Sermon at Petaluma, California, Campground
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strict temperance, should shield them from the so-called friends who
would lead them to indulge appetite.
The food that we eat has much to do with the question of temper-
ance. Parents should take into account the relation of food to morals.
The use of flesh-meat animalizes the nature. There needs to be an
awakening on this point. How can anyone desire to live on the flesh
of dead animals, when he has the privilege of using the fruit, grains,
vegetables, and nuts that God has given us in such abundance?
Self-denial a virtue
The enemy does everything in his power to gain control of the
minds of men and women. He leads them to cultivate a perverted
appetite, so that rather than to deprive themselves of injurious things,
they go on in indulgence after indulgence. Self-denial is a virtue.
Brain nerve-power to resist temptation
We hope that at this meeting those who understand the principles of
health reform will exert a strong influence on the side of temperance.
Let Christ’s followers abstain not only from alcohol, tobacco, tea,
and coffee, but also from every other harmful thing that beclouds the
brain. The enemy has arranged matters so as to ensnare the greatest
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number. He leads men and women to use stimulating food and food
that beclouds the nerve-power of the brain, so that they are unable to
distinguish between right and wrong, between good and evil. Parents,
teach the members of your household that indulgence of appetite is the
work of the enemy. Teach them to guard against his deceptions. Such
instruction should be given by everyone who takes the responsibility
of bringing children into the world; and especially at this stage of the
world’s history fathers and mothers should realize that their children
are the property of God, and that He holds them accountable to bring
up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
We are to practice temperance on every point; for we need all the
brain nerve-power that it is possible for us to have in order that we may
be able to resist Satan’s temptations. We are not to pamper appetite,
diseasing our digestive organs by indulgence. God desires us to be