586. I eat but two meals a day, and still follow the light given me thirty-five years ago. I use no meat. As for myself, I have settled the butter question. I do not use it. This question should easily be settled in every place where the purest article cannot be obtained. We have two good milch cows, a Jersey and a Holstein. We use cream, and all are satisfied with this.—Letter 45, 1903
(CD 351.1)
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[Use of cream in place of butter in White home-Appendix 1:20, 23] [Use of butter in the White home-Appendix 1:4] [Butter not on White table, but used in cooking-Appendix 1:14] [Butter not on table in White home, and not used by E. G. White-Appendix 1:5, 8, 9, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23]
(CD 351)
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587. Milk, eggs, and butter should not be classed with flesh meat. In some cases the use of eggs is beneficial. The time has not come to say that the use of milk and eggs should be wholly discarded. There are poor families whose diet consists largely of bread and milk. They have little fruit, and cannot afford to purchase the nut foods. In teaching health reform, as in all other gospel work, we are to meet the people where they are. Until we can teach them how to prepare health reform foods that are palatable, nourishing, and yet inexpensive, we are not at liberty to present the most advanced propositions regarding health reform diet.—Testimonies for the Church 7:135, 1902
(CD 351.2)
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588. We must remember that there are a great many different minds in the world, and we cannot expect every one to see exactly as we do in regard to all questions of diet. Minds do not run in exactly the same channel. I do not eat butter, but there are members of my family who do. It is not placed on my table; but I make no disturbance because some members of my family choose to eat it occasionally. Many of our conscientious brethren have butter on their tables, and I feel under no obligation to force them to do otherwise. These things should never be allowed to cause disturbance among brethren. I cannot see the need of butter, where there is abundance of fruit and of sterilized cream.
(CD 351.3)
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606. The light given me is that it will not be very long before we shall have to give up any animal food. Even milk will have to be discarded. Disease is accumulating rapidly. The curse of God is upon the earth, because man has cursed it.—Australasian Union Conference Record, July 28, 1899
(CD 357.1)
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607. If milk is used, it should be thoroughly sterilized; with this precaution, there is less danger of contracting disease from its use.—The Ministry of Healing, 302, 1905
(CD 357.2)
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608. The time may come when it will not be safe to use milk. But if the cows are healthy and the milk thoroughly cooked, there is no necessity of creating a time of trouble beforehand.—Letter 39, 1901
(CD 357.3)
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609. I eat but two meals a day, and still follow the light given me thirty-five years ago. I use no meat. As for myself, I have settled the butter question. I do not use it. This question should easily be settled in every place where the purest article cannot be obtained. We have good milch cows, a Jersey and a Holstein. We use cream, and all are satisfied with this.—Letter 45, 1903
(CD 357.4)
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610. I cannot see the need of butter where there is abundance of fruit and of sterilized cream.—[Letter 331, 1904] Medical Ministry, 269
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611. We place no butter upon our table. Our vegetables are generally cooked with milk or cream and made very palatable.... We think a moderate amount of milk from a healthy cow not objectionable.—Letter 5, 1870
(CD 357.6)
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801. Do you not remember that we have an individual accountability? We do not make articles of diet a test question, but we do try to educate the intellect, and to arouse the moral sensibility to take hold of health reform in an intelligent manner, as Paul presents it in Romans 13:8-14; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 1 Timothy 3:8-12.—MS 1a 1890
(CD 466.1)
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802. On one occasion Sara [McEnterfer] was called to a family at Dora Creek, where every member of the household was sick. The father belonged to a highly respectable family, but he had taken to drink, and his wife and children were in great want. At this time of sickness there was nothing in the house suitable to eat. And they refused to eat anything that we took them. They had been accustomed to having meat. We felt that something must be done. I said to Sara, Take chickens from my place, and prepare them some broth. So Sara treated them for their illness, and fed them with this broth. They soon recovered.
(CD 466.2)
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Now this is the course we pursued. We did not say to the people, You must not eat meat. Although we did not use flesh foods ourselves, when we thought it essential for that family in their time of sickness, we gave them what we felt they needed. There are occasions when we must meet the people where they are.
(CD 466.3)
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The father of this family was an intelligent man. When the family was well again, we opened to them the Scriptures, and this man was converted, and accepted the truth. He threw away his pipe and gave up the use of drink, and from that time, as long as he lived, he neither smoked nor drank. As soon as it was possible, we took him on our farm, and gave him work on the land. While we were away attending meetings in Newcastle, this man died. Thorough treatment was given him by some of our workers, but the long-abused body could not respond to their efforts. But he died a Christian and a commandment keeper.—Letter 363, 1907
(CD 466.4)
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Encountering Difficulties and Resultant Compromises
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10. Over thirty years ago I was often in great weakness. Many prayers were offered in my behalf. It was thought that flesh meat would give me vitality, and this was, therefore, my principal article of diet. But instead of gaining strength, I grew weaker and weaker. I often fainted from exhaustion. Light came to me, showing me the injury men and women were doing to the mental, moral, and physical faculties by the use of flesh meat. I was shown that the whole human structure is affected by this diet, that by it man strengthens the animal propensities and the appetite for liquor.
