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Testimony Studies on Diet and Foods
day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto Him the
book of the prophet Esaias. And when He had opened the book, He
found the place where it was written: “The spirit of the Lord is upon
Me, because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor: He
hath sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the
captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that
are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Jesus Himself
became man’s ransom, his liberator from the oppressive power of
Satan. “Ye are not your own,” He says, “for ye are bought with a
price.” We are bought from a power whose slaves we were. And the
price our ransom cost was the only begotten Son of God. His blood
alone could ransom guilty man. “For God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him, should
not perish, but have everlasting life.”
O, if every one could discern these matters as they have been
presented to me, those who are now so careless, so indifferent in
regard to their character building; those who plead for indulgence
in a flesh-meat diet, would never open their lips in justification of
an appetite for the flesh of dead animals. Such a diet contaminates
the blood in their veins, and stimulates the lower animal passions. It
enfeebles keen perception and vigor of thought to the understanding
of God and the truth, and a knowledge of themselves.
We are not to make the use of flesh-meat a test, but we may and
should consider the influence that professed believers who use flesh-
meat have over other churches. Those who use flesh-meat disregard
all the warnings that God has given concerning this question. They
have no evidence that they are walking in safe paths. They have not
the slightest excuse for eating the flesh of dead animals. God’s curse
is resting upon the animal creation. Many times when meat is eaten,
it decays in the stomach, and creates disease. Cancers, tumors, and
pulmonary diseases are largely caused by meat eating.
As God’s messengers, shall we not bear a decided testimony against
the indulgence of perverted appetite? Will those who claim to be
ministers of the gospel, proclaiming the most solemn truth ever given to
mortals, make the stomach a cesspool? God has provided an abundance
of fruits and grains, which may be healthfully prepared and used in
proper quantities. Why, then, do men continue to choose flesh-meats?