From Books in Word of Wisdom Literature by Jane Birch
Hidden Treasures of the Word of Wisdom
by Doris T. Charriere
Copyright® 1978
Doris T. Charriere
ISBN 0-89036-106-1
First Printing, 1978
Typesetting by HAWKES PUBLISHING, INC
“It is true, probably, that there are many points concerning our welfare that may not have been touched upon by our Heavenly Father in the Word of Wisdom, but in my experience I have noticed that they who practice what the Lord has already given us are keenly alive to other words of wisdom and counsel that may be given…. There are a thousand ways in which we can act unwisely; our attention has been directed to some few points, and if we observe them the Lord has promised us great treasures of wisdom which will enable us to see a thousand points where we can take better care of our bodies, preserve our health, and which will enable us to train our children in the way of the Lord. The results will be that our children will be healthy and strong, and we will raise up a generation that will be a blessing to us, and through whom the Lord can accomplish His great and mighty works in the earth.”
—George Q. Cannon
Journal of Discourses Volume XII, pages 44-45
Publisher’s Note: As J. Reuben Clark, Jr. would often write in the preface of his books: “For this book, I alone am responsible. It is not a church publication.” The ideas of the author of Hidden Treasures of the Word of Wisdom are also her own, and she does not wish to imply that others must accept any of her ideas as doctrine. She only offers them for the benefit of those who are seeking further information in areas of nutrition, from one who “treasures the Word of Wisdom.”
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Frontispiece……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6
Ch. 1. Quest for Health………………………………………………………………………………. 9
Chart: The Word of Wisdom—with marginal notations………………………………… 11
Ch. 2. How Do We Practice the Principle……………………………………………………. 13
Chart: Six More Days to the Word of Wisdom…………………………………………….. 15
Ch. 3 Awakening to Day Six……………………………………………………………………… 19
Ch. 4 How Far to Eden?……………………………………………………………………………. 22
Illustration: Barriers to Good Health…………………………………………………………… 24
Ch. 5 Evils of Conspiring Men…………………………………………………………………… 25
Ch. 6 All Wholesome Herbs………………………………………………………………………. 33
Ch. 7 In the Season Thereof………………………………………………………………………. 39
Ch. 8 With Prudence and Thanksgiving ……………………………………………………… 43
Ch. 9 And It Is Pleasing to Me…………………………………………………………………… 47
Ch. 10 The Staff of Life……………………………………………………………………………. 55
Ch. 11 Remember—Walking in Obedience…………………………………………………. 59
Ch. 12 Health to the Navel, Marrow to the Bone…………………………………………. 63
Ch. 13 Treasures of Knowledge…………………………………………………………………. 67
Ch. 14 Run and Not Be Weary………………………………………………………………….. 69
Ch. 15 The Destroying Angel…………………………………………………………………….. 71
Ch. 16 Is the Destroying Angel Iatrogenic Disease?……………………………………… 75
Ch. 17 Could the Destroying Angel Be Environmental Disease? …………………… 79
Ch. 18 The Key to Health and Longevity……………………………………………………. 83
Ch. 19 Repentance and the Word of Wisdom……………………………………………… 91
PART II
Ch. 1 Sprouts and Indoor Gardening………………………………………………………….. 97
Ch. 2 Salad Herbs…………………………………………………………………………………… 101
Ch. 3 There Are Also Unwholesome Herbs……………………………………………….. 103
Ch. 4 Herb Medicine ……………………………………………………………………………… 109
Ch. 5 The Blessings of a Famine………………………………………………………………. 119
Ch. 6 What About Food Supplements? …………………………………………………….. 125
Ch. 7 What About Special Occasions? ……………………………………………………… 129
Ch. 8 Favorite Menus and Recipes …………………………………………………………… 137
Ch. 9 Fun Things to Do for Health……………………………………………………………. 147
Ch. 10 How to Have a Happy, Healthy Day………………………………………………. 149
Ch. 11 Food from the Table of the Lord……………………………………………………. 151
Ch. 12 Recommended Reading………………………………………………………………… 153
Footnotes to Part I………………………………………………………………………………….. 157
Footnotes to Part II………………………………………………………………………………… 162
Appendix ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 163
In 1833 the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith a law of health. It was neither lengthy nor detailed like the food laws of the Jews. There were no whys and wherefores as found in the teachings of the Essenes. In fact, it was very brief and lacking in detail.
