Homemaker in the Kitchen
285
Even in the table arrangements, fashion and show exert their bale-
ful influence. The healthful preparation of food becomes a secondary
matter. The serving of a great variety of dishes absorbs time, money,
and taxing labor, without accomplishing any good. It may be fashion-
able to have half a dozen courses at a meal, but the custom is ruinous to
health. It is a fashion that sensible men and women should condemn,
by both precept and example.... How much better it would be for the
health of the household if the table preparations were more simple
Results of Poor Cooking—Poor cookery is wearing away the life
energies of thousands. More souls are lost from this cause than many
realize. In deranges the system and produces disease. In the condition
[374]
thus induced, heavenly things cannot be readily discerned
Scanty, ill-cooked food depraves the blood by weakening the blood-
making organs. It deranges the system and brings on disease, with its
accompaniment of irritable nerves and bad tempers. The victims of
poor cookery are numbered by thousands and tens of thousands. Over
many graves might be written: “Died because of poor cooking,” “Died
of an abused stomach.
Teach Your Children How to Cook—Do not neglect to teach
your children how to cook. In so doing, you impart to them principles
which they must have in their religious education. In giving your
children lessons in physiology, and teaching them how to cook with
simplicity and yet with skill, you are laying the foundation for the
most useful branches of education. Skill is required to make good light
bread. There is religion in good cooking, and I question the religion
of that class who are too ignorant and too careless to learn to cook
Instruct Them Patiently and Cheerfully—Mothers should take
their daughters into the kitchen with them when very young, and teach
them the art of cooking. The mother cannot expect her daughters to
understand the mysteries of housekeeping without education. She
should instruct them patiently, lovingly, and make the work as agree-
able as she can by her cheerful countenance and encouraging words of
approval
8
Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 73
.
9
Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 49
.
10
The Ministry of Healing, 302
.
11
Testimonies For The Church 2:537
.
12
Testimonies For The Church 1:684
.