Some of our brethren have done a work that
has wrought great injury to the cause. The knowledge of methods
for the manufacture of health foods, which God gave to His people
as a means of helping to sustain His cause, these men have disclosed
to worldly businessmen, who are using it for personal gain. They
have sold the Lord's goods for personal profit. Those who have
thus disclosed the secrets in their possession in regard to the
preparation of health foods have abused a God-given trust. As
they see the result of this betrayal of trust, some will sorely
regret that they did not keep their own counsel and wait for
the Lord to lead His servants and to work out His own plans.
Some who obtain these secrets will scheme to hedge up the way
of our sanitarium food work, and by misrepresentation will delude
to their injury those who patronize them.
The health food business should not be
borrowed or stolen from those who, by its management, are endeavoring
to build up and advance the cause. Dr. Kellogg, with the help
of others, has, at a large outlay of means, studied out the processes
for the preparation of certain special foods, and has provided
expensive facilities for their manufacture. This work has taken
a great deal of precious time, for many experiments have had
to be made. And it is right that those who have thus labored
and invested their means should be allowed to reap the fruit
of their labor. As the Lord's steward, Dr. Kellogg should be
allowed to control a reasonable income from the special products
that he, by the blessing of God, has been enabled to produce,
that he may have means wherewith to make appropriations for the
advancement of the work of God
as occasion may demand. Let no one having learned the secrets
of their composition take up the preparation of these special
foods and sell them for personal profit. Let no one give the
impression that they are working in harmony with those who in
the first place prepared these foods for sale, when they are
not. No one has a right to engage in the manufacture of these
foods in any selfish way. Let us all come near the Lord and with
humble hearts seek to glorify Him in every act.
I have a warning for those who have a knowledge
of the methods of manufacturing the special health foods produced
in our factories. They are not to use their knowledge for selfish
purposes or in a way that will misrepresent the cause. Neither
are they to make this knowledge public. Let the churches take
hold of this and show these brethren that such a course is a
betrayal of trust and that it will bring reproach on the cause.
Let not those who have been and are employed
in the work of making the health foods first prepared by Dr.
Kellogg, or by any other pioneer in this work, disclose to others
the secrets of the manufacture of the special foods; for thus
they defraud the cause of that which should be used for its advancement.
I beseech you, my brethren, to make straight paths for your feet,
lest the lame be turned out of the way. Do not place information
in the hands of those who, from lack of conscientious regard
for health reform, may place impure articles on the market as
health foods.
Stand on the side of righteousness in all
your transactions; then you will not appear to disadvantage before
God or man. Do not enter into any dishonest practices. Those
who take up the manufacture of sanitarium health foods for personal
profit are taking a liberty to which they have no right. Thus
great confusion is caused. Some are now manufacturing and selling
goods that profess to be health
foods, but that contain unwholesome ingredients. Again, the foods
are often of so inferior a quality that much harm is done to
the cause by their sale, those who buy them supposing that all
health foods are similar.
No one has any right to take advantage
of the business arrangements that have been made in regard to
sanitarium health foods. Those who handle the foods devised by
Dr. Kellogg at large expense should first come to an understanding
with him, or others who are working in harmony with him, and
learn the best methods of handling these foods. He who enters
selfishly into this work, at the same time giving his customers
the impression that the profits on the goods he sells are used
to aid benevolent enterprises, while in reality they are used
for personal interests, is under the displeasure of God. By and
by his business will fail, and he will get things into such a
tangle that his brethren will have to buy him out to save the
cause from disgrace.
The Lord is greatly displeased when His
service is dishonored by the selfishness of those engaged in
it. He wills that every part of His work shall be in harmony
with every other part, joint connecting with joint.
The Lord wants His people to stand far
above selfish interests. He wants them to conquer the temptations
they meet. He calls for the communion of saints. He desires His
workers to stand under His supervision. He will plane and polish
the material for His temple, preparing each piece to fit closely
to the other, that the building may be perfect and entire, wanting
nothing.
Heaven is to begin on this earth. When
the Lord's people are filled with meekness and tenderness, they
will realize that His banner over them is love, and His fruit
will be sweet to their taste. They will make a heaven below in
which to prepare for heaven above.