This Word of Wisdom has become one of the most widely discussed doctrines of the church. Nearly everyone who knows a Mormon knows about the restrictions in the use of tea, coffee, tobacco and alcohol; in fact, to most Mormons these restrictions are the Word of Wisdom. But when one prayerfully studies the Word of Wisdom, desiring to know how to apply it in his daily life, a much fuller, more beautiful concept is revealed.
At a general conference in April, 1855, Elder Ezra T. Benson (1811-1869) grandfather of present apostle, said that if a request were made for all those in the congregation to come forth who had kept the Word of Wisdom, few would come forth. But if the request were for all those who were trying to keep the Word of Wisdom, many would come forth, himself included.
He then said: “When we first heard the revelation upon the Word of Wisdom many of us thought it consisted merely in our drinking tea and coffee, but it is not only using tea and coffee and our tobacco and whiskey, but it is every other evil which is calculated to contaminate this people. The Word of Wisdom implies to cease from adultery, to cease from all manner of excesses, and from all kinds of wickedness and abominations that are common amongst this generation—it is, strictly speaking, keeping the commandments of God, and living by every word that proceedeth from His mouth.” (J.D. 2: 357-358)
A few years later, on April 6, 1868, Brigham Young gave these thoughts concerning the Latter-day Saints:
“I am ready to acknowledge that the Latter-day Saints are the best people, and the most willing people to do right that I know anything about. But when we take into particular and close consideration their acts, and compare them with the teachings they are constantly receiving, we think and say they are very far from taking all the counsel given them of the Lord through His servants…. When we are counseled to do that which pleases us then we are willing to obey counsel…. Again, when we consider the immensity of knowledge and wisdom and understanding pertaining to the things of this life, pertaining to the learning of this world, pertaining to that which is within our reach, and ready for the use and profit of the people, and particularly with regard to taking care of ourselves, and then consider our shortcomings, and slothfulness, we may look upon ourselves with shame-facedness because of the smallness of our attainments in the midst of so many great advantages.
“A thorough reformation is needed in regard to our eating and drinking, and on this point I will freely express myself, and shall be glad if the people will hear, believe and obey.” (J.D. 12: 192)
Brigham Young and Elder Benson were addressing the saints in general conference of the church. It was their duty to admonish the people to obey the commandments. Although most of their emphasis was on encouraging members to cease using coffee, tea, tobacco and alcohol, nevertheless they also stressed the necessity of altering the diet to meet the standards proposed by the Lord.
This author is not in such a position. The purpose of this book is not to call people to repentance concerning the Word of Wisdom. Nor is it meant to condemn anyone, but rather to try to help those who are earnestly seeking to live the Word of Wisdom in a more positive way. It is hoped that in the relating of some personal experiences, a practical application of the counsel given in the Word of Wisdom can be demonstrated—one which is both nutritionally superior, and, in these days of spiraling food prices, more economical.
As each part of the Word of Wisdom is discussed, statements from both nutritionists and church leaders will be used to give further explanation as to how to apply these teachings. Brief mention will be given of scientific evidences which confirm these teachings. For details on these points, further study of the sources listed is suggested in the bibliography.
Since many people do not have convenient access to the complete set of the Journal of Discourses, references concerning the Word of Wisdom or related topics have been extracted and are included as an appendix.
It is the sincere desire of the author to avoid anything which is contradictory to church doctrine. At the same time, however, there is a desire to explore the less talked about, and more positive aspects of the Word of Wisdom. There are many points concerning health and the Lord’s laws of health which are alluded to in the scriptures but are seldom referred to or discussed. These will be brought forward for your attention and consideration. Remember that the Lord does not command in all things. (D&C 58: 26-29)
It is hoped that you will enjoy exploring the many facets of the Word of Wisdom as you read this book and that you will be further inspired to study and live these teachings in a more positive way.
