Fasting for Health & Happiness

8/2/2019 Fasting for Health & Happiness

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This is copyrighted material. However, copies may be made but only in its

entirety with no changes made.

Kevin Kraut

FASTING

FOR

HEALTH AND HAPPINESS

Ogden Kraut

Table of Contents

Published byPioneer Press

3332 Ft. Union Blvd.Salt Lake City, Utah 84121

(801) 943-5651

Typography byAnne Wilde

November 1992

I give unto you a commandment that ye shall continue in prayer and fasting from this time forth. (D & C 88:76)

Table of Contents

Preface

1. Introduction: Health and Happiness . . . 7

2. Origin and History of the Fast . . . . 13

3. Fasting-An LDS Church Doctrine . . . . 29Laying a Firm FoundationThursday Declared the Day of FastingFast Day Changed to Sunday

4. The Need for Healthy Eating and Fasting . . 44

5. Feast or Famine . . . . . . . 66

6. Rules of the Fast . . . . . . 75Before a FastAfter a Fast

7. Fasting with Juice . . . . . . 81

8. The Short Fast . . . . . . . 87


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The Importance of WaterOvernight FastsScientific FastingGrape Juice FastsPractice Makes Perfect

9. The Long Fast . . . . . . . 94PreparationForty-day FastsBeneficial Effects of Long FastsBreaking the Fast

10. Cleansing and Purification . . . . 106

11. The Spiritual Fast . . . . . . 117Spirituality, the Main Objective

Fasting as Viewed by World Religious LeadersTemporal versus SpiritualThe Body as a TempleBlessings of Prayer and Fasting

12. Conclusion: Joy in the Lord . . . . 131Fasting Brings JoyBabylon's Counter AttackThe Grape and the VineThe Commandment of Fasting

PREFACE

The importance of proper exercise and healthy eating habits has been emphasized more and more in recent years.Extensive scientific research and experimentation have shown the tremendous benefits of eating natural and healthyfoods. We are no longer blundering and groping in the darkness with regard to our eating and exercising habits.

Consequently, there has been a significant increase in roadside joggers, health spa members, health food stores, andwritten dietary programs.

But along with this, a very important factor has been generally overlooked in achieving the health and happinessdesired by mankind--God's commandment of fasting. Christians in general have all but forgotten this practice, and itis seemingly becoming less and less important to Mormons.

As in all fields, specialists do not always agree on the type, length of time, purpose or results of fasting. Since eachindividual has a unique body, he must learn for himself what is best for him. Advice is given by countless extremistsin the health and fasting fields, but generally the old adage of "moderation in all things" is the wisest. (See D & C12:8.) Therefore, most of the contents of this book can be considered as a moderate approach--generally agreed uponby most nutritionists and applicable to most people.

Since the author feels that not enough has been written or understood pertaining to this wise commandment offasting, he has presented the following information in an effort to reacquaint the reader with this important principlefor health and happiness. It is recommended that this book be read and reread at frequent intervals as an importantreminder to properly care for our mortal temples.

[7] Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION:


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HEALTH AND HAPPINESS

What a wonderful rest the hardworking heart receives when you take a day or two of fasting--complete abstinencefrom all food! (Your Heart, Paul and Patricia Bragg, p. 93)

"Happiness is the object and design of our existence," said Joseph Smith. (TPJS, p. 255) But no one ever feelshappy when he is sick. Everyone eventually experiences some type of affliction or illness--a cold, flu, headache,toothache, backache, maybe even ulcers, clogged arteries, arthritis, etc. Just coming into mortality is painful, asevery baby and mother know. If we aren't catching some disease, we may suffer from some accident. This ismortality.

However, many of the afflictions and sufferings we experience can be avoided. Indeed, most of them are causedby our own ignorance, bad judgment, or poor advice of others--including doctors. In spite of all the new scientificdiscoveries, advanced medical knowledge, and easy access to the drug store, we are a sick generation with most ofour hospitals usually filled to capacity. Mankind generally are not very happy and not very well.

The human body is a wonder of science. It is composed of a complete plumbing and electrical system, a computer,a [8] delicate color photographic video system, an automatic thermostat, a fuel combustion motor drive, a chemistrylab that functions with taste, smell and sound sensors--and even more astounding, it has its own repair system. The

list goes on and on! It is indeed a marvelous creation of God. With such a delicate, yet powerful piece of machinery,we ought to take more pride and care for it than our home, car or any man-made treasure.

Have you noticed the great respect and pride some people have in their expensive automobiles? They wash andpolish them frequently, and utilize two places in a parking lot so no one will scratch them. Every so many miles theytake these prize possessions in for a complete tune-up: plugs, points, carburetor, water, air pressure, and so on are allcarefully checked. They take better care of their cars than they do their own bodies. In fact, they nearly worship theircars, but their own bodies go unchecked and untreated, as these individuals appear oblivious to the fact that theircars can be replaced, but not their bodies.

While in mortality we soon learn that we are governed by laws in everything we do: we drive by traffic laws; wedo business by regulations; we even play games according to certain rules. We should also eat by proper laws.Disobeying the laws of health eventually results in punishment, and punishment results in sorrow or remorse.

Obedience and disobedience always produce consistent results. The laws of good health are actually easy to learnand easy to apply so we can enjoy the attending happiness.

Good health is also a gift. While some are born blind, crippled or with some other infirmity, those who have goodhealth should appreciate that blessing and try to preserve it. A free treasure should be respected and cared for just asmuch as [9] one that has been dearly paid for. But oftentimes, that which we obtain too cheaply we esteem toolightly.

Some people eat to live, while others seem to live to eat. Overindulging in food appears to be a national pasttimein America. Overeating is a destructive power in developing a healthy body. Too much food is worse than notenough.

A good principle to follow is to eat to satisfy the body's needs not merely to please the palate. The body is

composed of many different organs, much like members of a large orchestra. Each must be given their proper pieceto play or it would be a catastrophe. Different foods provide the minerals, vitamins, and elements necessary for thewide variety of bodily functions. By eating the wrong foods or an improper balance thereof, some parts of the bodybegin to weaken and fail.

"Man is the sickest animal on earth; no other animal has violated the laws of eating as much as man; no otheranimal eats as wrongly as man." (Dr. A. Ehret, Mucusless Diet Healing System, p. 149) Man usually eats what tastesgood, not what is good for him. Even in that he is often misinformed because a cool drink of fresh juice can be oneof the best tasting foods ever discovered; and who has not enjoyed a fresh tree-ripened peach as it practically fellfrom the tree into his hands? Salads, fruits and vegetables are more delicious and far more beneficial to one's health


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than bacon or steak! Most of the foods we think are "delicious" are those we are taught to be so. People who eathealthy foods soon lose their taste for meats and junk foods. The body, like a machine, can be programmed, andunfortunately it is usually programmed incorrectly.

The body is a miracle device that sends messages to the brain when it needs fuel. When it receives junk food, it isnot [10] getting the proper nutrients so it continues to send more messages--hence the overeating. When given goodhealthy fruits and vegetables, the desire for food is decreased. A person eating healthy food will not desire a greatamount of food and yet he will be able to work more and longer than those eating large amounts of improper foods.

Simple foods are often the most healthy. For example, the grape has actually worked miracles, as the followingaccount testifies:

One young woman had had six operations on the rectum and the base of the spine. I never saw anyone socompletely poisoned.--

After beginning the grape diet (and she continued it longer than any of the other patients), the pus poured from her.When she began to pass worms, I knew that the terrible ordeal was nearly over. The grapes seem to ferret out themost deep-seated cause of trouble and drive it from the system. (The Grape Cure, Brandt, p. 31)

Another case of healing because of a simple grape diet came from Basil Shackleton whose testimony follows:

After nearly forty years of chronic illness, I was condemned to die. My one and only kidney harboured a nephritis--an infection which would not respond to the treatment of any of the modern wonder drugs.

In desperation I decided to experiment on myself with a treatment I had only vaguely heard of--and about which Iknew absolutely nothing. It was known as the Grape Cure. The outcome, after 23 days on the treatment, was sosuccessful that it can be likened to an absolute miracle!

I came through the grape treatment looking and feeling 20 years younger--and I was completely and permanentlycured! An abscess in my only kidney had come away by its roots. My body had been freed of all [11] toxins andsubsequent pains, but far, far more important than this, at the age of 53, I had recaptured the supreme joy of living.My body became charged with a new vitality. I felt radiant and whole. My mind was mellow and perfectlycontented, and my spirit had become a vivid and living thing again.

