DOORYARD SANITATION

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 1, 1900

DOORYARD SANITATION.

As I sit by my window this afternoon and look out, everything is dazzling white. Not a speck of dirt is to be seen. A mantle of pure snow covers all unsightly objects. But how the scene will change in a few weeks when the spring sun melts the snow, and reveals the accumulated filth in the back yards of many farmhouses.

Many call themselves hygienic. They are careful what they eat, and when they eat. They pay attention to food combinations. This of course is right; but what about that awful back yard? All winter the wash water, mop water, and slops of every description have been thrown from the back door. Potato parings, apple cores, and cabbage stumps have been tossed out. Bark and chips have accumulated. The fowls have had full range to scratch and scatter. This is not a picture of imagination; would it were, but alas, it is a sad reality, and can be seen in the dooryards of some who are talking of and expecting translation into God's pure realm above. Brother, sister, be careful of the hygiene of your back door.

God was particular with his ancient people. Their camp was kept clean. Nothing impure was allowed to be tossed from the back tent doors. No filth was permitted to gather within their camps. Study the law of hygiene from the camp of ancient Israel, and in this age of advanced hygienic light, do not be outdone by those ancients. Go to work and clean up. Make one grand bonfire and burn up the rubbish, if nothing else can be done with it; get it out of the way as quickly as possible.

The dooryard is a good index to the heart, though of course there are exceptions to be made in case of ill health, or something of the kind. Some who are very zealous to work in the “cause” and to get the “truth” before the people, are bringing a reproach upon the cause they love by this slackness within doors and out of doors. The maxim, “Cleanliness is next to godliness,” if not in the Bible, is Bible truth, and a truth to be placed before the people by example.