Some of the correspondents of the Health Reformer have objected to our practice of inserting so much of our religion in this journal. Our answer is easily given: Health reform is a part of our religion. Where one is, there must also be the other. And in this we claim a precedence as health reformers over those professed Christians who find no connection of health reform with religion, as well as over those who have no religion whereby to elevate and sanctify their reforms.
I do not in this argue that our ideas of health reform are necessarily more correct than theirs. We are doubtless too ultra for some, and too conservative for others. But I would urge that we stand in a better position than others to make the reform a matter of conscience. And therefore it is but just and reasonable to look among us for a more general and permanent advance movement in the cause of reform than among other people.
"The gospel of health" is a phrase that has been in use for a number of years with health reformers. The general signification of gospel is good news. In this general sense alone has it been used by them. The particular signification of gospel—properly, the gospel—is that system of religion by which salvation is offered through our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And herein is the difference between Seventh-day Adventists and other bodies of reformers. We make the health reform an element of Christianity, insomuch that, in our estimation, the gospel of Christ is truly the gospel of health.
But health reform is not Christianity; nor is temperance Christianity. A man may be a thorough health reformer, and not be a Christian, as he may be a thoroughly temperate man, and not be a Christian. Temperance is a Christian grace; and Christianity embraces it and all other graces. 2 Peter t:t-ti, A person properly instructed cannot be a Christian and yet be intemperate. Even so we believe that when the light is properly and sufficiently presented, a person cannot be a consistent Christian and not be a health reformer. Indeed, the propositions are identical; the Bible standard of temperance is as far above that of the world as the Bible standard of morality is above the variable morality of the world. True health reform is true Christian temperance, and therefore it is an essential element of Christianity.
I will now briefly examine some passages of Scripture to show that health—physical or bodily health—is a provision and subject of promise of the gospel of Christ.
Says Paul, 1 Timothy 4:8, "Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." But very few, comparatively, seem to discover any relation between the gospel and the "promise of the life that now is." They do not realize the great importance of the privileges and responsibilities of the present life, as they are presented in the Bible. If it be so that this life is our only probationary state, and our chance of eternal life is suspended on our proper use of this; if in this life only canwe show by self-denial and cross bearing our love to our Saviour; if in this life only we can suffer with Christ, our Head, and realize the sweetness of His sympathy in the hour of trial and temptation; if we can here glorify God by resisting surrounding evil and overcoming the wicked one, as we cannot in any other world or state, how should we prize the privileges of this life! how should we strive to bear aright its responsibilities ! But we shall see that our health has an important bearing on these points.
The apostle John wrote, 3 John 2, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." Here are associated spiritual and physical prosperity and health, as alike subjects of strong desire. And thus in the light of Scripture, as of science and reason, there is a close relation between the two; for our moral power depends upon our mental, and our mental upon our physical. He who has strong intellectual powers will surely be able to develop more moral power than he who is deficient in intellect; a sound mind can do more to glorify God than a weak or diseased one. And so also a strong, enduring physical frame can develop and sustain more intellect than a weak one. True, some men of feeble frame have shown much strength of intellect; but they would have been able to accomplish far more good had they had strong physical frames to enable them to endure in executing what their minds could plan.
We have the plainest evidence that God regards health as a blessing, and disease as the fruit of disobedience. Said He to the children of Israel: "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee." Ex. 15:26. And again He said, "Ye shall serve the Lord your God, and He shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee." Ex. 23:25. These texts contain a twofold promise; viz., to take sickness away from them, and to put no disease upon them; that is, to make them well, and to keep them so.
The same is again promised as follows: "The Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee." Deut. 7:15. "If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, The Lord Thy God; then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. Moreover He will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of ; and they shall cleave unto thee. Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the Lord bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed." Deut. 28 :58-61.
Now if sickness be an infliction, and the result of sin, how consistent, how necessary, to humble ourselves before God, to confess and forsake our sins, and ask Him to stay the affliction and heal us. The psalmist connected the forgiveness of sin and the healing of diseases together. "Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases." Ps. 103:2, 3. And this connection is maintained in the gospel.
In Isaiah 53 we find a remarkable Messianic prophecy. The passion of our Saviour, and the objects of His suffering, are here more clearly stated than in any other passage of the Old Testament. Verse 5 reads thus: "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." That the prophet, as well as the psalmist, referred to the healing of diseases we learn from an application of this prophecy in Matthew 8:16, 17: "When the even was come, they brought unto Him many that were possessed with devils: and He cast out the spirits with His word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."
The forgiveness of sin and the healing of diseases were inseparably connected by our Saviour in His expressions concerning His miracles. When one was brought to Him sick of the palsy, He said, "Thy sins be forgiven thee." But when certain ones looked upon this as blasphemy, He said, "Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith He to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house." Matt. 9:4-6. Thus it appears that for Him to say, "Thy sins be forgiven," was equivalent to saying, "Arise, and walk," or„ "Thy sickness is healed." And thus my proposition is most clearly proved, that the gospel of Christ is a gospel of health; and we are health reformers by reason of our faith in Christ. Our religion and our principles of health reform are inseparable.—.J. H. Waggoner in the Health Reformer, July, 1871, pp. II, 12.