The chemicals in the grape are almost magical in their healing properties. (The Grape Cure, Basil Shackleton, pp.7-8)

Although we can enjoy many varieties of food, people tend to be drawn either to junk food or to health food; andas they grow older, the gulf is widened between these two groups of people. Gandhi noticed this and wrote:

The distinction ought to be clear as daylight. Both use their eyesight, but whereas the one uses it to see the gloriesof God, the other uses it to see the frivolity around him. Both use their ears, but whereas the one hears nothing butpraises of God, the other feasts his ears upon ribaldry. Both often keep late hours, but whereas the one devotes themto prayer, the other fritters them away in wild and wasteful mirth. Both feed the inner man, but the one only to keepthe temple of God in good repair, while the other gorges himself and makes the sacred vessel a stinking gutter. Thusboth live as the poles apart, and the distance between them will grow and not diminish with the passage of time.(Gandhi, L. Fischer, p. 210)

Because of the foolish eating customs we have adopted, our bodies have been contaminated and infused withchemicals, drugs, impurities, and animal fats. To cleanse and discard these poisons and trash from the body, the best

method yet known is by fasting.

It is interesting to note that popular opinion concerning fasting is that it is very hard on the system and should beavoided, so most people never fast for longer than a few hours [12] at a time. They believe that overeating is betterthan undereating, but as has been mentioned, just the opposite is true.

Everyone should fast. However, the type of fast and the length of time involved depends entirely upon thecapability of the person. Some people can go on only short fasts--others ought to go on long ones. A person'sphysical ability and will power determines the length of the fast. With experience a person can develop the ability tofast for longer periods of time. Young boys and girls can be taught to fast for one meal--then two and so forth until


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fasting can be understood and accomplished with greater ease as he grows older. Starting right out with a 40-day fastwould be a catastrophe for most people.

Everything we do should be done for a wise purpose, and so it is with fasting. A proper fast should have meaning,direction and a well defined program in order to obtain the desired results; otherwise it can be detrimental ratherthan helpful. Wise old Solomon said, "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under theheaven." (Ecc. 2:1) That applies to fasting as well.

[13] Chapter 2

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE FAST

It may be nearer the truth, however, to say that fasting originated when the Lord first revealed to man the gospelplan, thus ante-dating even the law of Moses, when an annual fast day was prescribed. (David O. McKay, GospelIdeals, p. 209)

Biblical history of the House of Israel contains an accurate record of fasting connected to rituals, seasons, and

worship. Fasting was a mandatory obligation and therefore was a central theme and important part of their life. ElderBruce R. McConkie explained how it was with the Jews at the time of Christ:

Fasting was a basic and integral part of their way of worship. The Day of Atonement was a fast day: soalso was the first day of the Feast of Purim, which was called the Fast of Esther. Besides these two, there were fourother great fasts: one, "in memory of the taking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and the interruption of the dailysacrifice"; another, "kept on account of the destruction of the first (and afterwards of the second) Temple"; stillanother, "in memory of the slaughter of Gedaliah and his associates at Mizpah," as set out in Jeremiah 41; andfourth, commemorating the day on which "the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar commenced." Further, "It wascustomary to fast twice a week, between the Paschal week and Pentecost, and between the Feast of [14] Tabernaclesand that of the Dedication of the Temple. The days appointed for this purpose were the Monday and the Thursday ofeach week because, according to tradition, Moses went up Mount Sinai the second time to receive the Tables of theLaw on a Thursday, and came down again on a Monday." (Temple, pp. 339-40) From Passover to Pentecost was

seven weeks, and from Tabernacles to Dedication was about ten weeks, the two periods thus adding about thirty-four fast days to the Jewish calendar of fasts, bringing to a total of about forty the number of formal fast days in eachyear. In addition there were such private fasts for private purposes as devout persons felt they should hold, all ofwhich adds up to a far heavier fasting schedule than is commonly followed in the true Church as it is nowconstituted. (Mortal Messiah, Vol. 1, pp. 184-185)

When people suffered and endured much sorrow, they were given to much fasting and prayer. The Jews oncesuffered under the wrath of the king of Persia and it is written:

And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, great mourningamong the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. (Esther 4:3)

The results of this and other times of fasting proved extremely valuable, and some of those events were kept asmemorials to their fasts. Lorenzo Snow relates the events surrounding this account with Esther:

Now to my mind there is something very singular in the history of a certain people connected with the eventsrelated in the Book of Esther. There was a people at this time scattered throughout the provinces of the Medes andPersians, Ahasuerus being then king of Persia and Media. This people were the people of God; they had beenacknowledged of God as his people for [15] several centuries, commencing with Abraham; but in consequence oftheir dissipation and transgression, and because they sought to worship other Gods, he scattered them throughoutthose 127 provinces, and they were in captivity. But in consequence of a certain feeling that was gotten up, a feelingof hatred and a determination to destroy this people, they were placed in very imminent jeopardy. A decree had been


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passed by the king that on a certain day they should all be destroyed, and there was weeping and wailing from oneend of the kingdom to the other. But it appears--as it will, and has appeared in our history in the past--that the Lordhad concealed his plan for the deliverance of his people. It was for the purpose of destroying Mordecai that thedecree was established. Haman, who was the author of the difficulties, had determined in his mind that he woulddestroy Mordecai, but disdained to execute his vengeance on Mordecai alone, therefore desired to make a sweepingarrangement which would include the destruction of all his people scattered throughout the provinces, and Hamansucceeded in influencing the king to accomplish this business. He had informed the king that this was a people whohad laws that were different from the laws of any other people, and that they were actually in some instances livingin disobedience to his laws, that disobedience consisting in not worshipping the false gods that were worshipped inthose days. He succeeded in blinding the mind of the king to that extent that he was given the privilege ofaccomplishing the destruction of thousands and tens of thousands of this people, the people of God. On account ofthis, Mordecai, we are told, rent his clothes and put on sackcloth and sat in ashes; and finally he conceived the ideathat the salvation of this people was in Queen Esther, his niece. So he sent her word to the effect that it was herbusiness to take a course to accomplish this object. But she sent back word when she received this communicationthat it was a very difficult matter for her to get an audience with the king, because according to the law it was deathfor any person to go into the inner court and ask anything of the king uncalled, and if she [16] went in it would be atthe risk of her life. The answer to this was that if she felt that under the circumstances she could not risk all shepossessed, then should their deliverance arise from another source, but she and her father's house should bedestroyed. Esther took all these things into consideration, and finally sent word to Mordecai in the language I haveread in those verses. Accordingly after this fasting she went into the king, the desire of her heart was granted and the

people were saved. (JD 23:288)

On another occasion repentance and fasting were used in order to obtain Divine approval to be saved. This storycame with the history of Jonah when he was sent to Nineveh to warn the people of their destruction. They werewicked and knew it, so when Jonah came with the message that they were about to be destroyed, they repented. Thepeople in Nineveh were so taken back by the Lord's message that they sent out a formal decree for everyone in thecity to fast. It reads:

And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall beoverthrown. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatestof them even to the least of them.

For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and coveredhim with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the

decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them notfeed, nor drink water: but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turnevery one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.

Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God sawtheir works, that they turned from their evil [17] way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would dounto them; and he did it not. (Jonah 3:4-10)

Even their flocks and herds were required to go without food or drink, and God accepted their sincerity andrepentance. In those days people displayed their repentance by wearing "sackcloth" and by throwing ashes or dirtover their bodies. It was an outward demonstration of an inward condition. God saw this form of repentance andusually returned favors upon such people. It would do well for the whole United States to be put under the samedecree.

To the Jews the Day of Atonement meant fasting--not just from food or water but also from everything thatrepresented pleasure. They looked forward to this day with great sincerity and appreciation. It was a day for theforgiveness of sins--omission and commission--and also those sins that came with the fall of Adam. It was theirmost holy day, as Farrar noted:

If anyone desired to contemplate the Levitical high priesthood in its grandest phase--to realize its antiquity, itssacredness, the splendour of its ministration, and the awful sense of responsibility with which its representative wasbound to fulfil its functions--he would naturally have turned his thoughts to the great Day of Atonement--that"Sabbath of Sabbatism"--which was the most memorable day of the Jewish year. It was the day of expiation for the


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sins of the whole people, and was observed as a perfect Sabbath. It was the one fast-day of the Jewish calendar. Itwas emphatically "the day". (Early Days of Christianity, Farrar, p. 237)

According to the Jewish Mishna, fasting was also a part of the obligation of those enduring hardship or periods offamine. They regarded a famine as an act of God, so fasting was [18] a way to turn away his anger. By fasting, menshow their repentance to God.

