STRENGTH by John Harvey Kellogg

Pacific Press Publishing Company · MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA · Feb 14, 1906

STRENGTH

By John Harvey Kellogg

TALKS TO YOUNG MEN. No. 1.

STRENGTH.

Physical Strength.

SAYS the Sacred Word. "The glory of young men is their strength." How true this is! Where is there to be found a live, well young man who does not rejoice in his strength; he likes to be called strong. He swings his dumb-bells or Indian clubs, practises on the horizontal bar, and delights in games which try the physical man. The Lord likes strong men or He would never have left on record the interesting ones of His Word, such as Samson, Asahel, Jashobeam, and all the mighty men of David. As a growing youth no part of scripture delights a young boy more than the story of Samson. William Wallace, the "hero king of Scotland," who was twice as strong as Bruce, Bruce as strong as any other two Scots, draws his unbounded admiration.

He admires the great warriors and fighters, who against great odds have won decisive victories by their own strength. The story of Washington's strength holds him; and he cares more to hear about tales of Lincoln's mighty thews than he does of the Emancipation Proclamation.

All this as to physical strength. It is good to be well, and symmetrical, and strong. Therefore rejoice, O young man, in thy strength. It is a splendid possession if rightly used.

Then work for it. Six things are necessary: Good food, fresh, sweet air, sufficient exercise, plenty of sunshine, a clear conscience, and a sunny disposition. Perhaps there is another lurking somewhere which will round out the perfect seven, but it does not come to mind at this writing. Perhaps some of our young men can suggest another.

Good Food.

By food is meant that which goes into the mouth to nourish the body. Air is food and sunshine is food, but by food here is meant what we eat and drink. And the best food is not the specially-prepared, patent affairs on the market, nor the highly-seasoned dishes, which taste so good to a perverted appetite, and are borne so ill by a perverted stomach. Good, nourishing, old-fashioned food, potatoes and gravy, the legumes, good graham or whole-wheat bread and butter, fruits and nuts, as God gives them, thoroughly masticated. Keep the teeth strong and elastic by good food and exercise. Eat zwieback, crusty bread, and masticate, masticate. Abjure hot yeast bread; it may taste good; but it is an enemy. Don't mix foods in your stomach too much, nor eat too great a variety at a meal. Keep to the simple diet; if you do not, you will live to wish you had when you are old. Thus one high-liver soliloquizes (I quote from memory):

"The stomach crammed from every dish, Of roast and stew, of flesh and fish, Where wind and phlegm and acid jar And the whole man is one intestine war, Longs oft the schoolboy's simple fare, The temperate sleep and spirits light as air."

Keep to the schoolboy's simple fare. Eat sparingly, if at all, of rich pies, pastry, or cakes. Stop eating when you are through. Be pleasant.

Drink; man must drink. The greater part of his body is made up of water. He should supply its need. Drink is needed for food; it is needed to wash out the system.

What shall it be? Coffee? Whisky? Beer? Wine? Substitutes for any or all of these? Nay, verily; for all these clog and stupefy and paralyze the life-channels and life-organs. They irritate and narcotize the nerves. They are only poisoned water, dressed up to suit perverted tastes. O, no, lads, drink water, pure, sweet, life-giving water; water which never brought the blush of shame to the cheek of man; which never bleared an eye, or reddened a nose, nor bloated a face, nor caused the feet to stumble and stagger and fall; which never muddled a brain nor turned a man to a demon; which never blasted hopes nor blighted brightest prospects; which never made millions lazar-houses of diseases; which never cursed the world with crime and madness and widows', and worse than widows', moans, and worse than orphans' cries. Drink, drink a goodly quantity, but drink clear, pure, sweet, life-giving, sparkling water.

But I have talked long enough, boys, for this time. I wanted to talk about fresh air and exercise, and the other things, but I will leave those till next time. I would like to hear from the young men who read this. ABDIEL.