1910 



(;LI-:ANIN(iS IX liKK CULTLKK 



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Our Homes 



Bv A. I. Root 



He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a 

 city that is broken down, and without walls.— 

 Prov. 26 : 28. 



Two weeks have passed since I told you 

 ^[rs. Root and I were dispensing with sup- 

 pers; and, may the Lord be jiraised, we shall 

 l)robably go without suppers the rest of our 

 lives. Our lives will probably be not only 

 longer, but of more value to ourselves and 

 all around us. The idea is hurailating, I 

 confess, but I am now forced to conclude 

 that I have for about 50 years been to an 

 infinite amount of trouble to take more 

 nourishing (and expensive) food into my 

 system than was needed or good for me. 

 For a time I felt hungry about my usual 

 meal time, and occasionally about bedtime 

 I say to Mrs. Root, " 8ue, I woidd willingly 

 give half a dollar for a supper of beefsteak 

 and baked potatoes if I were sure it would 

 be good for me:" but instead of the supper 

 I just went to bed, and when I awoke at 

 just about daylight I didn't feel any hunger 

 at all, and tliere was no bad taste in my 

 mouth as there has been for so many years 

 on first arising. Now jjardon me if I speak 

 l)lainly in regard to a matter that is likely 

 to trouble elderly people more or less. P^or 

 years past I ha\'e had troubled dreams, and 

 distress more or less, unless I went one or 

 more times to the water-closet. Terry has 

 many times s})oken of this, and suggested a 

 remedy. Well, almost as soon as I gave up 

 eating any thing after the noonday meal I 

 began to sleej) cpiietly and peacefully until 

 morning. I now eat almost what I please 

 at dinner time, and as much as I please, 

 and a great lot of fruit (mulberries just now) 

 after dinner. But even if I should occa- 

 sionally feel a little unpleasantly full for an 

 iiour or two. before bed time every thing in 

 the region of digestion is quiet and tranquil. 

 Let me say ((gain, that I feel ashamed to 

 atlmit that I. through stupidity, have been 

 all these years eating suppers I did not need, 

 and would ha\e been better off — yes, far 

 better q^" without. My dear brother and 

 sister, just think of the time you might 

 liave for jjleasant and profitable visiting if 

 there were no ( r( rUisting supper in the way. 

 "Hail to the brightness of Zion's glad 

 morning" when all men and women (who 

 love the Lord .fesus Christ) shall consent 

 to use the time heretofore si)ent in getting 

 supper (and washing the dishes) , for si)rea(l- 

 ing the gospel or engaging in any thing that 

 will benefit themselves and their fellow- 

 men. 



I am going to close this Home paper 

 (penned hastily just before starting to my 

 northern home), with a letter from a bright 

 young friend who is just beginning to hear 

 the "emancipation (from three meals a 

 day) i)roclamation." 



Mr. A. I. Boot:— Yes. 1 was "listening" in the 

 March 15th number of Gleanings when you were 

 talking of Mr. Terry and his work for better and 

 more sensible living. And I am one of the younger 

 ones too — just passed my first ciuarter-century. 



For several years I have been interested in hy- 

 gienic living, especially in eating, but never put 

 very much of it into practice, partly because I did 

 not feel the necessity, and partly because no one 

 around nie made a systematic study of nutrition. 

 I was always troubled more or less with a bad taiste 

 in the mouth on getting up in the morning. The 

 thought came to me finally that it was moi'e im- 

 portant to keep the interior of the body clean and 

 healthy than the outside, for the niembranes are 

 much more sensitive: and when any thing gets 

 wrong Inside it is much harder to fix than a bruise 

 on the arm or a corn on one's toe. Is it not true 

 that, if we kept the exterior of our bodies as care- 

 lessly as many do their digestive tracts, we should 

 be very offensive creatures indeed ? 



Fletcher's method of eating and living appealed 

 to me in several ways. First, I wanted more time 

 for reading and studying evenings, so I began eat- 

 ing two meals a day and " Fletcherizing " more or 

 less. 



It is surprising how few of one's good ideas are 

 carried out. I have put enough of them into oper- 

 ation, however, to be benefited very materially. 

 1 found that, by eating foods that combine well, and 

 " chewing the stuffing " out of everything that goes 

 into the mouth, six or seven hours' sleep now does 

 where 1 used to reciuire eight or nine. 



Then there is a substantial saving too. I am liv- 

 ing on from two and a half to three dollars a week, 

 and get my meals at restaurants mostly. My 

 friends here pay from five to six dollars a week, and 

 have to sleep two hours a day more than I do. It 

 was not so very long ago that I required more my- 

 self. 



But I have a very hard time getting just what I 

 should have in a restaurant. The idea came that 

 one could buy food such as the Battle Creek Sani- 

 tarium people put out, and, with fruits and nuts, 

 have a diet that would supply all the elements 

 needed to nourish the body, and the space needed 

 to keep this food need not be large. So I tried it 

 after getting some advice from the manager of the 

 Sanitarium Food Stoi-e here in Denver. My food 

 occupies no more space than nay collars and ties, 

 and my supper or lunch to-night consisted of sev- 

 eral wheat and graham ci-ackers. a few of Chris- 

 tian's honey wafers, a handful of shelled peanuts 

 (raw), some honey, and then two good-sized apples. 

 I did not make as much litter as a man does in 

 smoking a cigar: had not a single dish to wash, no 

 table-cloth to brush off or clear of dishes, and I do 

 have a very pronounced feeling that it is sensible. 

 One can not help becoming enthusiastic when he 

 realizes what a small amount of energy is needed 

 to supply the physical needs of the body, and how 

 much more he has for work. 



The Colorado Sanitarium, a branch of the Battle 

 Creek institution, manufacture the same line of 

 goods as are made in the Fast, and I get the goods 

 at their store here in Denver.* I enclose a little 

 pamphlet on foods that tells some of the reasons for 

 adopting this diet. No (jne teaching in regard to 

 diet will abisolutely suit every case: but the main 

 thing is to study and experiment till the best sys- 

 tem of nutrition is found. I consider my body a 

 sort of garden that it is my privilege to cultivate to 

 the utmost and bring forth to maturity the choic- 

 est of fruits, mental and physical. 



You may rest assured that a goodly number of 

 C4I.EANINGS readers digest your Home talks, for 1 

 have a chance to visit with a good many over this 

 State, and they nearly all mention your depart- 

 ment when bee-papers are spoken of. 



Hoping to see many more of your Home papers I 

 am with you for a century run. 



Denver, Col., April 4. Wesley Fo.ster. 



■ There are three very bright suggestions 

 in the abo^■e. First, "it is even mo7'e im- 

 portant that we keep the interior of the 

 body clean than the outside;" second, "My 

 food occtii)ies no more space than my col- 

 lars and ties;" no table-cloth or dishes. 



*Address for valuable pamphlet and price list. 

 Colorado Sanitarium Food Co.. Boulder. Colorado. 

 Denver Branch, lol") Stotit St., Denver. Col.— A. I. R. 



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