As evangelists endeavoring to persuade people to accept our message as a whole, we find that one of the difficult things for new converts to see is the importance of a healthful diet. People coming out of the world believe that vegetarianism is merely a fad or hobby. To us who have been vegetarians for years, clear scientific and spiritual reasons reveal conclusively that it is the best way to live. At first, however, these reasons are not so apparent. In our work, when teaching new converts our gospel of health, we say to them, "Now, friends, do not stop eating clean meats immediately. Continue eating your clean meats Until we have given you a series of studies on the preparation and serving of the vegetarian diet." Then, having developed a true conception of vegetarianism through an educational program, the meat is left off gradually, and the great majority of the new believers become true vegetarians.
If meat is taken away abruptly from people who have been accustomed to eating it regularly, and who do not know how to cook the vegetarian way, their vegetables are often soggy and tasteless. They feel a sense of weakness, because of losing the artificial stimulus. They have a craving for meat, and many finally become discouraged and give up vegetarianism as a bad project. On the other hand, if you tell them to leave off meat gradually, and teach them how to cook vegetables scientifically, they will begin to advance in the wonderful way in which we as a people believe in living. According to my observation, very few of the converts that have changed their dietary in this way ever go back to the meat eater's diet.
The "Testimonies" recommend the principle of substitution in a gradual way.
"We should, however, consider the situation of the people and the power of lifelong habit, and should be careful not to urge even right ideas unduly. None should be urged to make the change abruptly. The place of meat should be supplied with wholesome foods that are inexpensive. . . . In all cases, educate the conscience, enlist the will, supply good, wholesome food, and the change will be readily made, and the demand for flesh will soon cease."—"Ministry of Healing," p. 317.
"Wherever the truth is carried, instruction should be given in regard to the preparation of wholesome foods. God desires that in every place the people shall be taught by skillful teachers how to utilize wisely the products that they can raise or readily obtain in their section of the country."—"Gospel Workers," p. 233.
It does not take a great amount of money, effort, or equipment to furnish the working material for a cooking class. A stove, table, and cooking utensils from a home will suffice. Then comes the question, Who will do the teaching? Naturally it is better to have a dietitian; however, this is sometimes an impossibility. But there are women in every church or tent company who could explain and demonstrate our methods of planning and serving meals composed of a "variety of grains, nuts, vegetables, and fruits, that will be both nourishing and appetizing."
One of the most profitable and interesting cooking classes that has come under my observation was conducted by a lay member who called herself a cook. She planned balanced meals, explained them and cooked them, while the class observed. Recipes were mimeographed or typed, and the ladies took them home and practiced them. People enjoy doing what they know how to do well, and once the new convert learns how to cook scientifically the vegetarian way, she will take pride in her knowledge, and the whole family will be benefited.
New believers should be taught from a health standpoint that such a program is God's ideal for the Christian today. When they learn of the awful diseases prevalent in cattle, and that the packing houses continually send out meat filled with germs, regardless of inspection, and that they try to save as much of the blood in the meat as possible (Moses was instructed against that practice), the people.- usually accept the better method of living.
"If meat eating were ever healthful, it is not safe now. Cancers, tumors, and pulmonary diseases are largely caused by meat eating."—"Testimonies," Vol. IX, p. 159.
One of my cousins, a university graduate, trained to be a meat inspector, was employed by one of the largest packing houses in the United States. He is not an Adventist, but on account of the pressure brought to bear on him to pass meats that were carrying so many disease germs to the public, he finally gave up his job as a meat inspector and went into another kind of work. He says, "The public little realize what they are getting when they eat meat." In the last few months I have personally observed two herds of cattle of about one hundred each, which were condemned as seriously infected with tuberculosis. These cattle were taken to a packing house in a great Western city, where they were slaughtered and sold as prime beef in the local market.
I believe that the time has come for us to educate the people, and to urge them to follow the vegetarian diet, for God is now permitting the cattle to be diseased to "punish the inhabitants of the world;" and if we continue to follow the meat eater's diet, God will be no respecter of persons.
We should teach the people our health message in a way that will be reasonable, so they will not become discouraged and be brought to a premature test. If they leave off meat gradually and learn how to cook scientifically, they will scarcely miss it, and will give it up and become true vegetarians.
Los Angeles, Calif.