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town , under the pastorship © f Mr . Cowherd , and that one of the tenets , unanimously adopted , was 1 the abstaining from animal food . Considering you as one of its members , and that you may not
suppose this application to be mere idle curiosity , I assure yon that such has been my invariable practice during more than eleven years , and I have no reason to think I shall deviate from it during the remainder of my life , as I am now in my
58 th year . " The inveterate prejudices , and sometimes unfriendly attacks , with which I am assailed , have made me anxious to meet the question on every ground of fair and rational defence . It is in vain to urge my own example as a proof of the competency of the system to maintain its pretensions
to health and enjoyment y I am exultingly tofd that a solitary example proves nothing ;~* - * and when I resort to theargument of the healthy state of the Irish potatoeealing" peasantry , then am I reproached
with mere assertion 5 and besides ( say they ) I have forgotten their butter-milk 5 which , by-the-bye , one might suppose from its alleged universality , is the fluid with which Providence has supplied the inexhaustible streams of their Liffev and Shannon .
u Now then , Sir , I want to ascertain , throug'h your friendly means , the general state of health in the society to which ( I suppose ) you belong ; taking it for granted that there must be some of all ages , as the practice of parents will , in this case , probably be enjoined upon the children ; and being comparatively a new society , it may fairly be presumed that many of its members formed the change at a mature or
advanced period of life ; of course subjecting the trial to its strongest objection , the suddenness of the change , when the habits and constitution of the patient would render it most hazardous . Another consideration of importance is , whether you apprehend there is any thing like a general caution adopted , as to any
necessary substitute , such as eggs or milk or any other substance , supposed to contain an extra quantity of nutrition . A nd , again , what beverage you think is in most general use . The occupations of a promiscuous society , I should suppose , are multifarious , perhaps many of them may he laborious , and many requiring- severe
mental exertion , so- that altogether one may Veasonably expect some cases of peculiarity and interest . " Any other suggestion of your own connected therewith , I shall receive with that degree of satisfaction which a favourite subject confirmed in
« s principles is likely to produce , and I shall hold myself , 4 t Your obliged and respectful Servant , u 5 . L . " April 13 , 181 & "
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Reply . " Salford , Manchester , April 2 l . **¦ Dear Sir , " Your letter of the 13 th instant , addressed to Mr . W ., requesting information respecting the religious society established here , the members of which abstain from animal food and intoxicating liquor , he has sent to me , desiring I would answer
your inquiries , which I shall do with great pleasure . " The Society consists of about three hundred adults , whose occupations , of course , are various , but who are chiefly engaged in the different branches of manufacture carried on in this neighbourhood . According to the Church Register , 3 members have abstained from animal
food and intoxicating liquor eleven years ; 50 members , ten years ^ 41 , nine } 18 , eight ; 23 , seven ; 11 , six ; 45 , fire 5 33 , four ; and about 70 , three years and under . The g-eueral state of the health of our members is certainly superior to that of persons who do not adopt the same mode of living : this i& capable of being
proved by the books of the sick societies , which have now been established among us nearly six vears . I conceive we have living examples to combat every objection that can be brought against the system , as regards health , having * members of all
ages who adopted the change under the most trying * circumstances . In order that you may form some idea of our mode of living , and the principles we profess , I send herewith a Vegetable Cookery Book , a Hymn Book , and the first part of a work entitled u Facts * authentic in Science and
Religion , '" * by the late Mr . Cowherd ; of which I beg- your kind acceptance . It is with great pleasure I can state that the dietetic principles are daily gaining ground , particularly among medical men ; indeed it is quite perceptible that a great change in public sentiment has taken place
during the last seven years , and I am convinced , that if people would but consider the incalculable advantages that would result to society by the more general adop * . tion of the system , both as respects the health and morals of the rising generation , they would find unanswerable arguments
in its behalf . Religion , humanity , reason and experience , are all in favour of the principle that we have no rig-ht to kill for our u daily bread" but that fruit and vegetables are the natural food of man . You will find on reference to the u Facts , " that there is sufficient authority for
believing that animal food and inebriating liquor are injurious to health , besides having a bad moral tendency in brutalizing * the passions , weakening the rational powers , and blunting * every humane feeling - whilst , on the other hand , a vegetable diet and sober habits &re conducive to i ) u
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New Sect of Abstainers from animal Food . 313
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V 0 I < . XIV . 2 V
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1819, page 313, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1772/page/33/
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