Why God does not Now Bring Many Persons into the Church

The subject of health reform has been presented in the churches; but the light has not been heartily
received. The selfish, health-destroying indulgences of men and women have counteracted the influence of
the message that is to prepare a people for the great day of God. If the churches expect strength, they must
live the truth which God has given them. If the members of our churches disregard the light on this subject,
they will reap the sure result in both spiritual and physical degeneracy. And the influence of these older
church members will leaven those newly come to the faith. The Lord does not now work to bring many
souls into the truth, because of the church members who have never been converted and those who were
once converted but who have backslidden. What influence would these unconsecrated members have on
new converts? Would they not make of no effect the God-given message which His people are to bear?
{6T 370.3}

Oh, Ellen White ate Cheese in 1888 at Minneapolis!

Oh, how it has hurt me to have blocks thrown in my way in regard to this subject. Some have said,
"Sister White eats cheese, and therefore we are at liberty to eat cheese." I have tasted cheese once or twice,
but that is a different thing from making it an article of diet. Once when at Minneapolis, I sat down at a
table on which there was some cheese. I was quite sick at the time, and some of my brethren told me that
they thought if I ate a little cheese, it might do me good. I ate a small piece, and from then it has been
reported in large assemblies that Sister White eats cheese. {13MR 202.1}
I have not had meat in my house for years. But do not give up the use of meat because Sister White does
not eat it. I would not give a farthing for your health reform if that is what it is based upon. I want you to
stand in your individual dignity and in your individual consecration before God, the whole being dedicated
to Him. "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which
temple ye are." {13MR 202.2}

In the fear of God I have given my testimony in regard to the health reform. It was more difficult to
make headway upon this subject in B. C. among the Sabbath-keeping people, than in any other place. We
battled on, and what have we gained? Pride of dress, pride of heart, love of show, love to gratify the
appetite, have led to a disregard of the light the Lord permitted to shine upon them. They would not come
to the light. They did not desire the light. Any light which would show them that if they would enjoy health
they must deny the taste, was not acceptable. {PH011 75.2}
I do not speak of these as a whole. A few have been true to their principles. Some acknowledged the
light, and, for a time, walked in it, but they were not steadfast. Is it possible that Christ's followers are
unwilling to restrict their appetites to articles of food which are healthful? Some of those who have had the
most light, those standing at the very head of the work, have not been true to the principles of health
reform. As we have traveled we have seen men and women injuring their health by an improper diet. We
have spoken to them kindly in regard to their duty, but we would be met: I thought you had decided you
could not live without meat, butter, and cheese; for if I am rightly informed your people in B. C. eat flesh-
meats. Your responsible men in the Office are not reformers. They eat meat, butter, cheese and rich pie and
cake. Others will excuse their indulgence of appetite by referring to B. C. Said one, On such a celebration,
the Institute tables were not set with food recommended in the Reformer. There was a great variety of food
which I have known themselves to condemn, and I have seen your most zealous church members,
especially the females, looking over the table greedily for some article of food prepared richer than another.
They seem to fear that they shall not obtain the most desirable position to obtain the very best dishes served
up. We certainly saw their indulgence of appetite, which in us you condemn. {PH011 76.1}
Again, "Sr. White, if you knew one-half of the doings at Battle Creek, you would not blame us, for we
really do not know what to think, or what course to pursue. We heard you ate meat, butter, and cheese. All
these things you had condemned we heard were upon your table again." I told them I had not swerved from
my principles of health reform. Butter was not placed upon my table for my family, neither for visitors.
Meat was not brought into my house or placed upon my table. "Well," said my informer, "did you not know
that on Thanksgiving many of the brethren were seen on that day walking to their homes carrying their
turkeys." At another place where I thought to introduce the subject of health reform and the necessity of a
healthful diet upon their table, I was met with, "They are far below us in health reform at B. C. There was a
lot of old diseased sheep carried into market, slain from a flock that had, without doubt, the sheep-rot, and
some of your best brethren lighted upon their carcasses as flies upon molasses. They could get these
carcasses of sheep for a mere trifle, and they improved the chance." {PH011 77.1}
One family in particular needed all the benefits they could receive by the reform in diet. Yet these very
ones were completely backslidden. Meat and butter were used quite freely, spices were not entirely
discarded. This family could have received great benefit from a nourishing, well-regulated diet. The head of
the family needed a plain, nutritious diet. His habits were sedentary, and his blood moved sluggishly
through the system. The benefit of healthful exercise he could not have like others, and, therefore, his food
should be of a right quality and quantity. There had not been in this family the right management in regard
to diet. There had been irregularity. There should have been a specified time for each meal, and the food
should have been prepared free from grease in a simple form; but pains should have been taken to have it
nutritious, healthful, and inviting. There has been in this family, as also in many families, a special parade
made for visitors, many dishes prepared and frequently made too rich; so that those seated at the table
would be tempted to eat to excess. Then in the absence of company there was a great reaction, a falling off
in the preparations brought on the table. The diet was spare, and lacked nourishment. It was considered not
so much matter "just for ourselves." {PH011 77.2}