Quest for Health
My search for an understanding of the Word of Wisdom has been long but it has been interesting and very fruitful. It started when I had been married only a few years and had three small children. When I say small I mean both young and small in stature. It was mainly because they were such small children that two women in Relief Society kept after me with advice such as “feed your children better” —” give them more protein”—and so on and on, till I would run from Relief Society in tears and go crying to my mother. She, of course, would comfort me and tell me to ignore them. But inside I was uneasy and dissatisfied. I could explain why my children were small because neither my husband nor I are large people. He’s five feet eleven inches and of medium build and if I stretch I can almost claim to be five feet three inches. So all of our children (there are now ten!) are rather small
Even explaining that didn’t relieve the feeling inside that I was not feeding my children adequately. The problem was compounded because cooking had never been numbered among my favorite hobbies. I would much rather sit at the piano and plunk out a melody for a song I was writing or get out a stack of reference books to prepare a lesson than play happy homemaker, and plan a meal. I did try to prepare good meals. To me a good meal was meat, potatoes and gravy, a cooked vegetable, and sometimes a salad if I had fresh greens. Grocery shopping was even more drudgery to me than cooking. Consequently, I seldom had on hand everything called for in a recipe. And even when by diligent effort I would plan a menu, have the necessary items on hand, and try to please my family with dessert (a rare item at our meals) something would flop. My husband would tease me by saying that I couldn’t even boil water without burning it. I laugh when I think back on it now; I cried at the time.
In fact, I cried a lot then. With three pre-schoolers at home I could never seem to keep up with things. But possibly one of the most frustrating things was a condition I had which was similar to epilepsy, but wasn’t epilepsy. I first became aware of it before my first child was born. I would have spells of faintness and loss of balance and at times my arms or legs would jerk convulsively. My trips to doctors began at that time and continued off and on for the next 18 years. The “spells” took on all kinds of variations which challenged my ability to describe them to the doctors. But always there was a diagnosis such as, “Your symptoms aren’t typical.” It turned out my symptoms weren’t typical of anything. But they were very frustrating.
At that time my sister was becoming a “food fanatic” and she tried to tell me my problem was nutritional. She also thought my children needed better nutrition. I balked for a while, but she finally got me to read a couple of good books on nutrition and good nutrition finally started making sense to me. My fourth child was my “brewer’s yeast” baby, and what a beautiful, healthy baby. And I was actually able to nurse him. What a joy!
So I learned a little about how to be healthier and to have healthier children. But I still blacked out and I kept adding new symptoms to my “spells,” and my purpose in studying nutrition has been to help me get over these “spells.” I have kept trying and I have kept studying, and I think this is what the Lord intended.
“And It Is Pleasing Unto Me…”
“Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving: nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;
“And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.” (D&C 89:12- 13)
I’ve pondered much on the words of Elder George A. Smith, delivered in the tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, March 18, 1855. (J.D. 2:211-220) The sermon was on the gathering and sanctification of the people of God, but I think it reveals much about the nature of man and his reluctance to obey.
Brother Smith said that from the fall of Adam until the time of Christ, the Lord “could never find a people, could never communicate with a generation or a very numerous body of men that would obey His commandments, listen to His counsel, and observe His wisdom, or be led by His revelations.” He said the Lord came close at the time of Enoch, but it was such a small group and the wickedness around was so great that He had to remove Enoch and his city. We know He tried to give the higher law to the people of Moses, but they were unable to receive it so He had to give them a much lesser law. (Inspired Version, Exod. 34:1-2) In speaking of the wonderful manifestations and things revealed at the Kirtland temple, Brother Smith said:
“If the Lord had on that occasion revealed one single sentiment more, or went one step further to reveal more fully the law of redemption, I believe He would have upset the whole of us. The fact was, He dare not, on that very account, reveal to us a single principle further than He had done, for He had tried, over and over again, to do it. He tried at Jerusalem; He tried back before the flood; He tried in the days of Moses, and He had tried, from time to time, to find a people to whom He could reveal the law of salvation, and He never could fully accomplish it; and He was determined this time to be so careful, and advance the idea so slowly, to communicate them to the children of men with such great caution that, at all hazards, a few of them might be able to understand and obey. For, says the Lord, my ways are not as your ways, nor my thoughts as your thoughts; for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Brother Smith then tells of the persecution the saints passed through and the sifting and straining from 1837 until 1843—-“when the Lord concluded that the people who had been gathered, since the scattering from Missouri, had been made acquainted with the principles of His kingdom so long, that they must have become strong enough for Him to reveal one sentiment more.
