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Biological/Health Science and E. G. White

Don S. McMahon
EENT physician/surgeon, Melbourne, Australia

FOR: Faith and Science Conference, Glacier View Ranch, CO — August 2003

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HANDOUT

Lifestyle Principles found in Ministry of Healing and Spiritual Gifts

1. The Significant "Whats" found in Spiritual Gifts
   • Avoid --- Drugs, Patent Medicines, Secondhand Smoking, Smoking, Alcohol, Hard Drugs, Meat, Animal Fat, Over Eating, Inactivity
   • Restrict --- Salt, Butter
   • Moderate --- Milk, Out Doors
   • Daily and Freely --- Good Lifestyle, Ventilation, Clean Environment, Sunlight, Recreation, Exercise, Vegetable Foods, Whole Meal Flour, Variety of Food, Clean Water, Plenty of Water, Clean Person, Clean House, Clean Clothes, Sanitation, Trust in God, Cheerfulness, Will Power
2. The Considered Minor "Whats" found in Spiritual Gifts
   • Avoid --- Hypnotism, Phrenology, Tea & Coffee, Pig, Spices, Eating Just before Going to Bed, Wet House Site
   • When Needed --- Fasting, Adjust Diet Slowly, Hydrotherapy
   • Daily and Freely --- Simple Foods, Soft Water
3. The Considered Unverified "Whats" found in Spiritual Gifts
   • Avoid --- Leaven in Bread
   • Usually Have--- Two Meals a Day

4. The Significant "Whats" written after Spiritual Gifts (after Mrs. White stated she incorporated the work of other experts)
   • Avoid --- Under Nutrition, Depression, Eggs and Milk [in future]
   • When Needed --- Quarantine, Preserve & Transport
   • Restrict --- Fish, Eggs, Sugar
   • Moderate --- Use of Nuts (26)
   • Daily and Freely --- Pure Air, Sleep, Sterilization of Milk, Olive Oil, Clean Food, Sympathy, Love
5. The Considered Minor "Whats" written after Spiritual Gifts (after Mrs. White stated she incorporated the work of other experts)
   • Avoid --- Tight Clothes, Poor Posture, Unclad Limbs, Wet Nurse, "Unclean" Foods, Heating Butter, Pickles, Eating Rapidly, Under Cooking
   • Changes with --- Climate & Activity, Time & Place
   • Desirable --- Warm Sick Room, Country Hospitals
   • Daily and Freely --- Walking, Regular Eating, Family Life
6. The Considered Unverified "Whats" written after Spiritual Gifts (after Mrs. White stated she incorporated the work of other experts)
   • Avoid --- Cheese, Meat not Drained of Blood, Hot & Cold Food, Exercise after Eating, Anxiety & Eating, Mental Active & Eating, Fluid with Meals

7. Changes made after writing Spiritual Gifts where I have not changed the score
   • Drugs - changed from avoid to restricted.
   • Meat - changed from avoid to restricted.
   • Milk - changed from moderate to restricted.
   • "Unclean" Foods - extended
   • Butter - changed from moderate to avoid.
   • Yeast - from restricting yeast to restricting baking powder.
8. Changes made after writing Spiritual Gifts that caused a loss of score
   • Clean Environment - changed to include composting of leaves.
   • Mixing Foods - changed from plentiful supply of fruit and vegetables to avoid varieties.
9. Used in Spiritual Gifts, but not in Ministry of Healing
   • Avoid Phrenology
   • Drink Soft Water

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QUOTES

Mrs. White distinguished between lifestyle principles or practical hygiene ("Whats") and Physiology ("Whys").
    "I use some salt, and always have, because from the light given me by God, this article, in the place of being deleterious, is actually essential for the blood. The whys and wherefores of this I know not, but I give you the instruction as it is given me." (Letter written to Dr. and Mrs. Kress, May 29, 1901 recorded in Counsels on Diet and Foods, page 344.4)
    "It is well that physiology is introduced into the common schools as a branch of education. …. And then parents should see to it that practical hygiene be added. This will make their knowledge of physiology of practical benefit." (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, October 1871)

