Greetings! In today’s class, we shall finish our segment on Health and Alcohol. Furthermore, we should learn about personal liberty and our supreme duty to God.

The Last Stand – “Personal Liberty”

The last plea we hear, made in defense of beverage alcohol, is that of personal liberty – that we have a right to eat and drink what we please. People prate about living in a land where freedom is vouchsafed to all by the Constitution. They do not seem to understand that freedom does not impart the right to debauch one’s self when it endangers the lives and property of others and the well being of generations yet unborn. The drinker is a menace with his gun, fist, and matches, to his wife, his child, and the public. He robs his family of support and their rightful heritage, and casts them and himself as charges upon the public, and claims it as his sacred right – his “personal liberty.”

That is not the kind of liberty our forefathers bought with their blood and wrote into the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution. That is not the sort of liberty for which the American flag claims to stand – to debauch one’s self, shoot his fellow men, abuse his wife and make paupers of his children. These are not the principles “so-called” symbolized by the world-famed Statue of Liberty in the New York harbor. But rather our progenitors bequeathed to us the right to worship God as each individual may desire, and to live in a land where all men are equal; civil and religious freedom are our heritage, not license to destroy the race.

The Law of the Land

This “personal liberty” plea became so popular that it swept away all law-restraining barriers. But should the law of the land make room for wrong because wrong is strong? Heaven has answered that question not only for America, but for the whole world. Nearly six thousand years ago, God gave His law of Ten Commandments for the guidance of the people of all nations, as long as time shall last. Not once has He asked whether they are popular or not. Men may scorn them and treat them as if they are not there. Men may even say they have been repealed; but He does not repeal them, be they broken ever so often. If the last man on earth should say, “I will not keep them,” they will still hang in the sky and will judge all mankind in the last great day. Right cannot change.

Likewise, the laws of physiology have not changed in the last six thousand years; they are the laws of life -the laws of God- and they cannot change. Should the American Constitution be repudiated, abandoned, and crumbled into dust, the human constitution will stand, because it is the handiwork of God. Should civilized nations forsake their lofty ideals and the principles which have made them great, the laws of physiology discussed in this class will stand; for they are eternal, they are the laws of the Creator, and we shall meet them at His bar of justice some day.

The Youth

We appeal to the youth to know physiology, which is yourself – and the laws of life upon which health of mind and body, usefulness and happiness depend. Guard and preserve your personal liberty. Alcohol makes slaves of its users. Abstinence preserves the highest form of personal liberty, both for ourselves and our fellows.

The Parents

We appeal to parents to become informed concerning these principles of life and liberty. Make sure that your example is right. Throw a positive saving influence around your children. It has been said that “the restoration and uplifting of humanity begins in the home. The work of parents underlies every other. Society is composed of families, and is what the heads of families make it. Out of the heart are “the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23); and the heart of the community, of the church, and of the nation is the household. The well-being of society, the success of the church, the prosperity of the nation, depend upon home influences.” {MH 349}

The Educators

We appeal to the educators to teach these principles of physiology to all the students coming within the sphere of your influence, that they may be protected by knowledge within.

The Protectors of Health

We appeal to those who are set to guard the health of the community; that this matter, which is fundamental to our individual and national welfare, be not neglected.

The Church

But most of all do we appeal to the church of the living God. The believers in the church must take up this work and be crusaders. Do you say, “We will leave this specific work for the scientist – the educators and the health workers-to do?”

You cannot say thus. These laws of life are divine; they are the handiwork of the Creator; they are popularly violated. The church is Heaven’s fortress in the world. The church is God’s ambassador among men. She must teach His laws! There are still other reasons why the church must take on the responsibility of this task. Listen a moment while we tell you:

The scientist may know all we have discussed, and more, but he may wish to indulge. If so, there is no power on earth or in Heaven to stop him. The educator may know, but he may lack courage to take up the task of alcohol education. The physician, with all of his knowledge of medicine and physiology, may yield to his own appetite or may even prescribe alcohol to his patients. The lawyer and legislator may be too deep in politics to take a straight, honest stand in this matter. The highest rulers may take their wine and the lowest peasants their beer, and the citizen may say, “It does not matter”.

But the Christian, who knows that he is made in the image of God, and that his body is intended to be the temple of the Holy Ghost – he cannot indulge, because he knows it is violating his Maker’s will, and destroys the image of the Divine within him. There is a moral and spiritual force within him which says, “Nay!”

The work which we therefore call you, as citizens of a Christian land -to rise and do- will not be done from conditions born of mere science or the knowledge of physiology (though we must have those); but rather, by seeing back of science, back of physiology – God; and recognizing that our supreme duty in this, as in all other matters, is unto Him!

A Quote to Note: “Our duty to God should be performed before any other. The strict observance of God‘s law, from principle, should be taught and enforced. ‘For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children. That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children. That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.'” {Testimonies for the Church No. 31, pg. 34}

Grab a friend and share the wealth, from what you’ve learned in the School of Health! In our next class, we shall have a quiz on Health & Alcohol.  Until then, God bless!

Tell us what you learned from today’s class, in the comment section, below!

                                                           Previous Classes: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3