“Wherepon, the Prophet goes up on the stand, and, after preaching about everything else he could think of in the world, at last hints at the idea of the law of redemption, makes a bare hint at the law of sealing, and it produced such a tremendous excitement that, as soon as he had got his dinner half eaten, he had to go back to the stand, and unpreach all that he had preached, and left the people to guess at the matter.”
Has the Lord had to “unpreach” his law of health as it concerned the eating of meat? If a supposed translation of an ancient manuscript is true, it would appear He did. There is a small publication entitled “The Essene Gospel of Peace” which the translator, Dr. Edmond Bordeaux Szekely, claims to be translated from a Third-Century Aramaic manuscript found in the Vatican, which relates the teachings of Jesus to the Essenes as recorded by John the
Beloved. In this teaching Jesus tells them to eat only live food—foods which best sustain life because they have the germ of life still in them, such as raw fruits and vegetables and grains.
He then tells them that dead food such as meat causes disease and death. This caused quite a stir among these Essene people and they challenged Him with why He was teaching them to abstain from meat and yet Moses taught that only the flesh of unclean animals was forbidden, and they quoted to Him the parts of the Mosaic law referring to eating meat.
Jesus then tells them that when God gave Moses the first tablets of stone containing the laws for His people that He commanded them “Thou shalt not kill” meaning to kill neither man nor beast. But when Moses saw the corruption and weakness of the people he begged the Lord to give them a more lenient law or else surely He would lose all of them for they would never be able to live this higher law. So the Lord watered down the law and said “Thou shalt not kill” would refer to killing man.
Jesus calls to their remembrance what the result of this turned out to be. Not only did they kill the beasts but they continued to kill man also. (The impression I received as I read this was of the Lord throwing up His hands and saying, “What’s the use?”)
So Jesus seemed to be telling the Essenes, “You asked what you could do to gain health and overcome disease. I’ve told you plainly. It’s up to you now.” (Essene Gospel of Peace pg. 45-49)
Many times people will point to section 49 of the Doctrine and Covenants, verse 18, to prove that the Lord intends for us to eat meat. Read carefully verses 18 through 21.
“And whoso forbiddeth to abstain from meats, that man should not eat the same, is not ordained of God;
“For, behold, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is ordained for the use of man for food and for raiment, and that he might have in abundance.
“But it is not given that one man should possess that which is above another, wherefore the world lieth in sin.
“And wo be unto man that sheddeth blood or that wasteth flesh and hath no need.”
It says you should not be forbidden to eat meat. Verse 19 says God has ordained the beasts and fowls and things of the earth for the use of man for both food and for raiment, and that in abundance BUT in verse 21 we are cautioned that if we shed their blood and waste the flesh when we have no need it’s to our condemnation.
If you’ll remember, in 1831 when this revelation was given it was not forbidden to use tobacco, alcohol, tea and coffee. Many of the saints were using these things. The revelation of section 49 was received in 1831 to counsel a brother, Leman Copley, who had been a Shaker or Shaking Quaker, that he was to preach the doctrines of the true gospel and to be careful to not preach teachings he had carried over from his previous religion. The Word of Wisdom had not yet been given. It was not given for two more years. (Feb. 1833)
Aren’t we perhaps like rebellious teenagers who have to be handled with kid gloves? Don’t we as parents sometimes allow our teenagers to do things which really aren’t for their best good but we allow it rather than have them rebel to the point we would lose them completely?
So as to the eating of meat, the Lord does not require His people to completely abstain from meat at this time. He would be pleased if we ate it sparingly and then only when we really need it such as in the cold or winter or when there is nothing else to eat. And woe to us if we waste it or kill animals for their flesh when we don’t really need it.