The Israelites soon began to be lax in the practice and purpose of their fasts and sacrifices. It became a mere ritualwith no effect upon their hearts. Eventually they lost their spirituality, and it led to the breakdown of their nation.They were cursed and scattered among the nations. One commentator described Zechariah's call--

. . . to consult the Temple priests and prophets as to whether the fasts in the fifth and seventh months tocommemorate the burning of city and Temple (2 Kings 25:8f.) and the assassination of the Jewish governorGedaliah (2 Kings 25:25)--fasts had been observed since the fall of the city in 586--should be continued. Zechariah'sanswer, which is intended to reach the ears of all the people (v. 5), is of special significance when we remember hisprofound interest in the Temple: it shows that he, like the former, i.e., the pre-exilic, prophets cared infinitely morefor righteousness than for ritual. Their fasting, he reminds them, like their eating and drinking, did not in any wayaffect God, but only themselves. His demand, voiced by those prophets, was for something very different--for truejustice, kindness, and pity in their social relationships, and for the temper which would scorn to exploit thedefenseless members of society or to harbor malicious designs against them. This prophetic law, i.e., instruction,

though it had been mediated by the divine Spirit, they had willfully rejected, turning a stubborn shoulder like ananimal that refuses to bear the yoke, with the result that Jehovah was indignant, scattered them among strangenations, and abandoned their lovely land to desolation. (Abingdon's Bible Commentary, p. 824)

The great prophet Daniel was among the Israelites who were captured and taken into Babylon and "among thesewere [19] the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah" (Dan. 1:6), but under the rule ofNebuchadnezzar their names were changed to "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego." (Dan. 1:7) However, they notonly had their names changed, they had to undergo an operation that made them eunuchs. As such they werepermitted to be servants in the king's palace and to eat and drink at his table, which was very rich with sumptuousfoods. They told Daniel to ask the king if they could just have water and "pulse" (edible seeds). They were laterfound to be much better than any of the others:

Then said Daniel to Melzar, . . . Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and

water to drink.Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portionof the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.

So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. And at the end of ten days their countenancesappeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.

Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had

understanding in all visions and dreams.And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better

than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm. (Dan. 1:11-17, 20)

Added to this, they often fasted. Daniel himself said:

I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three wholeweeks were fulfilled. (Dan. 10:3)

[20] The story of Daniel and the three Hebrews is well known. Their sacrifices and the closeness they had with Godattest to their faith, proper food, and fasting.

For several centuries after the time of Moses, the Israelites strayed from the ordinances, the laws and principles ofthe Gospel. The meaning and the purpose of the fast was also lost. By the time Jesus came to the Israelites, fastingwas a mere ritual and tradition.


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A very interesting principle pertaining to the fast was taught by Jesus while He lived among the people. ThePharisees noticed that the disciples of Jesus did not fast, and they questioned him about their failure in thisobservance:

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples ofJohn and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? As longas they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall betaken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. (Mark 2:18-20)

And as predicted, the disciples did continue with fasting after the crucifixion, for we read:

And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them tothe Lord, on whom they believed. (Acts 14:23)

And while the day was coming on, Paul besought all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth daythat ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. (Acts 27:33)

[21] After the appearance of Christ to the Nephites, they, too, obeyed the law of fasting:

And they did not walk any more after the performances and ordinances of the law of Moses; but they did walkafter the commandments which they had received from their Lord and their God, continuing in fasting and prayer,and in meeting together oft both to pray and to hear the word of the Lord. (4 Nephi 1:12)

Jesus honored the laws, ordinances and commandments of the Old Testament; however, the Hebrew law of fastinghad been defiled and took on a different meaning. This law had to be re-established in the form and purpose forwhich it had been originally intended.

John the Baptist and his disciples observed the rituals of the Jews, but Jesus was making a new concept out of thefast. A noted Bible commentator observed this and wrote:

Fasting was of two kinds--a general fast obligatory on every man, and a private fast which was voluntary. Thegeneral fasts were held on the ninth of Ab (the fifth month), the anniversary of the burning of the Temple; in time of

great national need such as drought, crop failure, and pestilence; and on the day of reconciliation. They were usuallyheld on Mondays and Fridays. Voluntary fasting is referred to in 2 Sam. 12:16, Psa. 35:13, Mt. 6:16. It was anindispensable mark of true piety--to make good a wrong, to atone for a fault, to fulfill a wish, and to secure a hearingfor a prayer. The fasting of v. 18 must be the fast ordained as an expression of mourning for a beloved leader and thesupererogatory fasts of the Pharisees referred to in Luke 18:12.

The sons of the bride-chamber (v. 19) were the intimate friends who waited on the groom, who rejoice while theirfriend is with them, but are sad when he [22] goes away. Jesus here hints that the day is coming when his discipleswill have ample occasion for being sad--a hint, undoubtedly, of his impending death.

20, 21. By the use of these two homely yet radical allegories, Jesus shows very clearly (as an additional reason fornot fasting) that the new religion which he has come to establish cannot be harmonized with the old customs andpractices of Judaism. It must create its own forms and practices, which will best express its genius and preserve itspurity and power. (Abington Bible Commentary, p. 1002)

The temporal effects of fasting are numerous, but the real purpose should be spiritual. When the ancient Israeliteslost that meaning, it became the duty of Christ to restore it. Since He was going to be the means of the atonement, itwas His privilege to designate the spiritual meaning of the Day of Atonement. The Jews were using the fast as a sortof "show and tell" ritual without thought--merely a function to impress people of their righteousness.

Jesus makes no formal declarations against Jewish law and ceremonial and announces no abrogation of them. Heattends the synagogue (but was finally excluded), goes to the Temple, observes the feasts, and bids the leper observethe appropriate law (Mk. 1:44). In the light of his teaching elsewhere, however, it is hard to believe that the words ofMt. 5:18-19 came from Jesus. Jesus' attitude toward the law was different from that of his fellows; the Jewishleaders clearly saw how deep that difference went, and we must believe they were as a group sincerely concerned


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with the defense of their faith whatever may have been the faults of individuals. For Jesus, forms and rules andinstitutions were here to serve men and to express life. Hence he put the law of the spirit above the law of the formin relation to fasting, e.g., and the Sabbath (Mk. 2:18-28). From this standpoint he criticizes the main forms ofJewish piety--prayer, fasting, alms-giving (Mt. 6). The form is so easily made [23] an end instead of a means, andthen the spirit suffers. (Abington Bible Commentary, p. 907)

And later Jesus provided the means for breaking a fast among His listeners:

Then Jesus called his disciples , and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continuewith me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.(Matt. 15:32)

Fasting had an inner meaning but was lost to an outer appearance. Jesus condemned the Pharisees for wearing longhair and disfiguring themselves to make it appear that they had done much fasting and praying. But their prayingand fasting was really just a pretense.

Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that theymay appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but untothy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. (Matt. 6:16-18)

Fasting had become a meaningless ritual rather than a sincere spiritual effort. The fasting of Christianity soonbecame an institutionalized practice. Martin Luther noticed this and commented:

But the worst of all is that we have adopted and practiced fasting as a good work: not to bring our flesh intosubjection; but, as a meritorious work before God, to atone for our sins and obtain grace. And it is this that has madeour fasting a stench and so blasphemous and shameful, so that no drinking and [24] eating, no gluttony anddrunkenness, could have been as bad and foul. It would have been better had people been drunk day and night thanto fast thus. Moreover, even if all had gone well and right, so that their fasting had been applied to the mortificationof the flesh; but since it was not voluntary, and it was not left to each to do according to their own free will, but wascompulsory by virtue of human commandment, and they did it unwillingly, it was all lost and to no purpose.(Sermons of Martin Luther, 2:134-135)

Luther then gives the real purpose of a religious fast:

After this comes the discipline of the flesh, the killing of its gross evil lust and giving it rest and relaxation. Wemust kill the flesh and subdue it with fastings, watchings, and labor. And it is from this that we learn how much andwhy we should fast, watch, and labor.