(CD 487.1)
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I at once cut meat out of my bill of fare. After that I was at times placed where I was compelled to eat a little meat.—Letter 83, 1901
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[At Times Compelled to Eat a Little Meat When Other Food Was Not Available—699]
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[Note.—From the time of her girlhood, Mrs. White was burdened with writing and public ministry, and was therefore obliged to place the responsibilities of the domestic work in her home largely upon housekeepers and cooks. She was not always able to secure the services of those trained in hygienic cookery. So there were times in her own home when various compromises had to be made between the ideal standards, and the knowledge, experience, and standards of a new cook. Then, too, much of the time while traveling, she was dependent for her food upon those whom she was visiting. Although able to subsist upon a spare diet, it sometimes seemed necessary to eat some meat, which she knew was not the best food and which was not of her own choosing.—Compilers.]
(CD 487.4)
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11. I am suffering more now for want of some one who is experienced in the cooking line,—to prepare things I can eat.... Food is prepared in such a way that it is not appetizing, but is having the tendency to dry up the desire for food. I would pay a higher price for a cook than for any other part of my work.—Letter 19c, 1892
(CD 487.5)
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12. Since the camp meeting at Brighton (January, 1894) I have absolutely banished meat from my table. It is an understanding that whether I am at home or abroad, nothing of this kind is to be used in my family, or come upon my table. I have had much representation before my mind in the night season on this subject.—Letter 76, 1895
(CD 488.1)
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13. We have plenty of good milk, fruit, and bread. I have already consecrated my table. I have freed it from all flesh meats. It is better for physical and mental soundness to refrain from living upon the flesh of animals. As far as possible we are to come back to God’s original plan. From henceforth my table shall be free from the flesh of dead animals, and devoid of those things in desserts which take much time and strength to prepare. We may use fruit freely, and in different ways, and run no risk of incurring the diseases that are incurred by using the flesh of diseased animals. We should bring our appetite under control, so that we shall enjoy plain, wholesome food, and have an abundance of it, that none may suffer hunger.—Manuscript 25, 1894
(CD 488.2)
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14. We have a large family, and besides have many guests, but neither meat nor butter is placed upon our table. We use the cream from the milk of the cows which we feed ourselves. We purchase butter for cooking purposes from dairies where the cows are in healthy condition, and have good pasture.—Letter 76, 1895
(CD 488.3)
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15. I have a large family which often numbers sixteen. In it there are men who work at the plow and who fell trees. These have most vigorous exercise, but not a particle of the flesh of animals is placed on our table. Meat has not been used by us since the Brighton camp meeting. It was not my purpose to have it on my table at any time, but urgent pleas were made that such a one was unable to eat this or that, and that his stomach could take care of meat better than it could anything else. Thus I was enticed to place it on my table....
(CD 488.4)
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All who come to my table are welcome, but I place before them no meat. Grains, vegetables, and fresh and canned fruit constitute our table fare. At present we have plenty of the best oranges, and plenty of lemons. This is the only fresh fruit we can get at this season of the year....
(CD 489.1)
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I have written this to give you some idea of how we live. I never enjoyed better health than I do at the present time, and never did more writing. I rise at three in the morning, and do not sleep during the day. I am often up at one o’clock, and when my mind is especially burdened, I rise at twelve o’clock to write out matter that has been urged upon my mind. I praise the Lord with heart and soul and voice for His great mercy toward me.—Letter 73a, 1896
(CD 489.2)
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16. We eat no meat or butter, and use very little milk in cooking. There is no fresh fruit at this season. We have a good yield of tomatoes, but our family think much of the nuts prepared in a variety of ways. We use one fifth as much as the recipe specifies.—Letter 73, 1899
(CD 489.3)
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17. When I was at Cooranbong, many that were great meat eaters came into my family, and when they would sit at my table, where not a particle of meat was served, they would say, “Well, if you have food like this, I could do without meat.” I think that our food satisfies our family. I tell our family, “Whatever you do, do not get a poverty-stricken diet. Place enough on the table to nourish the system. You must do this. You must invent and invent and study all the time, and get up the very best dishes you can, so as not to have a poverty-stricken diet.”—Manuscript 82, 1901
(CD 489.4)
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18. I have not bought a penny’s worth of tea for years. Knowing its influence, I would not dare to use it, except in cases of severe vomiting when I take it as a medicine, but not as a beverage....
