The Last-Hour
Message
The
accompanying article was originally published in the Review
and Herald dated 11-12-1901 |
God
desires that now, as never before, the minds of the people
shall be deeply stirred to investigate the great temperance
question and the principles underlying true health reform.
The
physical life is to be carefully educated, cultivated, and
developed, that through men and women the divine nature may be
revealed in its fullness. Both the physical and the mental
powers, with the affections, are to be so trained that they
can reach the highest efficiency.
That
perfection of character which the Lord requires is the fitting
up of the whole being as a temple for the indwelling of the
Holy Spirit. God will accept of nothing less than the service
of the entire human organism. It is not enough to bring into
action certain parts of the living machinery. All parts must
work in perfect harmony, or the service will be deficient. It
is thus that man is qualified to co-operate with God in
representing Christ to the world. Thus God desires to prepare
a people to stand before Him pure and holy, that He may
introduce them into the society of heavenly angels.
Perfection
of character cannot be attained when the laws of nature are
disregarded; for this is transgression of the law of God. His
law is written by His own finger upon every nerve, every
muscle, every fiber of our being, upon every faculty which has
been entrusted to man. These gifts are bestowed, not to be
abused and corrupted, but to be used to His honor and glory in
the uplifting of humanity.
But
how far have men departed from fulfilling God's purpose!
Wherever we look, we see defilement and corruption. The world
is full of disease and misery, deformity and sin. Life is
regarded as of little value. Crime is increasing on every
side. By many, sins of the very darkest dye are lightly
regarded, or even justified. The violation of physical law,
with its consequent suffering, has so long prevailed that the
terrible results of such violation are now regarded as the
appointed lot of humanity: God is not pleased to have this
suffering exist. This is not His work. It is the work of man.
The wretchedness and misery, poverty and woe, that exist all
around us are brought about by wrong habits, - by violating the
laws that God has made to give health and happiness.
What
can be done to press back the inflowing tide of evil? The
people must be led to understand its cause. With unerring
certainty the seed sown produces a harvest of its kind. He who
sows to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. He who
sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
In order that men may be more careful how and what they sow,
they must be led to realize that they make their own harvest.
This is the great need of the masses of mankind at the present
time. The blessing that God gives as the result of obedience
to the laws of health, is a healing power, a balm for many of
the evils that are cursing the world to-day. Satan's strongest
hold on man is through disobedience to these laws.
The
relation that exists between mind and body is very intimate:
when one is affected, the other is always more or less in
sympathy. It is impossible for men, while under the power of
sinful, health-destroying habits, to appreciate sacred truths.
When the intellect is clouded, the moral powers are enfeebled,
and sin does not look sinful. The most ennobling, grand, and
glorious themes of God's word seem but idle tales. Satan can
then easily snatch away the good seed that has been sown in
the heart; for the soul is in no condition to comprehend or
understand its true value. It is thus that selfish,
health-destroying indulgences are counteracting the influence
of the message which is to prepare a people for the great day
of God.
We
are living in a most solemn, awful moment of this earth's
history. Not a soul whose life is one of careless
self-degradation, through transgression of physical laws, will
stand in the great day of trial just before us. There is a
terrible account to be rendered to God by those who have but
little regard for the human body, and treat it ruthlessly.
Transgression of God's law is sin, and the punishment is
death. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and
that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the
temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is
holy, which temple ye are."
Reform,
continual reform, must be kept before the people, and by our
example we must enforce our teachings. True religion and the
laws of health go hand in hand. It is impossible to work for
the salvation of men and women without presenting to them the
need of breaking away from sinful gratifications, which
destroy the health, debase the soul, and prevent divine truth
from impressing the mind. Men and women must be taught to take
a careful review of every habit and every practice, and at
once put away those things that cause an unhealthy condition
of the body, and thus cast a dark shadow over the mind.
If
the word of God were studied as it should be, we would better
understand the value which the Lord places upon men and women,
whom He has purchased at infinite cost. Many of these are in
great distress because they know not the truth in regard to
these things. They are perishing for lack of knowledge. Our
Heavenly Father sees the deplorable condition of these poor
souls who, ignorant of the result, are disregarding the great
foundation principles of nature's laws. And it is in love and
pity that He has caused light to shine upon this subject,
showing the blessings that are sure to reward obedience, as
well as the terrible punishment that will follow
transgression.
The
Saviour has told us in plain language what would be the
condition of the world just before His second coming. And
to-day we cannot fail to see that His prophecy is rapidly
fulfilling. "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also
the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were
before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and
giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,
and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so
shall also the coming of the Son of man be." We are told
that in the days of Noah before the flood, "God saw that
the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every
imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually."
