The history of Christianity is filled with extremes, both fantastic and fanatical. Satan chooses to have it so, and those whom he cannot persuade to reject the word of God he delights to push over into such inconsistencies as will make the truths of God's word appear ridiculous. Most of these inconsistencies are based upon some one text, taken by itself or taken out of its logical setting without comparing it withother equally plain statements or with the only logical conclusions one can possibly draw from the blended mercy and justice of the Creator. And so we have the unscriptural doctrines of an eternally burning hell-fire, purgatory, the primacy of St. Peter, universal salvation, auricular confession, sharing, special garbs or manners and customs as distinguishing marks of church members, and many other faulty doctrines too numerous to mention.
Besides these extremes it is easy enough to find apparently contradictory statements in the Bible, if one is looking for them. One text says, "Answer a fool according to his folly;" and another, "Answer not a fool according to his folly." God has not removed from His divine Word every occasion of stumbling. Even Christ is called "a stone of stumbling," and "a rock of offense." As in the Bible, so in the Testimonies, there are found some things hard to understand. As we cannot "by searching find out God," so there will always be some things we cannot fathom, either in this world or in the next. Nevertheless, God's word is a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path, and if we will to do His will, we shall know of the doctrine. We should seriously question those pronouncements which accept the Spirit of prophecy with reservations rather than with analytical study, sanctified judgment, and due comparison of all statements made on a given subject.
A young physician, when asked about certain statements on health in the "Testimonies," replied, "You must remember they were written before the days of science." Another person, after mentioning to a minister how much spiritual benefit he had derived from "The Desire of Ages," asked the minister about something on health in the "Testimonies" that he did not understand. The minister replied, "I am glad you find 'The Desire of Ages' so helpful; just forget about the other." Thus some outwardly appear to accept the writings of the Spirit of prophecy, while they really reject whatever does not agree with their personal views.
This situation of disbelief on the one hand, and of fanatical extremes on the other, had to be dealt with years ago. But inasmuch as it still exists, it is profitable to give most careful and detailed study to the section of "Counsels on Diet and Foods" on "Extremes in Diet." The introduction to the section appeared in print in 1890 in the book, "Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene." Some of the readers of this article may be among those for whom this just excuse is made for disbelief :
"When those who advocate hygienic reform carry the matter to extremes, people are not to blame if they become disgusted. . . . These extremists do more harm in a few months than they can undo in a lifetime. They are engaged in a work which Satan loves to see go on."—"Counsels on Diet and Foods," pp. 195, 196.
Such extremists are divided into two classes. First, those who "adopted the reform because someone else did. They did not obtain a clear understanding of its principles for themselves." Second, "The other class take wrong views of the reform. They adopt too meager a diet. They subsist upon a poor quality of food, prepared without reference to the nourishment of the system. It is important that food be prepared with care, so that the appetite, when not perverted, can relish it." I.D. p. 196.It is difficult to say which is the larger class. The second gather the more fanatical extremists, while attracting few who wish food to appeal to the taste. In the first class are those who do not study for themselves—those who follow blindly. And like the blind who are led by the blind, they fall into the ditch, either of ill-health or of apostasy, being carried about by every wind of doctrine.
Those who have difficulty with certain foods or combinations, and who urge upon others the supposed principles of their own limitations, are next considered, but with the admonition, "No one should think himself a criterion for all. Not all can eat the same things. Foods that are palatable and wholesome to one person may be distasteful, and even harmful, to another."—/d., p. 198. I am one of those who cannot eat strawberries without very annoying and painful results, but this is not because strawberries are unwholesome. It is merely because of my own personal peculiarity.
Some wish to set down rigid rules which they say all must adhere to. This is narrow, unscientific, and contrary to the counsel of the Spirit of prophecy. "It is impossible to make an unvarying rule to regulate everyone's habits."—Id., p. 598. Healthful living does not consist mainly in prohibitions and restrictions, or in leaving something out of the diet, but chiefly in partaking freely of the bountiful supply of wholesome foods which God has provided. Too meager a diet, too limited a variety, or poorly prepared, unappetizing food, is not health reform.
Counsel is given regarding the unhealthfulness of partaking of a great variety of food at one meal and combining fruits and vegetables. This is particularly true for those whose digestion is not the most robust. Experience and abilities in the handling of foods differ markedly, and it is not possible or feasible to establish a rigid, unalterable rule for everybody, sick and well alike. The instruction is that "if the digestion is feeble," the use of fruit and vegetables at the same meal will often cause distress. (See "Counsels on Diet and Foods," p. 112.) In another place where this difficulty is mentioned, the admonition is directed definitely to a sick man of whom it is said, "'I took notice of your diet. You eat too great a variety at one meal.' "—"Counsels on Diet and Foods," p. 113. There are some supposedly well people who must ref rain from eating the very coarse vegetables with the readily fermentable fruits and fruit juices.
Of sick people there are very many who have abdominal distress because of the gas which forms when such combinations are made. These are mostly those who have irritable colons (so-called colitis), who have no acid in the stomach, or who have much gas and stomach distress because of gall-bladder disease. This gas and distress occurs in some individuals regardless of what is eaten, but it may be made worse by certain foods or combinations of food. Food combinations productive of gas are extremely variable with different individuals, so that no hard-and-fast rule can be applied to all. These "colonic lamenters" often follow the plan of leaving off one article of food after another until their inadequate and unbalanced dietary results in deficiency disease and real colitis. Often these unreasonable prohibitions have been the first cause of the "lamentations of the colon."
The majority of well people have no difficulty with the use of fruit as dessert with a vegetable meal, and are even less likely to experience abdominal distress than when cakes, puddings, and other sweet desserts are used. Fruit is nature's dessert. Let each one make his own individual application, since this combination of fruits and vegetables may cause distress if the digestion is feeble.
________ To be continued in July
