Ellen G. White / Adventist Theologian/ Prophet

ELLEN WHITE’S HEALTH MESSAGE
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ELLEN G. WHITE’S HEALTH MESSAGE
The lifespan and health benefits among the Seventh-day Adventists Church can be traced to their lifestyle and eating habits. From the 1800s, the Seventh-day Adventists have been using some eight-health secrets that have decreased their chances of suffering from early death threatening diseases such as cancer and heart diseases. The Seventh-day Adventists enjoy a longer life and better health compared to the general population. These benefits are not because of science but from a woman called Ellen G. White. Mrs. White told people that it was not God’s desire for human beings to suffer from unnecessary diseases and death. Also, God inspired her to describe to human beings different methods they could use to enjoy and live in maximum wellness. The primary focus of writing this paper is to discuss Ellen G. White Health Message.
Ellen White health reformer role began in 1863. The church had held two weeks unifying General Conference among their scattered church. It was on 6 June 1863, Friday evening at the start of the Sabbath where she and her family had gone to Brother A. Hilliard house at Otsego in Michigan. She was asked during the family worship to lead others in prayer. As she was praying, she went to where her husband was kneeling and laid her hands on his shoulder. As she prayed, she received a vision from God that lasted for approximately forty-five minutes concerning the church and her husband physical welfare that was deteriorating.

Also, God revealed to her that there was a relationship between spiritual health and physical well-being. She did not write down everything that she saw in the vision immediately until 1864.
Ellen White saw in a vision that it was a sacred responsibility for the believers to take care of their health. She emphasizes that God calls the human body as His temple. Therefore, it is essential for Christians to preserve their bodies and ensure they are in perfect condition. White wrote that many people act as if they should treat their body as they pleased. However, they do not realize that their bodies belong to God. God desires that human beings glorify him in their spirit and body, which are His. It is a sacred duty that God has placed over all creatures created in His image to ensure that it remains perfect as possible. Therefore, it is essential for Christians to ensure that their bodies are healthy and they have sound minds. God’s assignment in a individuals life should not hinder them from taking care of their bodies. A good example was that Mrs. White and her husband were supposed to care about their health. Mr. White felt that the other brothers of the church did not support him in his strenuous responsibilities, which caused him to become mentally depressed and discouraged. Therefore, he was encouraged to apply his faith in God. She wrote that it was essential to promote a hopeful, cheerful, peaceful state of mind because human beings health relies on it.
She wrote that it was neither pleasing nor safe for people to disrespect the health laws and then ask God to take care of their health and ensure they are not suffering from sickness when the same individuals are not living according to their prayers. She placed a lot of emphases on every individual taking care of his health. It would help a person recover from the effects of overtaxing and overworking the mind. The responsibilities or assignments God has assigned human beings does not hinder them from taking care of their body. In fact the more perfect a person’s health, the better he or she will be able to accomplish his or her God-given assignment. Mrs. White gave an example of how her husband had become depressed because of overworking and burdening himself. Therefore, it is essential for human beings to take care of their bodies because God will not perform miracles to preserve or heal their bodies if they disobeyed the health laws even if they were not aware that they existed.
Ellen White also wrote against intemperance. For example, she wrote about people taking stimulating drinks such as alcohol. She advised the Christians that alcohol was very poisonous. It could confuse a person’s mind and pollute his or her blood. She also adds that there is no place in the Bible that God allows people to drink toxic. Also, alcohol is dangerous to the drinkers offspring since they have high chances of imitating their parents and use it. She adds that in the home of the person drinking alcohol there is misery, despair, and pain. She also tells Christians they should not use coffee, tobacco, or tea because it is a sin. Taking tea or coffee could slowly poison a person’s body. They are stimulants. Therefore, any person who starts drinking them faces challenges or have difficulties when they desire to stop. Tea and coffee do not nourish the body. They can cause a person to have a headache, tremble, stay awake, heart palpitation, indigestion, and other effects. Taking alcohol, coffee tea or tobacco could hinder a person from attaining their purpose here on earth. When people who drink coffee or tea meet during a social gathering, they display various effects. All of them drink their best beverage and as they begin to be stimulated with the drinks their start to talk carelessly, and gossip or speak against their friends. They do not choose their words carefully before speaking.
Mrs. White also wrote that taking tobacco in whatever form would slowly kill the person because it contains poison. She advised people against using it because a person using the drug may begin to take alcohol. It might also cause the user to want a stronger medicine. The use of tobacco promotes the use of alcohol. It negatively impacts the user as they lose their physical and emotional sense of feeling things. It interferes with the person’s normal thinking (brain). Once a person starts using tobacco, it takes control of his or her mind, and his or her will. The addict may transfer the desire to use the drug to their children. The use of tobacco has resulted in physical and mental evils. Some children do not kiss their fathers because of the tobacco smell. It can cause poisoning of the infant in the mother’s stomach, which can result in Sudden Infant death syndrome. Also, the children sleeping near parent who is using tobacco may cause infant’s death. When the child inhales the weed, they may poison the body of the infant resulting in death, spasms, or paralyzes. The church or Christians are not allowed to take the drug. However, the church assists the person addicted to overcome the addiction.