Christ
has given a warning message that the fearful destruction so
soon to come upon the inhabitants of the world may not find
them unprepared. "Take heed to yourselves," He says,
"lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with
surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so
that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come
on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch
ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy
to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to
stand before the Son of man." This message is to be given
at this time. We are without excuse in failing to give it to
the world with power.
God
desires His people to be light-bearers to a world lying in
midnight darkness. But if they refuse to go forward in the
light which He causes to shine on their pathway, the light
will finally become to them darkness; and instead of being
light-bearers to the world, they themselves will be lost in
the blackness that surrounds them. God desires His
light-bearers ever to keep a high standard before them. By
precept and example they must hold this perfect standard high
above Satan's false standard, which, if followed, will lead to
misery, degradation, disease, and death for both body and
soul.
Those
who act as teachers are to be intelligent in regard to disease
and its causes, understanding that every action of the human
agent should be in perfect harmony with the laws of life. The
light God has given on health reform is for our salvation
and the salvation of the world. Men and women should be
informed in regard to the human habitation, fitted up by our
Creator as His dwelling-place, and over which He desires us to
be faithful stewards. "For ye are the temple of the
living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk
in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my
people." Our bodies are wonderfully made, and the Lord
requires us to keep them in order. All are under obligation to
Him to keep the human structure in a healthful, wholesome
condition, that every muscle, every organ, may be used in the
service of God. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with
all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
strength, and with all thy mind." God, who formed the
wonderful structure of the body, will take special care to
keep it in order, if men co-operate, instead of working at
cross-purposes with Him.
These
grand truths must be given to the world. We must reach the
people where they are, and by example and precept lead them to
see the beauties of the better way. The world is in sad need
of instruction along these lines. The time has come when each
soul must be firm and true to every ray of light God has
given, and begin in earnest to give this gospel of health to
the people. We shall have strength and power to do this if we
practice these truths in our own lives. If we all followed the
light we have received, the blessing of God would rest on us,
and we should be anxious to place these truths before those
who know them not.
Those
who are enjoying the precious blessings which come to them
through obeying this message of mercy, will do all in their
power that others may share the same blessings. But we may
rest assured that Satan will do all in his power to prevent
anything like a message of reform from being given to the
world at this time. Shall God's people be found on the enemy's
side, either by failing to heed it themselves, or by
neglecting to give it to others? "He that is not with me
is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth
abroad." If we would be safe, we must not fail to know on
whose side we stand.
The
people are in sad need of the light shining from the pages of
our health and temperance journals. God desires to use these
journals as mediums through which flashes of light shall
arrest the attention of the people, and cause them to heed the
warning of the message of the third angel. Our health journals
are instrumentalities in the field to do a special work in
disseminating the light which the inhabitants of the world
must have in this day of God's preparation. They wield an
untold influence in the interests of health and temperance and
of social purity reform, and will accomplish great good in
presenting these subjects in a proper manner and in their true
light to the people.
In
all our work, caution should be used that no one branch be
made a specialty, while other interests are left to suffer.
There has not been that interest taken in the circulation of
our health journals that there should be. The circulation of
these journals must not be neglected, or the people will
suffer a great loss.
Let
none think that the circulation of the health journals is a
minor matter. All should take hold of this work with more
interest, and make greater efforts in this direction. God will
greatly bless those who take hold of it in earnest; for it is
a work that should receive attention at this time.
Ministers
can and should do much to urge the circulation of the health
journals. Every member of the Church should work as earnestly
for these journals as for our other periodicals. There should
be no friction between the two. Both are essential, and both
should occupy the field at the same time. Each is the
complement of the other, and can in no wise take its place.
If
men do not let their own minds and their own feelings come in
to rule and change the Lord's design, there will be perfect
harmony between these lines of work, and a most wonderful
success will crown the efforts put forth to advance them.
Unity will bring into the work a power that we have not yet
seen. This will be the evidence to the world that the work is
of God. The circulation of the health journals will be a
powerful agency in preparing the people to accept those
special truths that are to fit them for the soon coming of the
Son of man.
Ellen
Gould White
Review and
Herald
11-12-1901
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`In preparing a people for the Lord's second coming a great work is to be done through the promulgation of health principles. We are to relieve suffering by the use of the natural agencies that God has provided. We should teach the people how to prevent sickness by obedience to the laws of life, and while we work for the healing of the body we should seize every opportunity to work for the healing of the soul.'
(AUCR06-01-00)
The
health message is broad and wide and all-embracing, yet every
layman can understand it and, with this understanding, can be
used of God to make a huge difference in his or her community.
It is of vital importance, however, that we appreciate the
philosophy of disease that underpins this message. The
reader is thus referred to the Natural Health
Foundation website at
www.keepwell.com.
On a more practical note, we also
cannot speak too highly of the website, www.natureschoice.co.za.
Here you will find hundreds of natural food recipes and a
wealth of good advice. |