Mrs. White's lifestyle before June 1863 was not very good.
    "I saw that you had mistaken notions about afflicting your bodies, depriving yourselves of nourishing food. Some have gone to extremes in regard to diet. They have taken a rigid course, and lived so very plain. ... If God requires His people to abstain from swine's flesh, … If it is the duty of the church to abstain from swine's flesh, God will discover it to more than two or three. He will teach His church their duty." (Testimonies for the Church, Volume 1, page 205.1)
    "I have thought for years that I was dependent upon a meat diet for strength. ... But I have suffered greatly for want of food from breakfast to dinner, and have frequently fainted. Eating meat removed for the time these faint feelings. I therefore decided that meat was indispensable in my case." (Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4A, 1864, page 153.2)
    "For a while it was rather difficult to bring my appetite to bread, for which, formerly, I have had but little relish. But by persevering, I have been able to do this." (Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4A, 1864, page 153.3)
    "I have within eight months lost twenty-five pounds of flesh. I am better without it." (Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4A, 1864, page 154.1)

Mrs. White had read Jackson's article on diphtheria before the vision of June 1863.
    "Having a good degree of confidence in his manner (Jackson) of treating diseases, and having tried his prescription on two of our children who were suddenly and severely attacked with sore throat, hoarseness so that they were unable to speak, and high fever, with perfect success, we decided to give the entire article. (Jackson’s article on Diphtheria) … Mrs. W. was called in the evening to see the eldest child of ... Mrs. W. pursued the same course of treatment as with our children, and the child appeared well the next morning." (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, February 17, 1863)

The main vision about health was on June 6, 1863.
    "It was at the house of Bro. A. Hilliard, at Otsego, Mich., June 6, 1863, that the great subject of Health Reform was opened before me in vision." (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 8-10-1867)
    "Seventh-day Adventists are handling momentous truths. More than forty years ago the Lord gave us special light on health reform." (Testimonies for the Church, Volume 9, 1909, page 158.1)

Between June 1863 and August 1864 Mrs. White did not read any articles about health or speak to Jackson.
    "'You speak very nearly the opinions taught in the Laws of Life, and other publications, by Drs. Trall, Jackson, and others. Have you read that paper and those works?' My reply was that I had not, neither should I read them till I had fully written out my views, lest it should be said that I had received my light upon the subject of health from physicians, and not from the Lord." (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 8-10-1867)
    "I did not visit Dansville (Jackson’s “Home on the Hill”) till August, 1864, fourteen months after I had the view." (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 8-10-1867)

For over a year Mrs. White personally tested the lifestyle before writing about health.
    "But since the Lord presented before me, in June, 1863, the subject of meat-eating in relation to health, I have left the use of meat. … I have lived for nearly one year without meat." (Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4A, 1864, page 153)

Mrs. White talked to Dr. Lay about health.
    "I talked freely with Dr. Lay and many others upon the things which had been shown me in reference to health. I had never seen a paper treating upon health." (Manuscript written in 1867 also recorded in Selected Messages, Vol. 3, page 282)

James purchased and read books on health.
    "After the vision was given me, my husband was aroused upon the health question. He obtained books, upon our eastern journey, but I would not read them. My view was clear, and I did not want to read anything until I had fully completed my books. My views were written independent of books or of the opinions of others." (Manuscript written in 1867 also recorded in Selected Messages, Vol. 3, page 282.3)

James copied articles from the Laws of Life by Jackson into the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald.
    "We copy from the Laws of Life, by J. C. Jackson, M. D." (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, October 27, 1863) This is an article called, "Which will you have, Hoops or Health." It is copied verbatim from the Laws of Life, Vol. 6, page 93.

August 1864 (1 year 2 months after the vision on health) Mrs. White wrote about health in Spiritual Gifts.
    "I therefore crowded into Volume IV the most essential points in the vision in regard to health, ... I closed up Volume IV [Aug. 23, 1864], that it might be scattered among the people. I reserved some important matter in regard to health, which I had not strength or time to prepare for that volume, and get it out in season for our [1864] Eastern journey." (Selected Messages, Vol. 3, page 282.1)

After writing Spiritual Gifts Mrs. White read the Laws of Life by Jackson. She then wrote the “How to Live" articles incorporating what she had read in the various works of hygiene.
    "I then (after writing Spiritual Gifts) searched the various works on hygiene and was surprised to find them so nearly in harmony with what the Lord had revealed to me. And to show this harmony, and to set before my brethren and sisters the subject as brought out by able writers, I determined to publish "How to Live," in which I largely extracted from the works referred to." (Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 8-10-1867)