Obviously if there is nothing else to eat, you would surely eat meat if it were available, Hyrum Smith’s
explanation of this was that in a famine the animals would die anyway so they shouldn’t be left to be wasted but should be eaten. (D&C Commentary, pg. 574) Another point is that the animals eat the grain and grass which could provide food for people so you should eat the animal so it won’t eat all the food! I say that with tongue in cheek just to bring out another point. The book, “Diet for a Small Planet” explains that we could get twenty times the protein from the grass and grain the animal eats as we do from eating the animal itself.
As to winter and cold, meat builds heat, so if you are out in the cold a lot and need the extra heat for your body you can get it by eating meat. Even then it should be used sparingly. We know that in the beginning—in Eden—both man and beast ate herbs or fruit. (P. of G.P., Moses 2: 29-30, 3:9, 4: 8) In the millennium it will be the same. But it is up to you. Meat is not forbidden. If you choose to eat it then eat it sparingly and then only in time of cold or famine.
If we were to look at meat eating in the light of the “Day- One, Day-Two’ ‘ system of progress it might go something on this order:
Day One—You eat large quantities of meat with heavy marbled steaks, lots of pork, ham, and bacon.
Day Two—You cut down on the quantity of meat you eat.
Day Three—Give up eating pork (or swine as Brigham Young always called it),
Day Four—You eat meat sparingly, mainly beef and fish.
Day Five—You eat fish and dairy products.
Day Six—You don’t even kill fish for food.
Day Seven—Fruits and herbs.
See if there is a connection between this and what Brigham Young was telling the saints in 1868:
“A thorough reformation is needed in regard to our eating and drinking, and on this point I will freely express myself, and shall be glad if the people will hear, believe and obey. If the people were willing to receive the true knowledge from heaven in regard to their diet they would cease eating swine’s flesh. I know this as well as Moses knew it, and without putting it in a code of commandments. When I tell you that it is the will of the Lord to cease eating swine’s flesh, very likely someone will tell you that it is the will of the Lord to stop eating beef and mutton, and another that it is the will of the Lord to stop eating fowl and fish until the minds of the people become bewildered so that they know not how to decide between right and wrong, truth and error. The beef fed upon our mountain grasses is as healthy food as we need at present. (Italics author’s.) Beef, so fattened, is as good as wild meat, and is quite different in its nature from stall-fed meat. But we can eat fish, and I ask the people of this community, who hinders you from raising fowls for their eggs? Who hinders you from cultivating fruit of every variety that will flourish in the different parts of this Territory? … Who hinders any person in this community from having those different kinds of food in their families? Fish is as healthy a food as we can eat, if we except vegetables and fruit, and with them will become a very wholesome diet. What hinders us from surrounding ourselves with an abundance of those various articles of food which will promote health and promote longevity?” (J.D. 12:192193) There are several points in his remarks which we can consider further. He brings out the point that there is a difference between the beef fattened on the mountains and the stall-fed beef. Man seems to always think he can come up with something better than the way the Lord planned things. He has taken up the practice of taking the calves from the cows and feeding them milk supplement, adding things to it to make the calf supposedly disease-free and to produce faster growth. He creates special feed mixtures with added hormones and antibiotics. Although these additives do prevent certain diseases in the animals and do fatten them up quicker, the resultant product is not as good for man as the pasture-raised beef.
Hormones are also given to chickens for rapid growth to make the grower a greater profit, but they have a harmful effect on the person who eats that product.1 It appears then that whatever meat you eat, it would be better if you raise it yourself, and the Word of Wisdom tells you what feed is best for each animal. (See Ch. 2 of this book)
The counsel to raise our own fish given throughout that period of time (1868) certainly has caught my interest. I’m very eager to dam up a little stream we have on our place and follow the counsel given by the early brethren to raise fish as we do chickens. Physiologists say that fish contain more of the elements necessary to strengthen and build up the brain than almost any other known substance.
So what are we going to eat, and how much, and when, if we honestly want to please the Lord?
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