Therefore, I am quite prepared to allow everybody to fast on any day he likes and chose which food and how muchof it he likes, provided he does not stop there but pays attention to his own body. One must discipline the flesh withfastings, watchings, and labor only insofar as it is proud and self-willed, no more. Not even if the pope, the church,bishop, father confessor, or anybody else commands it. For nobody ought to measure and regulate fasts, vigils, andtasks, matters of amount or kinds of food, or special days. These matters should be regulated by the ebb and flow ofthe pride and lust of the flesh. For it was solely to kill and subdue the pride and lust of the flesh that fastings, vigils,and penances were instituted. If it were not for this lust, eating would be as meritorious as fasting; sleeping aswatching; idleness as labor; and one would be as good as the other without any distinction.

Now if someone should find that more wantonness arose in his flesh from eating fish than from eating eggs and

meat, let him eat meat and not fish. Or, on the other hand, if he found that he were going [25] mad, or that his bodyand system were being ruined by fasting, or that it is no longer necessary to kill the wantonness of his flesh, then hemust cease from fasting entirely and eat, sleep, and take it easy as far as it is essential to health, regardless ofwhether it is against the church's law or the rules of his order. For no commandment of the church, no rule of anyorder, can make fasting, vigils, and penances of more worth, or the pursuit of these activities, except inasmuch andinsofar as they serve to subdue or destroy the flesh and its lusts. (Sermons of Martin Luther, 2:156-57)

Luther made some excellent commentaries, but they didn't prove any more successful in his day than they did forMoses or for Christ in their time. Their instructions were generally ignored and soon lost; and today they have beenuniversally abandoned (with few exceptions), or what's worse, not even known. Modern Christianity has generally


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lost the understanding and purpose of fasting. They have wandered so far from the knowledge of fasting that it isone of the marks of their apostasy. Alan Johnson in his book, Fasting, the Second Step to Eternal Life, made anexcellent survey that illustrates the lack of obedience to this law in the modern Christian churches. The following isjust a partial list of brief statements and responses by various Christian churches as to their stand on thecommandment of fasting:

Adventists. . . such practices are not to be imposed legalistically.We would strongly disavow any thought of fasting as a means of earning merit or exerting peculiar claims upon

God.Whatever supposed physical or health benefits may be derived from such abstentions or from fasting in general are

not to become a test of spirituality or of fellowship within the community of Christians. (Fasting, Second Step toEternal Life, p. 172)[26]Baptists

. . . There may be some individuals among us who fast, but if so this is a personal matter and there is no body ofdoctrine or teaching in regard to it among us.

I believe that our Baptist people, as a whole, have given very little thought to the subject .We do not believe that there is merit before God in the practice of fasting. (Ibid., p. 173)

The First Church of Christ, Scientist. . . Our own understanding of the teachings of the Master on this subject is that fasting refers rather to the daily

abstention from all material-mindedness, self-indulgence, and wrong thinking. (Ibid., p. 174)

Churches of GodWe do not believe God will answer our prayers or lift our burdens merely because we go without food. It is my

personal conviction that fasting is neglected in our fellowship. (Ibid., p. 174)

FriendsThe Religious Society of Friends does not have any testimony or witness regarding fasting. (Ibid., p. 175)

Jehovah's Witnesses

For the Christian organization as such to fast now would be a self-imposed fast, one not commanded by God. Itwould be out of order now that the Bridegroom has returned and true worship has been restored. (Ibid., p. 175)

Lutheran. . . There is certainly no idea of merit that is achieved before Almighty God because of fasting. The idea of fasting

for merit would be contrary to the central doctrine of the Lutheran Church, justification by faith. (Ibid., p. 176)

[27] Alan Johnson's conclusion regarding the world's Christian churches and their views on fasting is well stated:

A common observation of today is that present-day Christianity does not possess a unity of the faith for which theSavior worked and prayed. (John 17:20-22) From the foregoing statements, it is evident that the many Christianchurches are equally far from a oneness regarding the doctrine which precedes and produces faith, the doctrine offasting. This points out even more clearly the dire need for the restored gospel to be preached to every nation,

kindred, tongue, and people. (Ibid., p. 182)

The formal fast didn't seem to change the lives of those who observed it. Fasting was a religious observance thatwas common in all periods of Hebrew history, but the time of their exile brought it to the fore. For awhile theHebrews complained that God did not hear their prayers nor heed their fasts, and the prophets rebuked them sayingthat even while they were fasting they found time to indulge in pleasures and business--even oppressing theirlaborers and neighbors. Their fasts were an external exercise; no wonder their voices were never heard on high!

My words fly up, my thoughts remain below;Words without thoughts never to heaven go.


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(Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 3)

When fasts and oblations are offered to the Lord with the heart as well as the voice, then the soul can makepenance. Only then will God hear and answer.

All the purposes and principles connected with the fast have never been done away. They have just been modifiedby man, as so many other eternal principles and doctrines of the Gospel. But, they are as true today as they everwere, and were intended to remain with man upon the earth until the Savior [28] comes again. When His kingdom isestablished on the earth, there will be no need to fast.

Apparently, Christ is on a type of fast now for He said, "I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in thekingdom of God. * * * I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come." (Luke 22:16,18) That time has not yet arrived; therefore, the law of fasting is still in effect.

[29] Chapter 3

FASTING--AN LDS CHURCH DOCTRINE

And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare oftheir souls. (Moroni 6:5)

. . . and this is one great and important principle of fasts, approved of the Lord. (DHC 7:413)

Laying a Firm Foundation

One of the main purposes of fasting is to gain spirituality; in fact, all the ordinances and practices of the Churchshould be done with the desire of increasing one's spirituality. Without that heavenly influence, a church would benothing more than any other social organization. For this reason members of the LDS Church are required to fast.

In the early days of the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the law of fasting was

revealed. By the time the first temple was erected in Kirtland, Ohio, December 1832, a revelation was receivedconcerning the law of fasting and was reiterated several times:

Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house offasting, . . . (D. & C. 88:119; 109:8)

[30] And let the lower part of the inner court be dedicated unto me for your sacrament offering, and for yourpreaching, and your fasting, and your praying and the offering up of your most holy desires unto me, saith yourLord. (D. & C. 95:16)

And that this house may be a house of prayer, a house of fasting. (D. & C. 109:16)

A few years after the first revelation on fasting, a few Elders used fasting to help them receive revelation and

guidance from the Lord. Wilford Woodruff records the incidents surrounding this occasion:

The interview closed about 10 o'clock P.M. I then repaired into the lower Court of the Lords house in Companywith Elders Joseph B. Nobles & G. W. Meeks to spend the night (after being anointed) in prayer & fasting beforeGod. The vales being closed We entered the Elders pulpit & there upon our knees we plead with God & wecovenanted with each other in the holy stand that we would not give sleep to our eyes neither take food untill wereceived a blessing from God by the outpourings of his spirit upon us if it was untill the end of three days. (WilfordWoodruff Journal 1:130, April 1837)

On the next day Woodruff met with several of the Quorum of Seventies for a solemn assembly and he recorded:


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The spirit of God sat upon us & we were satisfied with our blessing. * * * There was much of the Spirit of

Prophecy & revelation poured upon the heads of the anointed in the different quorums. (Ibid., 1:30, April 5, 1837)

The principle of fasting must have been very important to Wilford Woodruff, as a few years later he also recordsin his journal:

[31] 27th Day of PRAYER & FASTING. One year ago this day the Prophet Joseph & Patriarch Hiram Smith weremartered. I Appointed this day throughout the Churches in this land as a day of prayer & fasting. I arose in themorning & fasted through the day. Spent a part of the day in prayer & a part of it in writing. At 6 o'clock I tooksumthing to eat & met with the Saints in Birmingham at 8 o'clock and had an interesting time & returned to BrPrints & spent the night. (Ibid.,vol. 2, p. 577, June 1845)

About a month prior to this journal entry (May 17, 1845), the Council of Twelve had issued the followingstatement, read by Orson Pratt:

Let this be an ensample to all saints, and there will never be any lack for bread: When the poor are starving, letthose who have, fast one day and give what they otherwise would have eaten to the bishops for the poor, andeveryone will abound for a long time; and this is one great and important principle of fasts, approved of the Lord.And so long as the saints will all live to this principle, with glad hearts and cheerful countenances, they will always

have an abundance. (DHC 7:413)

How well have the Latter-day Saints lived up to their end of this amazing "insurance contract"? This law ofhelping the poor never changes--as we give to others we gain for ourselves. Oliver B. Huntington related this lessonhe learned from Joseph Smith:

I heard Joseph Smith say something like this: "Some people say that it is not right to seek to aggrandize one's ownself, that self-aggrandizement is not a good principle," but said he , "I say it is a true and godlike principle; butit can be done permanently, justly and righteously in only one way or upon only one plan in order to be eternal in itsdurability. If any person will build up others, and [32] permanently aggrandize others, he in turn will be aggrandizedeternally; that is the only principle or plan upon which it can be done and remain forever." (Oliver B. HuntingtonJournal, p. 19)

If we gained no more than this understanding from our fasting, it would be very worthwhile because very fewpeople understand that principle.