Individuals who use tobaccos, alcohol tea, coffee, and much more will not be in a position to worship God. Also, it can cause the children to lack clothing or food or even be unable to complete their education. They can kill the user slowly because it is a poison. Many individuals have become victims of the drug. She warns Christians against handling, touching or tasting any tobacco.
Also, it was not God’s desire for human beings to eat or take the life of other animals. God did not permit a man to eat any animal in the Garden of Eden. They were only allowed to eat fruits, nuts, vegetable, and grains. Therefore, they were vegetarian. Ellen advocated that people should not eat any form of meat because it contradicts the ideal diet. They were not supposed to eat food that was highly spicy such as rich cakes, puddings, pies. The reason being they would interfere with a person’s mind and body. There were also advised to take two meals a day if possible, but if an individual feels hungry, they could eat some simple, wholesome meals. She warned Christians against overeating food.
Mrs. White taught against people eating meat because the diseases in the animal are increasing and would affect human beings. Ellen White wrote that even people who are not Adventists would also stop taking meat. The reason being most of the animal products will not be safe for consumption, and if humans could have observed them before they are slaughtered they could not eat them. Ellen claimed that most of the animals people ate were diseased before they were slaughtered and if they had been left alone, they could have died. However, they are killed and brought to the market. It means that human beings are taking poison of the worst types into their bodies without knowing. She also talked about the various processes of fattening before they are brought to the market create diseases. Also, some animals are kept away from sunshine and pure air since they are breathing air from filthy stables making the entire body of the animal to be contaminated. Another cause of diseases is that when animals are being transported for long distances to arrive at the market. They may be subjected to lack of food or water, dusty roads, or crowded in filthy vehicles making them exhausted and feverish sometimes even dying on the way to the market, then human beings given the dead animals meat. Animals who are slaughtered under such condition become poisonous to human beings because their blood has become inflamed. It causes individuals to have some pains others cholera and some suffer from unknown diseases. Some of the animals who are brought to the slaughter might realize that they are about to be killed, and they become violent and angry. They are slaughtered in such a state making their meat poisonous. People who eat such meat would have apoplexy, convulsion, sudden death, or cramps.
Therefore, taking meat has increased the chances of a human being becoming sick. Individuals who eat animals that are cooked accompanied with pastry such as cakes could end up having blood diseases. Tumor tuberculosis, cancer, and other infections are as a result of taking meat. Also, people who love eating meat might have clouded brains and passive intellect because eating meat leads to body grossness and benumbs the mind sensibilities. Therefore people who are eating meat will not become fruitful. People comprise of what they eat and consuming meat would reduce the intellectual activity.
Also, people should reduce or avoid giving meat to children since it strengthens the improper passionate and excites them causing the immoral character to be revealed. The diseases caused by eating meat may not be realized immediately however there is no proof that they are not dangerous.
Also, God did not design that humans beings are should consume pork meat since it could cause scrofula, cancer, leprosy and another disease. God desires that human beings should eat vegetables, fruits, nuts, and grains since they obtain first had all the nutrients that are required for growth. Unlike eating meat which becomes a second source of nutrients needed for human growth. If a person is not able to stop eating meat, then they should fast for God to help them. Overcome the appetite.
Ellen white put a lot of emphasis on people using natural remedies in the treatment of the sick people. She did not support going to a physician to get treated since the physicians were the primary cause of the death during that period. Ellen wrote that people required sunlight, pure air, proper diet, clean water, exercise, rest and believe in Gods power for a person to receive healing. Every individual should learn and acquire knowledge on the various natures’ remedial method and how to use them. It was important for every person to understand the doctrines required in treating sick patients and obtain training on how to use the natural remedy knowledge right. This method of treatment requires patience and is gradual a person who is impatient would claim that the treatment method is very slow. However, those who are patient would, in the end, find that natural remedies are the best and unrestricted. Ellen White wrote that majority of the people did not give attention to the preservation of health. However, it is better if people would look for the best opinions to prevent disease than to learn how it can be treated after a person becomes sick. It is the responsibility of each person for their own sake and that of humanity to discover the lives laws and carefully observe them. Individuals should learn the importance and purpose of each organ. They should learn how each body organ relies on each other.
Ellen White had discussed the significance of maintaining personal cleanliness during the 1854 vision. However, it was broadened to include the cleanliness of the clothing body and the living environment. Personal cleanliness involved the purity of the Christians heart. It also required the individuals removing rotting vegetation from their surroundings. They were supposed to build houses on raised ground to ensure that the water does not settle near their homes.
From the above, it is evident that Ellen white received visions concerning various areas that people should observe for them to enjoy having good health. For example, God expected human beings to take care of their bodies. They should rest after working; they should not eat meat but eat grains, vegetables, nuts and fruits which were first-hand nutrients needed for the growth of a person. They were to observe personal cleanliness of their body and surrounding. They were to use natural remedies for treatment instead of going to a physician. They were cautioned against some of the foods that were main sources of intemperance.
Bibliography
“Health Reform Vision 1863.” Diggingfortruth.org. Accessed March 2, 2018. http://www.diggingfortruth.org/article/128/prophecy/spirit-of-prophecy-section/visions-of-ellen-g-white/health-reform-vision-june-1863.
Coon, Roger W. “Ellen G. White and the SDA Health Message.” EGWHealthMessage. Accessed March 02, 2018. https://www.andrews.edu/~fortind/EGWHealthMessage.htm.