(CD 490.1)
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I am not guilty of drinking any tea except red-clover-top tea, and if I liked wine, tea, and coffee, I would not use these health-destroying narcotics, for I prize health and I prize a healthful example in all these things. I want to be a pattern of temperance and of good works to others.—Letter 12, 1888
(CD 490.2)
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[Statement Regarding Diet in 1902-522]
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19. My health is good. My appetite is excellent. I find that the simpler my food, and the fewer varieties I eat, the stronger I am.—Letter 150, 1903
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20. In our family we have breakfast at half past six o’clock, and dinner at half past one. We have no supper. We would change our times of eating a little, were it not for the fact that these are the most convenient hours for some of the members of the family.
(CD 490.4)
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I eat but two meals a day, and still follow the light given me thirty-five years ago. I use no meat. As for myself, I have settled the butter question. I do not use it. This question should easily be settled in every place where the purest article cannot be obtained. We have two good milch cows, a Jersey and a Holstein. We use cream, and all are satisfied with this.—Letter 45, 1903
(CD 490.5)
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21. I am seventy-five years old; but I do as much writing as I ever did. My digestion is good, and my brain is clear.
(CD 490.6)
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Our fare is simple and wholesome. We have on our table no butter, no meat, no cheese, no greasy mixtures of food. For some months a young man who was an unbeliever, and who had eaten meat all his life, boarded with us. We made no change in our diet on his account; and while he stayed with us he gained about twenty pounds. The food which we provided for him was far better for him than that to which he had been accustomed. All who sit at my table express themselves as being well satisfied with the food provided.—Letter 62, 1903
(CD 491.1)
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22. I eat the most simple food, prepared in the most simple way. For months my principal diet has been vermicelli and canned tomatoes, cooked together. This I eat with zwieback. Then I have also stewed fruit of some kind and sometimes lemon pie. Dried corn, cooked with milk or a little cream, is another dish that I sometimes use.
(CD 491.2)
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But the other members of my family do not eat the same things that I do. I do not hold myself up as a criterion for them. I leave each one to follow his own ideas as to what is best for him. I bind no one else’s conscience by my own. One person cannot be a criterion for another in the matter of eating. It is impossible to make one rule for all to follow. There are those in my family who are very fond of beans, while to me beans are poison. Butter is never placed on my table, but if the members of my family choose to use a little butter away from the table, they are at liberty to do so. Our table is set twice a day, but if there are those who desire something to eat in the evening, there is no rule that forbids them from getting it. No one complains or goes from our table dissatisfied. A variety of food that is simple, wholesome, and palatable, is always provided.—Letter 127, 1904
(CD 491.3)
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A Statement for Those Who Question Mrs. White’s Manner of Eating
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23. It is reported by some that I have not lived up to the principles of health reform, as I have advocated them with my pen. But I can say that so far as my knowledge goes, I have not departed from those principles. Those who have eaten at my table know that I have not placed flesh meats before them....
(CD 491.4)
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It is many years since I have had meat on my table at home. We never use tea or coffee. Occasionally I have used red-clover-blossom tea for a warm drink, but few of my family drink any fluid at our meals. The table is provided with cream instead of butter, even though we have company present. I have not used butter for many years.
(CD 492.1)
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Yet we do not have an impoverished diet. We have an abundance of dried and canned fruit. If our own fruit crop is short, we buy some in the market. Sister Gray sends me the seedless grapes, and these stewed make a very appetizing dish. We raise our own loganberries, and use them freely. Strawberries do not grow well in this locality, but from our neighbors we purchase blackberries, raspberries, apples, and pears. We have also an abundance of tomatoes. We also raise a fine variety of sweet corn, and dry a large amount for use during the winter months. Near by us is a food factory, where we can supply ourselves with the grain preparations.
(CD 492.2)
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We endeavor to use good judgment in determining what combinations of food best agree with us. It is our duty to act wisely in regard to our habits of eating, to be temperate, and to learn to reason from cause to effect. If we will do our part, then the Lord will do His part in preserving our brain-nerve power.
(CD 492.3)
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For more than forty years I have eaten but two meals a day. And if I have a specially important work to do, I limit the quantity of food that I take. I regard it as my duty to refuse to place in my stomach any food that I have reason to believe will create disorder. My mind must be sanctified to God, and I must guard carefully against any habit that would tend to lessen my powers of intellect.
(CD 492.4)
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I am now in my eighty-first year, and I can bear testimony that we do not, as a family, hunger for the fleshpots of Egypt. I have known something of the benefits to be received by living up to the principles of health reform. I consider it a privilege as well as a duty to be a health reformer.
(CD 492.5)
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