Fasting to save money for the poor is a very important doctrine of Christ. Not only do we feel the pleasure ofhelping others, but when we fast, we better understand the feelings of hunger that the poor experience. This is a lawthat Church, members and true Saints of God should certainly obey, as the Lord said:

And remember in all things the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted, for he that doeth not these things, thesame is not my disciple. (D & C. 52:40)

Fasting is a doctrine that is as old as Christianity itself, and certainly we can learn from lessons of the past.Whether we are fasting or feasting, it should be done with the poor in mind, because the Lord told the disciples inJerusalem:

. . . When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy richneighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made.

But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of

the just. (Luke 14:12-14)

This unselfish principle was also taught to the Nephites:


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[33] And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you--that is, for the sake of retaining aremission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God--I would that ye should impart ofyour substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing thenaked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants.(Mosiah 4:26)

It was also a part of the Law of Moses:

If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thyGod giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:

But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, . . .Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: . . .

For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wideunto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land. (Deut. 15:5, 7-8, 9-11)

Thursday Declared the Day of Fasting

But let's continue with the principle of fasting as it pertains to the LDS Church. John Taylor explained that JosephSmith was the one who declared the first Thursday as a monthly fast day for the Church:

You know that the first Thursday in each month we hold as a fast day. How many here know the origin of thisday? Before tithing was paid, the poor were supported by donations. They came to Joseph and wanted help, inKirtland, and he said there should be a fast day, which was decided upon. It was to be held once a month, as it isnow, and all that would have been eaten that day, of flour, or meat, or butter, or fruit, or anything else, was to becarried to the fast [34] meeting and put into the hands of a person selected for the purpose of taking care of it anddistributing it among the poor. If we were to do this now faithfully, do you think the poor would lack for flour, orbutter, or cheese, or meat, or sugar, or anything they needed to eat? No, there would be more than could be used byall the poor among us. It is economy in us to take this course, and do better by our poor brethren and sisters thanthey have hitherto been done by. Let this be published in our newspapers. Let it be sent forth to the people, that onthe first Thursday of each month, the fast day, all that would be eaten by husbands and wives and children andservants should be put in the hands of the Bishop for the sustenance of the poor. I am willing to do my share as wellas the rest, and if there are no poor in my ward, I am willing to divide with those wards where there are poor. If thesisters will look out for rooms for those sisters who need to be taken care of, and see them provided for, you will

find that we will possess more comfort and more peace in our hearts, and our spirits will be buoyant and light, full ofjoy and peace. The Bishops should, through their teachers, see that every family in their wards, who is able, shoulddonate what they would naturally consume on the fast day to the poor. (J.D. 12:115-116)

Apparently there is no positive statement as to why Thursday was selected as the monthly Fast Day for theChurch, but one reason may be that it was considered by many to be the day that Christ was crucified. Fastingshould help us in remembering the sacrifice and atonement of the Savior when we are "away from the Lord", eitherspiritually or physically. To reiterate:

Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is [35] with

them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. (Matt. 9:14-

15)

So, since the Sabbath, or the Lord's day, is a day when we should be "with him" spiritually, and we partake of the"Lord's supper", Sunday is not necessarily the day we should fast, as it is during the rest of the week that we are"without him".

Whether Thursday was appointed as a fast day in the early days of the Church because of it possibly being the dayof crucifixion is not known for sure, but it seems more appropriate as a spiritual day for fasting than on Sunday, theLord's Day.


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Thursday continued as the Fast Day for many years, and fasting was maintained as an important law of theChurch, even in times of scarcity. Daniel Wells related:

The first Thursday in every month, let us remember, is a day set apart for fasting, prayer and donations to the poor.It will soon come around again. Notwithstanding there may be a little scarcity felt in the midst of the people, do notlet us neglect those things. Do not forget them, and let us live up to those things necessary in the midst of the Saintsof the Most High God, so as to keep a full flow of the Spirit in each and every one of us, and seek to make a betteruse of the blessings with which the Lord has surrounded us. (J.D. 12:237)

Church Historian, George A. Smith, also commented on the importance of fasting during those early years in theSalt Lake Valley:

During the days of our early settlement, it was necessary that measures be taken to supply the wants [36] of thosewho were without food, and for years a fast was held every month, and sometimes every week. The amount of foodthat would have been consumed by a family during that fast was presented to the needy, and in this way, strugglingfor three years in succession, the people were sustained, and nobody perished. When we did finally succeed inraising the necessaries of life, thousands of strangers came pouring in here, a great many of them destitute of bread.They had started for the gold mines without knowing how far it was, what outfit to take, or how to take care ofthemselves; and great numbers of them, when they reached here, had to be assisted on their journey, and there werethousands who went to California during the early days of the gold excitement there, who must have perished had it

not been for the assistance they obtained from the settlements of these valleys. (J.D. 15:31)

Many Church sermons were given on this principle of fasting throughout the following years, such as the one byFranklin D. Richards in the mid-1880's:

Do not this poor widow and that lame, unfortunate brother need the benefits of the baptismal font for theirdeceased kindred just as much as the rich, the sound and the fortunate? I think they do. How then can they obtain aright and title to their blessings? The Lord has instituted a means by which they may receive their blessings by thepayment of their tithing. The first Thursday of every month is a Fast Day, for the Saints to gather together in prayerand fasting, and to bring their offerings for the poor, that the afflicted and unfortunate may not lack for food orclothing, and the comforts of life. Now, if a poor man received one hundred pounds of flour or any other gift, it ishis privilege to pay one-tenth of it as tithing, and have it credited to him on the book as a tithing payer, and in thisway he pays just as much as the man who pays one hundred dollars. The same with the poor sister who receives her

aid from the Relief Society. She can pay her tithing in the same way--have her name recorded [37] on the books, andthus acquire the right to be baptized for her dead kindred. These rights and privileges are not confined to the rich.They are for people of all conditions in life, provided they comply with the requirements of the Lord. The Saviorsaid that the widow, with her two mites, paid in more than the rich out of their abundance. Some have been inclinedto practice this principle on a kind of sliding scale. If they donate an amount to the building of a Tabernacle or aTemple, they must take that out of their tithing. This is not the correct way. (J.D. 26:298)

Fast Day Changed to Sunday

On November 5, 1896, a significant change was announced by the First Presidency of the Church (WilfordWoodruff, George Q. Cannon, and Joseph F. Smith) establishing that the day of fasting would be on Sunday ratherthan Thursday. Dr. James R. Clark explained:

According to Roberts (CHC 4:108-112) the Fast Day mentioned in the second paragraph of this address wasinstituted following the famine of 1855-1856) * The principle underlying the inauguration of the Fast Day at thattime was the rationing of foodstuffs by those families who had plenty and sharing with those whose crops had failedand had little or none.

According to President George Q. Cannon, in his History of the Mormons published in 1891, . . . "the saints areadmonished to remember the poor and contribute means, food or money, for their benefit; which in value should atleast equal the amount saved by the person or family so fasting." (pp. 17-18)

This change, beginning in November, 1896, of the Fast Day from the first Thursday to the first Sunday of eachmonth marks an adjustment of the "Mormon" society to an increased industrialization which made a week-day FastService no longer feasible.


