Chapter 16—The General Conference Address on Health Reform

Among the papers carried by Ellen White to Washington to present to the General Conference session was one entitled “Faithfulness in Health Reform.” As mentioned in the preceding chapter, she presented this on Monday morning, May 31. The subject was one that had touched much of her life, and one for which she, because of its large importance and an abundance of instruction given to her, carried a heavy burden.6BIO 198.1

She kept the matter of health reform before the church and the world in numerous articles in the Review and Herald, The Health Reformer, The Youth's Instructor, and in pamphlets and books. Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene was published in 1890, and the compilation of Healthful Living, assembled by Dr. David Paulson, came out in 1897 while she was in Australia. Then in 1905, The Ministry of Healing, with its well-balanced presentation designed to reach both the church and the world, was published.6BIO 198.2

Testimonies for the Church also carried instruction on health-related lines.6BIO 198.3

It was a matter Ellen White mentioned occasionally in her letters. On February 5, 1908, she wrote:6BIO 198.4

We endeavor to use good judgment in determining what combinations of food best agree with us. It is our duty to act wisely in regard to our habits of eating, to be temperate, and to learn to reason from cause to effect. If we will do our part, then the Lord will do His part in preserving our brain-nerve power.—Letter 50, 1908.6BIO 198.5

She attributed strict temperance in eating as one reason for her ability to do so much work in speaking and writing (Ibid.). Addressing one influential minister on March 28, 1909, she declared, “True conversion to the message of present truth embraces conversion to the principles of health reform.”—Letter 62, 1909.6BIO 199.1

She was concerned that there was a growing laxness among Seventh-day Adventists in the matter of diet; there were those who, in spite of the light God had given, were still eating meat quite freely. Particularly was she concerned that church leaders in Washington were not taking the aggressive stand in this matter that it was their privilege to take.6BIO 199.2