CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND TEMPERANCE ASSOCIATION.
By J. N. Loughborough
THE annual session of this association for the year 1889 was held upon the Oakland camp-ground. The first meeting convened September 27, at 4:30 P. M. This was a short meeting and was called to order by the president, J. N. Loughborough, after which prayer was offered by Elder N. C. McClure. The secretary being absent, Elder G. K. Owen was appointed secretary pro tem. After the reading of the minutes of the last annual meeting, the chair being thus authorized, appointed the following committees:— On Nominations—N. C. McClure, H. A. St. John, and W. C. White. On Resolutions—C. P. Bollman, M. C. Wilcox, and A. T. Jones. Referring to the minutes of last year, the chairman was asked if anything had been done to carry out the resolutions passed with reference to the Health Retreat. Elder Loughborough said that something had been done. "We have thankfully received some aid in the line of payments of new pledges of stock, and donations to the charity fund of the institution, which has enabled us to bring relief to many." He further said: "For one, I have worked as hard as I could for the success of the institution, and why should I not? The principles of health reform, carried out in my life, have saved me from a consumptive's grave." A second meeting of the association was held October 6, at 9 A. M. At this meeting the Committee on Nominations reported: For President, J. N. Loughborough; for Secretary, G. K. Owen. These were elected to their respective offices by unanimous vote. The Committee on Resolutions then reported as follows:— Resolved, That we again give our assent to the following preambles and resolution passed at our last annual meeting a year ago, relative to the Health Retreat, also to the resolution relating to the Pacific Health Journal and Temperance Advocate:— WHEREAS, God in his providence has permitted the Rural Health Retreat to be established in our midst for the double purpose of relieving the sick and afflicted, and teaching the true principles of Christian temperance and health reform; and, WHEREAS, He has given repeated evidence that it is his will that this institution should live and prosper, and that his blessing has attended the conscientious efforts of the managers, physicians, and helpers, in their efforts to carry out the purposes of the institution; therefore, Resolved, That we pledge ourselves to assist the managers of the Retreat by our influence, and that we recommend the sick and afflicted to patronize the institution. WHEREAS, The Pacific Health Journal and Temperance Advocate has been established for the purpose of educating all who can be reached by it, in the principles of health reform and Christian temperance, and to extend the knowledge of the Health Retreat; therefore, Resolved, That we will use our influence to increase the circulation of the journal. WHEREAS, Seventh-day Adventists are often represented, by those in favor of religious legislation, as being in league with liquor dealers because they cannot unite with the Prohibition party; and, WHEREAS, We believe that there are many in the Prohibition party, and in the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, who love liberty and hate oppression, and who support religious legislation simply because they do not understand it, supposing it to be for the good of the community; therefore, Resolved, That this society adopt the address issued by the New York Health and Temperance Association in 1888, and print a sufficient number to give it a good circulation throughout this State. Resolved, That this address be placed in the hands of a committee to revise and adapt it to this field. Resolved, That the printing of an edition of not less than ten thousand be placed in the hands of a committee composed of the Executive Committee of the State Health and Temperance Association, and the Committee of Revision. Resolved, That we ask our State Tract Society to handle this address for us, and help us to give it a wide circulation. WHEREAS, The proper care of our bodies, and the practice of Christian temperance, are essential to the highest development of Christian character, besides being for the best interest of society; therefore, Resolved, That we will study to faithfully live out the principles of health reform and Christian temperance. Resolved, That we urge all who are in any way connected with this association—even if only in sympathy with its object—to make special efforts to become intelligent on the subject of health reform and Christian temperance, that they may not only practice these things themselves, but that they may be able to teach them to others also. Resolved, That we request the California Conference to employ G. K. Owen to devote his time to the health and temperance work, under the joint direction of the president of this society, and of whomsoever shall have charge of the canvassing work for health and temperance literature in this field. These resolutions were discussed by W. C. White, J. N. Loughborough, M. G. Kellogg, M. D., and W. P. Burke, M. D. W. C. White thought more could be accomplished by the plan of "having special ones assigned to special work than by the plan of having all things common, and the temperance work commonly neglected." Dr. Kellogg spoke of many being led by means of the temperance work to give their hearts to the Lord. Dr. Burke said he was in harmony with all the resolutions that had been introduced in the meeting, and especially was he interested in, and working to promote, the cause of true Christian temperance. This matter of appetite he said was of great moment in connection with the cause of health reform. He spoke of the evil results he had seen from the use of milk and sugar at the same meal, and said he thought such combinations should be carefully avoided by those who would keep the blood pure. He also said that he thought that those who were in the habit of eating three meals in two should leave off one; and that those who are eating two meals in one should leave off one; and that two meals per day at the right time, of the right material, rightly prepared, and eaten in the right manner, were better than any greater number. We should eat to live, and not live simply to eat. He said he tried to learn all that he could concerning these things, and to live it out. Eating and drinking in a wrong manner produce a large share of the ills of life. Much medicine is used by many for the cure of disease, but we use very little. Disease is not cured by medicine. Our efforts should be to properly care for our patients, putting them in proper conditions, and supplying the system with proper substance for building up the body, and the disease will disappear. Mankind have many wrong ways of living. The object of our Health Retreat is to cure these wrong habits, and teach mankind how to live healthfully. People spend much of their means in getting sick, and then spend the rest of it in trying to get rid of those diseases that they have brought on themselves by wrong habits of living. It would pay much better to spend more time and means in learning how to keep well. We do not believe in using anything that will injure the body, for that is a violation of the commandment that says, "Thou shalt not kill." A person cannot worship God as well when he is bowed down by pain as he can when free from pain. Sickness is not always disciplinary. If it were it might be well to say, "Let the sickness come." Some will enjoy your society when you are well who do not enjoy it when you are sick, therefore seek to obtain and preserve health that you may be a blessing to all that are around you. Elder Loughborough followed with remarks on the subject of the improvements in the buildings at the Health Retreat, speaking particularly of the chapel which is now being erected there. He said the building is already erected and ready for plastering, and will cost, when completed, including seating, and the cost of the ninety-foot covered corridor which is to connect it with the main building, less than $4,000. A call was made in connection with this meeting for pledges to aid in the chapel enterprise, and over $900 was obtained in pledges on the camp-ground. At 2:30 P. M. of the same day of the above meeting Mrs. E. G. White gave a stirring health and temperance address, at the close of which pledge papers were circulated, and over one hundred names were obtained, most of them being to abstain from all stimulants and narcotics, including tea and coffee and tobacco. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH, Pres. G. K. OWEN, Sec. pro tem.