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The address also calls the saints back to some of the original concepts of the Fast Day from which they [38] weredrifting away. (Messages of the First Presidency, 3:281)

(*Note: Since Joseph Smith had originated a Thursday Fast Day during his lifetime, according to John Taylor aspreviously quoted, it was apparently re-instituted with greater emphasis by Brigham Young in the mid 1850's.)

This change was made during the tumultuous times of that decade when so many other changes were being made.The announcement is quoted here in its entirety:

Dear Brethren and Sisters: It has been a practice in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sanctioned bythe word of the Lord, to fast and pray, and in this manner to seek for that faith which Saints should possess, andobtain that spirit of humility which we are commanded to cultivate.

Shortly after the arrival of the people in the valley of the Great Salt Lake, the first Thursday in each month was setapart as a day of fasting and prayer. The members of the Church were enjoined to bring on that day theircontributions for the relief and sustenance of the poor, and hand them to the Bishop of the ward.

At the time of the adoption of this regulation it was very convenient for the people generally to meet together intheir places of worship on that day. The conditions were such that they, being of one faith, employers and employed,could leave their labor and devote a few hours to the Lord.

For many years these meetings were well attended, and they were of a most interesting character, and were acomfort and a strength to all who shared in them, as it was the practice for persons of both sexes to bear their

testimony and take active part in them in each ward under the direction of the bishopric.As the years rolled by, conditions changed, and it became more difficult for the people generally, and [39]

especially those in steady employment, to attend these meetings, until at the present time they have dwindled to suchan extent that comparatively few have the opportunity of attending them. Thursday as a day of fasting and prayer inthe Church no longer serves the object for which it was intended.

Our attention has been called to this subject, and after mature deliberation, it has been decided to change the daythat has heretofore been devoted to this purpose. Instead of the customary assemblages in the various wardsthroughout Zion on the first Thursday in each month, we have concluded to set apart the first Sunday in every monthas the day for the regular fast meeting.

Hereafter, therefore, we desire the Latter-day Saints, under the direction of the Presidents of Stakes and theBishops, to meet in their several places of worship on the afternoon of the first Sunday in each month, whenever itcan be done conveniently, and devote the meeting to the administration of the Sacrament, to the bearing oftestimony by the members of the Church, to the blessing of children and the confirming of members in the Church,

and to such other services as have usually been attended to at such meetings. We feel assured that excellent resultswill follow the giving of members of the Church an opportunity to bear their testimony to each other and to seek forthe gifts which the Lord has promised to those who keep His commandments.

Care should also be taken on such occasions to see that the wants of the poor are relieved by the contributions ofthe Saints in their behalf, that no cry of the indigent or suffering shall arise from our land in the ears of the Lord ofSabaoth.

In Salt Lake City, instead of the people meeting in the Tabernacle on the afternoon of the first Sunday in eachmonth, we have concluded that it will be better for that service to be dispensed with, and for the Latter-day Saints tomeet in their several wards on that afternoon, so as to give all the members of the ward, including the aged andinfirm, and others who are unable to go to the Tabernacle, an opportunity to [40] participate in the fast meeting andshare in the blessings of the occasion. In other Stakes where general meetings are held as in this city, we suggest thatthey also be dispensed with on the first Sunday of each month, and that the Saints meet in their places of worship inthe several wards.

In some places the custom has arisen to consider it a fast to omit eating breakfast. This is not in accordance withthe views and practice of the past. When fasts were observed in the early days, it was the rule to not partake of foodfrom the previous day until after the meeting in the afternoon of the fast day. In making donations to the poor also ithas been the understanding that the food that would be necessary for the two meals should be donated to the poor,and as much more as those who are liberally inclined and have the means may feel disposed to give.

In giving this counsel to the Church upon this subject, we include all the missions where the Elders are laboring,either in the United States or in foreign lands. We think this arrangement will suit the convenience andcircumstances of all the Latter-day Saints throughout the world, and we would like it to be observed by all theorganized branches of the Church in every land, so that our fasting and praying may be uniform and the time beunderstood by all.


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Before closing this address to the Saints, we feel led to say that if there should be sickness or any evil resting uponor threatening the people, these meetings furnish an excellent opportunity to bring such afflictions and troublesbefore the Lord. By approaching Him in the spirit of humility and union, we can supplicate Him to remove theseafflictions or evils from the individuals or from the people. Our past experience has proved to us how willing ourFather in Heaven is to hear our cries in the hours of extremity and difficulty, when we approach Him in a properspirit and with proper faith. He is quick to hear the cries of His people and He has promised to us that if we willdraw near unto Him, He will draw near unto us. Such occasions as these, therefore, ought to be taken advantage ofby the afflicted, whether in an individual or in a collective capacity.[41] With constant prayers for your welfare and happiness and the prosperity of the work of God,

We are your brethren,Wilford Woodruff,George Q. CannonJoseph F. Smith,

First Presidency(Published in Mill. Star, Dec. 3, 1896, pp. 776-78;

Des. Evening News, Nov. 7, 1896, p. 7;Des. Weekly, Nov. 14, 1896, p. 678;Mess. of 1st Pres., 3:281-284)

Church leaders continued to emphasize the importance of fasting and donating fast offerings to the Bishop in order

to help the poor. In 1917 Joseph F. Smith exhorted the Saints to continue with this program and carefully explainedwhat was expected in practicing it correctly:

The Nature and Purpose of Fasting. The law to the Latter-day Saints, as understood by the authorities of theChurch, is that food and drink are not to be partaken of for 24 hours, "from even to even," and that the Saints are torefrain from all bodily gratification and indulgences. Fast day being on the Sabbath, it follows, of course, that alllabor is to be abstained from. In addition, the leading and principal object of the institution of the fast among theLatter-day Saints was that the poor might be provided with food and other necessities. It is, therefore, incumbentupon every Latter-day Saint to give to his bishop, on fast day, the food that he or his family would consume for theday, that it may be given to the poor for their benefit and blessing; or, in lieu of the food, that its equivalent amount,or, if the person is wealthy, a liberal donation, in money, be so reserved and dedicated to the poor. (Gospel Doctrine,p. 243)

In 1929 President Heber J. Grant commented on the broad blessings that could be received by Church membersupon an honest payment of fast offerings:

[42] If they were honest and conscientious in the payment of the equivalent of two meals for themselves and theirfamilies once a month, the amount of money actually saved (and they would benefit physically by fasting twomeals) would take care of every person in distressed circumstances in this Church--with the fast day donationsalone. There would be means also in the hands of the Church, to furnish employment for every Latter-day Saintneeding it. (Gospel Standards, p. 59)

In 1951 Elder Delbert Stapley also reminded the Saints about the need for fasting in the Church:

As I have traveled about the Church these past few months with members of the general welfare committee andlistened to their talks on fasting and prayer, I have felt this principle has great spiritual power and opportunity for the

blessings of God to the people of the Church and to the Church itself. I have been impressed by its great spiritualsignificance. It seems to me it is a source of strength, a source of power, a source of blessing that perhaps as apeople we are not using enough; that it does have tremendous spiritual value to those who observe the law and whoapply it faithfully. It also seems to me that fasting and prayer can be employed to bless others, and if we wouldfaithfully observe the law, the blessing of our Heavenly Father would collectively be given to the people of theChurch. (Conf. Rept., Oct. 5-7, 1951, p. 122)

In 1974 Ezra Taft Benson beautifully described the methods and benefits of fasting:


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Periodic fasting can help clear up the mind and strengthen the body and the spirit. The usual fast, the one we areasked to participate in for fast Sunday, is for 24 hours without food or drink. Some people, feeling the need, havegone on longer fasts of abstaining from food but have taken the needed liquids. Wisdom should be used, and the fastshould be broken with light [43] eating. To make a fast most fruitful, it should be coupled with prayer andmeditation; physical work should be held to a minimum, and it is a blessing if one can ponder on the scriptures andthe reason for the fast. (Tchgs. of E.T. Benson, p. 331.)

Conclusion

And so the principle of fasting was strongly established and has continued in the LDS Church for 160 years. Butdo we as Saints accept and practice that doctrine as fully as we should--or is it merely a ritual that is adhered to withlittle spiritual significance in our lives? Are we as individuals and as a church missing out on the blessings that comefrom faith in fasting, persistence in prayer?

