44
Testimony Studies on Diet and Foods
No man is to think that he is the possessor of all knowledge re-
garding the preparation of health foods, or that he has the sole right to
use the Lord’s treasures of earth and tree in this work. No man is to
feel free to use according to his own pleasure the knowledge God has
given him on this subject. “Freely ye have received, freely give.”
It is our wisdom to prepare simple, inexpensive, healthful foods.
Many of our people are poor, and healthful foods are to be provided
that can be supplied at prices that the poor can afford to pay. It is the
Lord’s design that the poorest people in every place shall be supplied
with inexpensive, healthful foods. In many places industries for the
manufacture of these foods are to be established. That which is a
blessing to the work in one place will be a blessing in another place
where money is very much harder to obtain.
God is working in behalf of His people. He does not desire them
to be without resources. He is bringing them back to the diet originally
given to man. Their diet is to consist of foods made from the materials
He has provided. The materials principally used in these foods will be
fruits and grains and nuts, but various roots will also be used.
The profits on these foods are to come principally from the world,
rather than from the Lord’s people. God’s people have to sustain
His work; they have to enter new fields and establish churches. On
them rest the burdens of many missionary enterprises. No unnecessary
burdens are to be placed upon them. To His people God is a present
help in every time of need.
Great care should be exercised by those who prepare recipes for
our health journals. Some of the specially prepared foods now being
made can be improved and our plans regarding their use will have to
be modified. Some have used the nut preparations too freely. Many
have written to me, “I cannot use the nut foods; what shall I use in the
place of meat?” One night I seemed to be standing before a company
of people, telling them that nuts are used too freely in their preparation
of foods; that the system can not take care of them when used as in
some of the recipes given; and that, if used more sparingly, the results
would be more satisfactory.
The Lord desires those living in countries where fresh fruit can be
obtained during a large part of the year, to awake to the blessing they
have in this fruit. The more we depend upon the fresh fruit just as it is
plucked from the tree, the greater will be the blessing.