan could come in with his temptations to pervert the appetite. Our
example and influence must be a power on the side of reform. We must
abstain from any practice which will blunt the conscience or encourage
temptation. We must open no door that will give Satan access to the
mind of one human being formed in the image of God
The only safe course is to touch not, taste not, handle not, tea,
coffee, wines, tobacco, opium, and alcoholic drinks. The necessity for
the men of this generation to call to their aid the power of the will,
strengthened by the grace of God, in order to withstand the temptations
of Satan and resist the least indulgence of perverted appetite is twice
as great as it was several generations ago. But the present generation
have less power of self-control than had those who lived then. Those
who have indulged the appetite for these stimulants have transmitted
152
The Ministry of Healing, 126, 127
153
Counsels on Health, 261
154
Testimonies for the Church 5:360