Fast Offering Message for March

Thanks for the coutesy you extend each month to the young men of the Aaronic Priesthood as they visit your hometo collect fast offerings. We invite you to join with the other members of the ward tomorrow in refraining fromeating two meals and in attending the fast meeting. The Savior himself found added blessings through fasting andprayer. How much more needful than it is for us who are imperfect to seek the spiritual strength and power that

fasting brings.Ward Bishopric

[44] Chapter 4

THE NEED FOR HEALTHY EATINGAND FASTING

A few spoonfuls of medicine cannot undo the effects of years of wrong living. (The Grape Cure, J. Brandt, p. 161)

Healthy Eating

Good health is one of the monitors of our happiness and certainly should be a most important objective in our life.Good health depends on many different factors; strangely enough they are easy to find but so often overlooked.

A man might walk over a creek bed that has hundreds of rocks that look very similar, yet there may be diamonds,agates or other precious or semi-precious stones that would go unnoticed. With only a little knowledge anyone couldfind these precious stones, but lacking this knowledge one could overlook such treasures.

Knowledge about good health is similar--only the search is not nearly so difficult. One trip through the producesection of the grocery store where all the precious foods are easily seen and well displayed is like walking over acreek bed and seeing all the precious stones already cut and sparkling. Yet many people walk past the good food ofthe produce section and [45] stop at the meat counter to purchase a variety of dead animals. It is surprising that somepeople eat meat as often as three times a day!

For healthy eating, a stove should seldom be used, yet it is turned on for nearly every meal in the average Americahousehold. It is amazing to see people eat a fresh salad and remark how good it tastes; and they soon are filled--something they had supposed a salad couldn't do. As one continues to eat fresh salads, they become more and moredesirable, and the appeal of pork and beef is soon diminished.

The human body is often burdened with excessive chemicals, minerals, drugs and fats that it cannot immediatelyeliminate. It is not designed to be continually working to get rid of inorganic substances. It, therefore, reacts in thenext best way by depositing them in some out of the way place--usually some weak spot, perhaps an injury or bruise


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in which a cancer or tumor may develop. We soon experience pain or sickness, and at that point we begin to be veryconcerned about our health.

When we have a severe headache, it is easy to forget the famine in India or the war between the Jews and Arabs.No matter what is going on locally, or internationally, nothing is of greater consequence than our current malady.Only then do we take measures to preserve our physical health, and by then it is often too late to restore the body toa healthy state.

Let's consult the scriptures to see what they contain about laws of good health. The Bible, Book of Mormon, andDoctrine and Covenants, as well as many teachings of latter-day prophets, abound with wisdom, knowledge andspiritual revelations pertaining to good health and fasting.

[46] Going back to the very beginning of this earthlife as we know it--with the creation of earth and man, theCreator gave instructions for proper eating in order to sustain life:

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and everytree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed: to you it shall be for meat. (Gen. 1:29)

According to this, man was instructed to eat from the trees and from herbs of the ground; he was meant to be avegetarian and a "fruititarian".

Again in our dispensation the Lord has revealed even more concerning herbs, fruits, vegetables and grains:

And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use ofman--

Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; and these to be used with prudence andthanksgiving.

All grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit; whether in the groundor above the ground. (D. & C. 89:10, 11, 16)

And whosoever among you are sick, and have not faith to be healed, but believe, shall be nourished with alltenderness, with herbs and mild food, and not by the hand of an enemy. (D. & C. 42:43)

There is an important message here for anyone interested in their health, and much of this information is nowbeing discovered by food preparers, health stores, herbologists, and even the medical profession--about 150 yearsafter the Lord revealed it to the Prophet Joseph Smith. The great problem today is that most Mormons still have notdiscovered it.

[47] In actuality, we are transgressing and disobeying God's law of health when we fail to live on healthy foods suchas fruits and vegetables. Instead, most of mankind choose to follow the advertising to "eat beef" and exposeourselves to the chemical-laden blood and fat of animals. Cholesterol is built up in our systems and clogs our bloodlines. Chemicals are added to the meat through the food that animals are forced to eat, and these chemicals stay inthe meat until they are ingested into the system of people who eat it.

The human body is a wonderful creation, but it cannot always perform miracles, such as throwing away excessivechemicals, drugs, or poisons that get into it. The body is in reality its own doctor and engineer. It cleanses, builds,

rebuilds and doctors itself. Natural elements such as oxygen from the air, water, and healthy foods are compatible tothe system and used as fuel; however, many chemicals added by man act as poisons and react against the system.

When the body becomes taxed, overloaded or damaged, it does its best to take care of itself. Doctors too often takeadvantage of these conditions, and want to take matters into their own hands when sometimes they are not justified.Johanna Brandt wisely comments on this:

No surgeons, no medical laws can compel you to submit to the dreaded scalpel. Too often an operation is the firstresort and you are rushed to the hospital in a dazed and panic-stricken state. It should be the last resort. Every other


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method should have been employed before you permit the delicate nerves and tissues of your body to be severed.(The Grape Cure, Brandt, p. 125)

Basil Shackleton also stated the same in his book with the same name:

[48] I state now, quite categorically, that it is quite impossible for a doctor, or any other person for that matter, toactually heal, for the simple reason that the body alone does its own healing.

The most that a doctor can do is to assist that healing. . . . (The Grape Cure, Shackleton, p. 18)

A few personal experiences are included here to illustrate this point. A few years ago, after a physical checkup, thedoctor told me that my blood pressure was too high, my cholesterol was too high, my weight was too heavy, and myblood was anemic. The doctor said it was because I had been eating too much meat, milk, cheese, and eggs. I said,"Wait a minute, Doc. When I was in high school, I took a health class and for one whole semester we studied a bookrecommended by the medical profession in which it said that to maintain good health we should daily eat somethingfrom each different food group, one of which consisted of meat, eggs, cheese, milk and butter. Now you're tellingme that my health is bad because I ate what the doctors recommended?" He put his head down and said, "I know, Iknow."

The doctor then sent me to the hospital for a series of tests, which lasted for a couple of days. A week later Ireported back to him for the test results. Before he had a chance to give me the information, however, I took this

opportunity to put in another dig at the medical profession. "You remember when I was in your office last you toldme that I was eating too much meat, milk, eggs, cheese, and butter? Well, I think you should know that while I wasat the University of Utah Medical Center (noted for their excellent reputation as heart specialists), for two days theyfed me meat, milk, eggs, cheese and butter!" He grabbed a notepad and started writing something down--hopefully anote to the cooks.

[49] As a result of the tests and because I had had this problem of high blood pressure for over ten years (about165/100), the doctor prescribed some medicines to bring it down or it could be disastrous. I tried taking manydifferent pills, but some of them made me so sick I couldn't work.

I decided to take another approach and read many books on fasting and healthy eating. I went on a few long fastsover a six-month period, and even though reducing my blood pressure had not been my primary purpose, Idiscovered that it had improved greatly, now averaging about 140/74. This supported Dr. Herbert Shelton's

conclusion that hypertension can be helped by fasting:

The speed with which fasting results in a marked reduction of blood pressure indicates the importance of rest inreducing systemic tension and excitement. The reduction may be so great in a very few days as to astonish thepatient. As the toxic load is reduced, the nervous system becomes less irritated, the functions of the kidneys, adrenal,thyroid and pituitary glands are restored to normal, so that blood pressure falls to new levels, even to normal orslightly below, and tends to remain down after eating is resumed. Indeed, it will remain at or about the normal levelso long as the patient continues to live in a manner to avoid the redevelopment of toxemia.

All of this is to say that the reduction of blood pressure secured by means of the fast is a genuine reduction and nota forced state. The organism is not crippled in the process as it is when a gland or portions of the sympathetic systemare removed. If we cut out causes instead of cutting out organs, we secure a genuine and lasting elimination ofeffects. (Fasting Can Save Your Life, Shelton, p. 140)

In early November 1992, my doctor called to report the results of my recent tests. He was amazed that my bloodcondition and blood pressure were much improved, and had to admit that, "You must be doing something right!" Hehad previously said that only medicines and surgery could help.

I also recall another incident that made me question the accuracy of some in the medical profession. Many yearsago, [50] while I was working for the Federal Government, the medical profession had recommended that little salttablets be placed in containers by the drinking fountains. During the long hot summers everyone was supposed totake some salt tablets when they drank water. A few years later, the medical profession changed their mind and saidthat salt was bad for the body system and we should put a definite limit on salt intake. All of the mechanical saltdispensers were pulled off the walls and we never saw them again.