Consider me not an enemy because I tell you the truth. I long and pray that you may be found in your
right mind sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning of Him. If you imitate Christ, you will be willing even to
be a servant. He was the King of Glory, yet He was a servant of fallen man. I pray the Lord to help you to
get rid of some of your lofty ideas of yourself, and come down in meekness, feeling your nothingness
without Christ. Then will He be unto you a very present help in time of need. Then will He make your
labors effectual, and souls will be converted from error to truth through your labors. {15MR 245.2}
You have brought grave charges against us, in the letter to my husband. I felt that I would not notice
them. But I will dwell a moment upon them. In regard to our diet, we have not placed butter on our table
for ourselves for years, until we came to the Rocky Mountains. We felt that a little butter, in the absence of
vegetables and fruit, was less detrimental to health than the use of much salt or sugar, sweet cake, and
knickknacks. We do not use it now, and have not for many weeks. {15MR 245.3}
In regard to our using spice, I plead not guilty. We have not had spice in our house for ten years, except
a little ginger, which we have always used to some extent.
We have always used a little milk and some sugar. This we have never denounced, either in our writings
or in our preaching. We believe cattle will become so much diseased that these things will yet be discarded,
but the time has not yet come for sugar and milk to be wholly abolished from our tables. {15MR 246.1}
In regard to cheese, I am now quite sure we have not purchased or placed on our table cheese for years.
We never think of making cheese an article of diet, much less of buying it. I tell you, Lucretia, how your
buying the cheese at our house looks to us--that you did it to tempt us just as _____ tempted my husband in
his feebleness. You said you heard Brother White ask Mr. Walling for a taste of cheese. He had none. You
bought a few pounds. You asked him one day if he wanted some cheese. He said "No." You asked me. I
said I did not eat it. The cheese lay in the cupboard untouched until Mr. Lasley and Walling came to dinner.
It was then placed before them. We took a small bit of cheese, as we do sometimes when it is passed to us.
But we do not, understand, buy cheese, or make a practice of eating it. My husband felt when he saw the bit
of cheese that was in Walling's wagon that he would like merely a taste of it. {15MR 246.2}
I have not had, to my knowledge, a particle of pepper in the house for ten years. When Lucinda went up
to Mr. Walling's mills, I said to her, "Get me a little pinch of pepper, and I will try to eat some beans." I
thought the pepper would perhaps prevent them from causing me to have the colic. But I think so little of
what I eat, it never entered my mind that there was any pepper. So much for pepper. I claim that we live
very plain and economical.
Lucretia, if you did not mean to tempt us in buying cheese, what did you mean? Did you buy that cheese
merely because you wanted to gratify the wish of my husband? If so, you could have gratified his taste for
fresh, dried black raspberries which you heard him often speaking of desiring. You had them but did not
cook them. You heard him often express a wish for this, but you did not gratify it. He could not eat
strawberries, but kept wishing for raspberries. If my husband had wanted cheese, he could have bought it,
for he was at Black Hawk and Central as often as three times a week. What your motive was, you know and
the Lord knows, but we do not. {15MR 246.3}
 In regard to corsets, there is nothing in my use of corsets contrary to what I have ever spoken or written
against. I do not practice wearing them except when bloated with dropsy, to press down my abdomen and
give me a chance to breathe. {15MR 247.1}
In regard to steel springs, I have worn two in my skirts or cords always. Before coming to Colorado, I
asked someone to buy me two steel springs to run in my skirt. In the place of doing this, they bought four
steel springs fastened with tapes, skeleton fashion. I have worn it a few times, but it is not what I wanted
and what I like. I do not wear it, though I consider there is no harm in this for anyone to wear. In my view
of the wrong of hooped skirts, it was the deformity and the indecency of their appearance when they were
worn so large, that was objectionable. There is nothing indecent or unbecoming in the small hoops or in the
steel springs, two of them run into a skirt. {15MR 247.2}
I cannot think of other charges, except breaking the Sabbath. What you mean, I know not. I have ever
been particular in regard to the observance of the Sabbath in my conversation and actions. In regard to
writing, I know my duty on that point. I am no more breaking the Sabbath in my writing than the priest who
offered more sacrifices upon the Sabbath than upon any other days of the week. {15MR 247.3}
I think that in watching and accusing us, you were both engaged in the same work as were the Pharisees
in accusing Christ. They watched to catch Him in His words or to find something in His actions that they
could use as an occasion against Him. As Christ said to them, I say to you, "Ye strain at a gnat and swallow
a camel." Set your poor, proud hearts right, and you will have so great a work to do you will feel that you
have nothing to do in accusing your brethren and sisters. I do not think the best way to glorify God in
observing the Sabbath is to go to bed and sleep away the sacred hours. {15MR 248.1}
We feel sincere pity for your blindness. Such freaks [SUDDEN CAUSELESS CHANGE OR TURN OF
THE MIND; TO DO FREAKISH ACTS; DIVERGING FROM WHAT IS NATURAL OR NORMAL.--
WEBSTER.] as yours cost too much to us and to the cause of God. God is in earnest with us. He will not be
trifled with. Be careful how you move. It costs too much to you and to the cause, for you to be pettish and
jealous and to move rashly and independently and bring ruin upon yourselves. {15MR 248.2}
I have spoken plainly but I assure you I have nothing but love and am earnest for you to come where
God can use you to His glory. {15MR 248.3}

