Hygienic Restaurants

Mrs. E. G. White: I have much to say in regard to hygienic restaurants, sanitariums, and the health foods. I am perplexed to know where to begin.KC 142.7

The light given me is, that instead of presenting the subject of health reform abruptly to a congregation of unbelievers, our laborers should first reach the hearts by presenting Christ and Him crucified. Many unbelievers know no more of health reform than do babies. True, the laborers must dwell on reforms; but let them first endeavor to touch and tender the hearts of the people and lead them to be converted. After conversion, men and women will be ready to receive instruction in regard to further reforms, and will permit their teachers to lead them along step by step into the full light of the present truth.KC 142.8

While in New York last winter, I received light in regard to hygienic restaurants. Night after night the course that our brethren should pursue in that city, passed before me. They have a vegetarian restaurant in Brooklyn. They should go forward in the establishment of other hygienic restaurants. Instead of resting satisfied with having only the one that has been opened, they are to open other restaurants in various sections of the city. The people living in one part of Greater New York do not usually know what is going on in the other parts of that great city; and therefore it is necessary to establish many restaurants. As men and women eat at these places, they will become conscious of an improvement in health. Their confidence once gained, they are more ready to accept God's special message of truth.KC 142.9

Whenever in our large cities there is a strong educational missionary work being carried forward, there should be some sort of hygienic restaurant established, which shall demonstrate to the people right methods in the selection and preparation of food.KC 143.1

When in Los Angeles, I was shown that not only in various sections of that city, but in San Diego and in smaller tourist resorts of Southern California, health restaurants and treatment rooms should be established. Our efforts should include the great seaside resorts.KC 143.2

H. H. Haynes: Here is a question that has been asked me by a great many of our people within the last year. They say, “We could open a health boarding house; but would it be right to do this and serve guests on the Sabbath, and have them around on that day as we should in an ordinary boarding-house?”KC 143.3

Mrs. E. G. White: I have had no special light in regard to its being the duty of our people to conduct boarding-houses something after the order of hotels. Years ago the brethren began to work in that line in Battle Creek, but the Lord forbade them to continue.KC 143.4

It began in the Sanitarium before Dr. Kellogg came into the institution. Persons who came there to board and room brought in chess playing and many other amusements. This was not right, and the Lord rebuked the management. Our Sanitariums are not to cater to the perverted tastes of worldly people. The same evils have existed in the Sanitarium on the hillside. A few years ago the managers made it more of a hotel than an institution for healing the sick. In the rooms of the guests could be seen the wine bottles that they had brought with them. The boarders indulged appetite for many harmful things. God was not at all pleased with the course pursued by the management in allowing such indulgence; for His purpose in the establishment of the institution was not being carried out. He sent light in regard to it, and the result was that some in leading positions withdrew. They said, “If we refuse to serve meat, we cannot hold the patrons.” But whether patronage increases or decreases, right principles must be upheld in the Lord's institutions. In all our work we are to show the advantage of a health reform diet. Between us and the world there is to be a distinct line of demarcation.KC 143.5

We are not building sanitariums for hotels. Receive into sanitariums only those persons who desire to conform to right principles. Let them use the foods that we place before them. If we should allow them to have intoxicating liquors in their rooms, or should serve them with meat, how can we give them the help they should receive in coming to our sanitariums? We must let them know that we have principle enough to keep such articles out of the institution. The same is true in the hygienic restaurants. We must be as true to principle as the needle to the pole. We have no time to dally. Do we not have a desire to see our fellow-being freed from disease and infirmity and in the enjoyment of health and strength?KC 143.6