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These experiences lead me to believe that when it is said that doctors practice medicine, that is exactly what they

are doing.

We are a brainwashed society. During the past 50 years we have made many blunders in our eating because of thefalse propaganda we have been taught--not just from the medical profession, but from advertisers, the FederalGovernment, and well-meaning friends. And what's worse, this situation continues.

For example, at one time flour had so many things taken out of it that nothing much was left but starch. Whitebread made from this flour lacked so much food value that it could not honestly be sold or advertised as a foodproduct. The bakeries were forced by law to add trace amounts of minerals so that it would at least qualify as a food--hence the term "enriched". Unfortunately this condition still exists today in some breads on the grocery shelves, andmany other food items suffer in the same way from this "man-handling" system.

It is bad enough to just eat this "junk" and suffer from the lack of food value, but in addition there are chemicalsand poisons added to it which make it even worse. These react upon the body and are the beginning of seriousproblems. It [51] doesn't matter if you're Catholic, Mormon, Republican, or Chinese--your system will suffer theconsequences.

Not everyone has faith nor the gift of healing or to be healed. In such circumstances it then requires works, for

many times faith without works is dead. Faith is a part of every religious soul, but oftentimes it requires more thanjust verbal expressions. Faith can also be exerted in the promise that God made concerning the herbs and fruitswhich he created for the purpose of good health. There is a harmony between faith and works--precept and practice.Frequently it takes both.

In the country of Africa the people's diet is mainly composed of meat. Over the years, the results have indicatedthe questionable value of meat as a food, because Africa has the highest cancer rate of any nation in the world!

America also has an extremely high cancer rate; it is one of the top killers in this country. How strange it is that wehave all the finest medical and scientific facilities, the best medical schools for training doctors, and the bestlaboratories for research of any nation in the world; yet so many are dying from cancer. Our food is prepared underGovernment supervision; it is packaged with excellent scientific means of preservation; it is rotated in the markets;and there is certainly no shortage of food items. Food can be eaten in Utah the day after it was grown in California.

Exotic foods from tropical forests are available every day. We can eat fresh oranges, lettuce and bananas at the sametime we are weathering a heavy snow storm. But we are dying at half the age we should be! Johanna Brandtobserved that:

An appalling state of affairs was revealed in an issue of the Journal of the American Association for Medico-Physical Research by the former president of the society, Dr. Frederick Dugdale, of Boston. He stated [52] thatnineteen children in every hundred who reach the age of ten show evidence of cancer. (The Grape Cure, p. 133)

To kill a plant, it is necessary to get rid of the root. To kill a cancer, tumor or disease, it is also necessary to get atthe root of its cause. Amputation of an arm or an organ does not remove the cause of the cancer that has destroyedthem. The cause still remains. Even after an organ is removed, it is often necessary for doctors to operate again.

People take aspirin to stop a headache, but it does not remove the cause of the headache--only the pain. The body

is still harboring the cause.

If you are driving down the road and come to a red light, you could do two things: (1) Wait for the cause that madeit red to change, making it green; or (2) cover up the red and continue on at great risk. Covering up the effect ofsomething does not remove its cause.

Food contains the elements for building the body. It is also the fuel to keep it running. Obviously you can build agood building with good bricks, but poor construction materials can produce disaster--either in buildings or in thebody. The body is a machine that is continually running and burning fuel--both good and bad fuel.


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The body needs different amounts of fuel, depending on its work load. Because the required amount of food varieswith each individual, there is a problem as to the proper amount it should take in. Too much food increases the bodyfat and causes a loss of vigor and efficiency. Not enough food causes the body to try making up the supply itself.

[53] The average American eats much more food than he needs, and he is the person most in need of fasting. Fastingfor him would be an aid to the system rather than a detriment. But unfortunately most Americans seldom, if ever,fast.

A good experiment to conduct is to try eating healthy food for a while and refusing junk food. Also, try fasting fora while by restricting almost all food. The results are surprising and satisfying. Remember that breaking away fromtradition is often more difficult than breaking away from food.

Fasting

About 40,000 fasts were conducted by Dr. Shelton over a period of 50 years among people of all ages and with avariety of health problems. The results of this study were astounding and hard to believe, especially by those whoknew very little about fasting:

The dramatic recoveries that occur during a fast of proper length and taken under the most favorable conditionscan be believed only by those who have had opportunity to observe them. The general tendency of both the layman

and the physician, when hearing stories of such recoveries, is to dismiss them as too fantastic for consideration. Yet,there is nothing miraculous about the effects of the fast. If we think on the matter a little, we cannot escape theconclusion that fasting is the most natural and the most sensible means of care of the sick body of which we haveany knowledge.

For over one hundred and forty years, natural hygienists have employed the fast as a means of promoting healthand enabling the body to recover speedily from illness. They have amassed extraordinary clinical experience in thisarea. These experiences turn into the deeply-rooted conviction that the fast is a [54] constructive force which mustbe utilized and developed as part of the regular practices of modern life. (Fasting Can Save Your Life, Shelton, p.20)

As humans, we have a natural tendency to restrict our eating when we are stricken with sickness or trauma. It isinteresting to note that this same natural response is evident in the animal kingdom as well:

The sick or wounded animal finds a secluded spot where he can keep warm, where he is protected from theweather, where he can have peace and quiet and be undisturbed. There he rests and fasts. He may, for example, havelost a limb, but he lies there in his privacy and generally recovers without drugs, without bandages or surgery.

In the animal world fasting is a tremendously important factor of existence. Animals fast not only when sick orwounded but also during hibernation or aestivation (sleeping throughout the summer in tropical climates).

Some animals fast during the mating season and in many cases during the nursing period. Some birds fast whiletheir eggs are being hatched. Some animals fast immediately after birth. There are forms of spiders who do not eatfor six months after they are born. Some wild creatures fast when taken into captivity, and a domestic pet, a dog or acat, may not eat for several days when it comes into a new environment. Animals also survive forced fasts duringperiods of drought, snow, cold, and live for long periods when no food is available. (Fasting Can Save Your Life,Shelton, p. 16)

And also--

Sickness is Nature's way of indicating that you are filled with toxic wastes and internal poison. Dead people do nothave miseries. It is only when you are alive and have "Vital Power" that you have physical [55] problems. In fasting,you are working with Nature to help expel the wastes and poisons you have accumulated in your body. Every animalin the wilderness knows this. Fasting is the only method an animal has to help overcome any physical trouble thatbefalls him. This is pure animal instinct. We humans have lived so long in this soft civilization that we have lost theinstinct to fast when troubles occur in our bodies.

You may have experienced in your life a time when you were suffering physically and felt no desire for food.Food even repulsed you . . . kind but ignorant relatives or friends told you, you must "eat to keep up your strength".


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The very last thing you needed was food, because your subconscious mind was signaling you to stop eating. Naturewanted you to fast. (The Miracle of Fasting, Paul C. Bragg, p. 23)

In addition to fasting as a natural method of healing, there are many other reasons for obeying this importantprinciple and commandment. Let's review some of the reasons mentioned by those who have understood thisprinciple:

Faith to Cast Out Devils

The Savior told his apostles on one occasion, when they had not faith sufficient to cast out devils, that that kind bywhich he accomplished it came only by fasting and prayer. How does the faith required as the first principle in theplan of salvation or gospel come? Let Paul answer: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God(Romans 10:17) It is not the letter then that bringeth faith, but hearing the word of God dispensed by a living oracleor minister of God, clothed upon with power from on high. It is not a recorded gospel, but the preached word whichemanates with power from a man of God inspired by the Holy Ghost. . . .(John Taylor, Gospel Kingdom, p. 332)[56]Forgiveness of Sin

A cloud is gathering in blackness. There is rapidly coming something that will try you, perhaps as you have neverbeen tried before. All, however, that is necessary for us to do now is to see where our faults and weaknesses lie, if

we have any. If we have been unfaithful in the past, let us renew our covenants with God and determine, by fastingand prayer, that we will get forgiveness of our sins that the Spirit of the Almighty may rest upon us, thatperadventure we may escape those powerful temptations that are approaching. The cloud is gathering in blackness.Therefore, take warning. (Lorenzo Snow, Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, p. 150, May 6, 1889)

Improvin

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Fasting for Health & Happiness