Early in the history of Seventh-day Adventists God began to teach the people how to live healthfully, so that they might be able to do His work well. Mrs. White gave much instruction on the matter, and taught the right way of living and the natural means of healing. Joseph Bates was one of the first to practice what we know as "health reform." When he died, a hale, hearty old man of seventy-six, he had been keeping his health perfectly for many years on a diet of fruits, grains, nuts, and vegetables.

But diet, or what we eat, is not all there is to health reform. If we live right, God promises to keep us from disease, and if any are sick, He says His power is set in the church to heal them. But at the same time He wants us to know and to use all natural ways of making sick people well.

Let me tell you how this part of the truth came to one family, and that will show you how it came to many.

There was mourning in the home of Horace Lawrence, the elder of the church at Bangor, N. Y. Mrs. Lawrence was very, very sick, and the brethren and sisters from all the neighboring towns in Franklin County who came to see her (for she had visited them many times, and some of them had learned the message through her work) were told she was too sick to see them.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," exclaimed one rosy-cheeked farmer's wife, standing in the Lawrence kitchen with her hand on a basket of fresh eggs she had brought. "I've driven away over from Brandon to see her. I do hope the Lord will have mercy on dear Sister Lawrence. Can she eat anything?"

"No," answered Mr. Lawrence, "the doctor has us give her a little glass of wine every two hours, and that is all she can take to keep her alive."

"Can't you pray for her?" asked the sister.

Mr. Lawrence looked at her reproachfully. "I do pray for her," he said, "every minute I live."

"But I mean, can't the elders pray for her, as the Apostle James directs?"

"If there were only godly men of experience living near here," said Mr. Lawrence. "But you know we are few. She prayed in a whisper herself all last night, for the Lord to send someone."

And as he spoke, there was the sound of wheels on the road outside, and a buggy with two men in it drove up and stopped.

They all went to the door, and the two men, having hitched their horse, came up the walk.
"Brother Haskell, of Norfolk!" joyfully exclaimed Mr. Lawrence, holding out his hand.

"Yes, it's Brother Haskell," responded the big, white-bearded man. "I and my brother
here have felt impressed by the Lord to drive over these thirty miles to see you. I left my wheat standing ready to be harvested, and the neighbors said I was crazy. And now there must be something needed."

"Indeed there is," answered Mr. Lawrence. "The Lord sent you in answer to prayer. My wife is very low. Will you come in and pray for her?"

They went into the sickroom, but Mrs. Lawrence lay still and deathlike; she could not hear them. They knelt, and first they prayed God to give her strength to hear prayer. And as they prayed, a faint color came to her cheeks, her eyes became bright, and she spoke to them. God had answered. Then they prayed again, fervently, that God would raise her up to health. And rising, Brother Haskell took the sacred oil and poured a little upon her forehead; then laying his hand on her head, he said, "Sister Lawrence, the Lord our God has heard. You shall recover."

And in a moment her strength began to come back to her. She ate food, and in a few days she was able to be up again. Oh, what a happy family when the dear mother was able to be with them again! And what a happy people were they who knew and loved Sister Lawrence as a mother in Israel! And how the neighbors wondered, saying, "What doctor could do that?"

Not long after, there came to them the news that the Spirit of prophecy had spoken in regard to how we should live.

"Horace," said Mrs. Lawrence, "the Lord raised me up from death, and I am going to obey that message in regard to dress. I shall have to make over most of my clothes, but I shall see that I am dressed equally warm all over, in winter. And as for those ridiculous hoops, I am thankful the Lord has spoken against them, for I think they are shameful."

And again, one morning at breakfast table, a very few weeks later, they were discussing some new directions about health.

"I am glad," said Mr. Lawrence, "for the cleaning up that has come among our people. Strong drink, even cider, never belonged among us; and now tobacco has gone, and tea and coffee. And we are not merely dropping off things; we are putting better food in their place. But I don't know whether we can get any graham flour or not."

"What is this 'graham' flour?" asked his wife.

"Why, Maria, it's just about the same as we used to grind at the water mill, as nearly as I can make out," he answered, "only this man Graham has got his name attached to it. But you see it isn't popular, for the white flour is what folks eat now, and they think it's a sign of wealth. But if I can't buy it, I can get it ground, I suppose, and keep it unbolted, with the bran in. The fine flour has a great deal of the goodness bolted out."

"And pork, father," put in their daughter Ellen. "What are we going to do with our fat hogs, since the Bible says pork isn't fit to eat? Of course, that will not trouble you," she added, for he never ate meat, as the rest of them did.

"We'll have to come up on father's ground, Ellen," said her mother. "As to the hogs, we will certainly not eat them."

"No," said Mr. Lawrence, "and when you come to think of it, it does seem a great waste to put corn into a hog so as to eat it by-and-by. It's better to take it at first hand."

Again, a year or so later, there came the message to their home that a health institute, what we now call a sanitarium, should be built up, a place where the principles of right living could be taught, and where the sick could be cared for by water treatments, and be made well.

"Now that's the right move," declared Mrs. Lawrence. "I've proved the treatments as well as I could give them, you know I have, Horace, and they have helped more than once, when the neighbors' children were sick. And we have better health because of living in the new way. And it's surely the right thing to establish a health institute, where the sick can get well, and be taught the truth at the same time."

"Yes, it is," he assented, "and we'll have to help what we can to build it up. You see they call for our people to give money for buying a place there in Battle Creek. Yes, yes, Maria, we'll have to help."

And from these little beginnings, all through the ranks the work spread, until ministers and people were very largely practicing and teaching the truth of health reform. Some,—too bad to say it,—did not care enough for it to pay much heed. And it is sad to have to say that many, many, now when the knowledge of how to live healthfully is so much greater than then, seem to care very little for it in their lives. But this is sure, that those who go through to the end will, by being careful how they live, keep their bodies fit for the greatest service of God, so that their health may praise God and make them more able to work for Him.

Today we have many great sanitariums, besides treatment rooms and health restaurants in many cities, and there are many visiting nurses and other health workers all over the land. Still, our great buildings and the great work being done by some are not what count. What counts is whether you and I each make our bodies living temples, holy for the indwelling of God. That is the meaning and the use of health reform.

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