Speaking Regarding Institutions, Speaking while Visiting Them

Those visiting our institutions and seeing where work is not done to the best advantage, should, if they have
had larger experience, and know of a more successful way to manage, counsel with those who are in trust
and seek to help them to see the right way of action. Those who fail to do this neglect their duty, and are
unfaithful to their God-given responsibility. Such an one, if he goes from that institution without saying
anything to the proper persons and states to parties not connected with it that he saw failures in the
management there, that he saw places where expense was incurred without benefiting the institution, has
failed to manifest a Christian spirit and has been unfaithful to his brethren and to God. The Lord would
have him diffuse light, if he has it to give; and if he has not a well-regulated plan to suggest, he does wrong
to tell others of the mistakes which he has seen. If he fails to give the workers the benefit of his supposed
superior wisdom, if he only finds fault without telling, in a right spirit, how to improve, he not only injures
the reputation of the institution, but of the workers, who may be acting according to the very best light they
have. {CH 296.1}
These things need to be carefully considered. Let every man and woman inquire, "On whose side am I?
Am I working to build up or to tear down one of God's instrumentalities?" {CH 296.2}
One thing makes me feel very sad, and that is that there is not always harmony among the workers in
our institutions. I have thought, Is it possible that there is anyone who will find fault with those connected
with them in the work? Is there anyone who will suggest to patients or to visitors or fellow workers that
there are many things which ought to be done that are not done, and many other things which are not done
right? If they do this, they are not doing the work of Christians. {CH 296.3}
Men who have been appointed to different positions of trust are to be respected. We do not expect to
find men who are perfect in every respect. They may be seeking for perfection of character, but they are
finite and liable to err. Those who are engaged in our institutions should feel it their duty jealously to guard
both the work and the workers from unjust criticism. They should not readily accept or speak words of
censure against any who are connected with the work of God, for in thus doing God Himself may be
reproached and the work that He is doing through instrumentalities may be greatly hindered. The wheels of
progress may be blocked when God says "Go forward." {CH 297.1}
 It is a great evil, and one which exists among our people to a great extent, to give loose rein to the
thoughts, to question and criticize everything another does, making mountains out of molehills, and
thinking their own ways are right, whereas, if they were in the same place as their brother, they might not
do half as well as he does. It is just as natural for some to find fault with what another does as it is for them
to breathe. They have formed the habit of criticizing others, when they themselves are the ones who should
be brought severely to task and their wicked speeches and hard feelings be burned out of their souls by the
purifying fire of God's love. . . . {CH 297.2}
A person who will allow any degree of suspicion or censure to rest upon his fellow workers, while he
neither rebukes the complainers nor faithfully presents the matter before the one condemned, is doing the
work of the enemy. He is watering the seeds of discord and of strife, the fruit of which he will have to meet
in the day of God. . . . {CH 297.3}
This disrespect for others, this disregard for right and justice, is not a rare thing. It is found to a greater
or less extent in all our institutions. If one makes a mistake, there are some who make it their business to
talk about it until it grows to large proportions. Instead of this, there should be in all engaged in our
institutions a sacred principle to guard the interest and reputation of everyone with whom they are
associated, even as they would wish their own reputation guarded. {CH 298.1}