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Testimony Studies on Diet and Foods
Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 156-158
For want of knowledge and skill in regard to cooking, many a wife
and mother daily sets before her family ill-prepared food, which is
steadily and surely impairing the digestive organs, and making a poor
quality of blood; the result is, frequent attacks of inflammatory disease,
and sometimes death.
We can have a variety of good, wholesome food, cooked in a
healthful manner, so that it will be palatable to all. It is of vital
importance to know how to cook. Poor cooking produces disease and
bad tempers; the system becomes deranged, and heavenly things can
not be discerned. There is more religion in good cooking than you
have any idea of. When I have been away from home sometimes, I
have known that the bread upon the table, as well as most of the other
food, would hurt me; but I would be obliged to eat a little in order to
sustain life. It is a sin in the sight of Heaven to have such food.
Testimonies for the Church 1:680-686
During the last seven months we have been at home but about
four weeks. In our travels we have sat at many different tables, from
Iowa to Maine. Some whom we have visited live up to the best light
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they have. Others, who have the same opportunities of learning to
live healthfully and well, have hardly taken the first steps in reform.
They will tell you that they do not know how to cook in this new way.
But they are without excuse in this matter of cooking, for in the work,
“How to Live,” are many excellent recipes, and this work is within
the reach of all. I do not say that the system of cookery taught in that
book is perfect. I may soon furnish a small work more to my mind in
some respects. But “How to Live” teaches cookery almost infinitely
in advance of what the traveler will often meet, even among some
Seventh-day Adventists.
Many do not feel that this is a matter of duty, hence they do not
try to prepare food properly. This can be done in a simple, healthful,
and easy manner, without the use of lard, butter, or flesh-meats. Skill
must be united with simplicity. To do this, women must read, and
then patiently reduce what they read to practice. Many are suffering
because they will not take the trouble to do this. I say to such, It is
time for you to rouse your dormant energies and read up. Learn how to