Choosing a Home: Spiritual, Health, and Agricultural Criteria

In choosing a home, the most important criteria is to consider the moral and religious influences that will surround the familyAH 131.1+2. Selecting a place where one can grow spiritually and protect the character of children is a sacred responsibility entrusted by GodCG 23.3+1.

Prioritizing Spiritual and Moral Environment

• Avoid Corrupting Influences: We should not needlessly expose ourselves to atmospheres of worldliness or unbelief, as this displeases God and drives holy angels from our homesCE 224.2+1. Lot’s choice of the Jordan valley, based on personal advantage rather than the character of the inhabitants, led to the loss of his possessions and the spiritual vexation of his family Genesis 19:15-26RH April 26, 1887, par. 6.

• Seek Divine Guidance: Decisions regarding a home should be made with prayer, seeking the Lord's blessing and direction Matthew 2:22-235MR 199.2+1.

• Establish a Symbol of Heaven: The goal should be to make the home a place of peace and bliss, modeled after the symbol of heaven5MR 199.2+2.

The Advantages of Country Living

• Shielding the Youth: Moving to the city exposes children to temptations, "street education," and depravityAH 137.3+2. In contrast, country homes provide the best influences for physical and mental strengthAH 137.3+2.

• Useful Occupation: A rural setting allows children to learn industrious habits through tilling the soil and working in the open air, which safeguards them against vicious associationsAH 134.2+3.

• Health and Serenity: A country home should be in a healthful location, away from the bustle, noise, and polluted atmosphere of the city5MR 199.2+3.

• Natural Resources: It is beneficial to have land for a garden, orchard, or pasture for a cow, enabling the family to raise their own food and live temperately2SM 360.2+2.

Practical Considerations for the Property

• Order and Convenience: A desirable home is one that is in good order, meeting the tastes and desires of the family without causing undue perplexity or debt5MR 199.2+1.

• Building Wisely: If building, one should choose a site that does not require an excessive outlay of means for improvements and utilizes natural features like shade trees or existing rocks for foundationsCS 275.2+1.

• Quiet and Privacy: For those doing intense mental work or seeking spiritual retirement, the home should be a quiet "refuge" or "haven" free from noise and bustle11MR 22.5+2.

• Proximity for Service: While maintaining distinct households to avoid friction, it is sometimes necessary to be near enough to others to cooperate in God's work19LtMs, Lt 93, 1904, par. 4.

The Purpose of the Home

• A Center for Education: The family is the first of all training schools, where children are prepared for the courts above6T 354.1+1.

• A Place for Prayer: While God can be sought anywhere, it is profitable to have a convenient place for private prayer and religious retirement Genesis 24:63ARSH April 16, 1857, page 185.21.

• Hospitality and Ministry: A home should be a place where the Spirit of Christ abides, allowing the family to represent Him through courtesy and unselfish labor for others Genesis 18:19CG 484.3+2.

Practical considerations for choosing a home include ensuring your living spaces are filled with sunlight and fresh air, maintaining scrupulous cleanliness, and securing a location that allows for the cultivation of your own foodLDE 99.3+2.

The Vitality of Light and Air

• Healing in Sunshine: Rooms should be arranged to capture the morning sun, as there is literal healing in its beams14LtMs, Ms 67, 1899, par. 13.

• Proper Ventilation: Sleeping rooms must be large and designed for a free circulation of air day and night to prevent the feverish exhaustion caused by ill-ventilated spacesCTBH 106.3.

• Unobstructed Windows: Avoid keeping rooms closed and dark to protect furniture; instead, allow abundance of light through every apartment for several hours each dayCTBH 106.3.

Sanitary Standards and Health

• Premises Maintenance: Families must work together to keep the premises free from every unpleasant sight, as cleanliness is essential for both physical health and spiritual soundnessCG 107.5+1.

• Safe Drainage: It is critical to ensure that the drainage and sewerage are managed thoroughly to prevent the buildup of poisonous atmospheres and the danger of contagionPH104 14.3+1.

• Environmental Hazards: Avoid locations where the air is poisoned by stagnant water, foul odors from sinks, or proximity to barns and vaults, as these can cause typhoid and other violent diseasesPH104 14.3+2.

Economic and Agricultural Advantages

• Raising Provisions: Selecting a rural district allows a family to settle on the land and raise their own fruit and vegetables, which will be vital in the future when buying and selling becomes a serious problemLDE 99.3.

• Hard Work and Simplicity: While country life may involve hardship and close economy, it offers a blessing by separating the family from the world's corrupting excitements and bringing them closer to natureCL 19.1.

• Yield of the Earth: With proper and intelligent cultivation, the land will yield its treasures and supply the necessities of the faithful workerCL 17.4.

Avoiding the Dangers of Density

• Escape the Crowds: God's purpose is not for people to be huddled together in terraces and tenements, but to live where they have "elbow room" and can see the works of God in nature12MR 30.1+1.

• Independence from Men: A country home cuts off dependence upon men and their corrupting customs, allowing the soul to respond more readily to the life-giving power of GodCL 19.1.

... are kept closed for the same reasons. Sleeping-rooms should be large, and so arranged as to have a free circulation of air day and night. Those who have slept in an ill-ventilated room awake feeling feverish and exhausted. This is because the vital air was excluded, and the whole system suffers in consequence. Whoever occupies beds which have not been freely exposed to the air and sunlight, does so at the risk of health, and often even of life itself. There should be a circulation of air and an abundance of light through every apartment of the house for several hours each day. If you have God's presence, a...— CTBH 106.3 (1890)

The Lord desires His people to move into the country, where they can settle on the land, and raise their own fruit and vegetables, and where their children can be brought in direct contact with the works of God in nature. Take your families away from the cities, is my message.—Selected Messages 2:357, 358 (1902). Again and again the Lord has instructed that our people are to take their families away from the cities, into the country, where they can raise their own provisions, for in the future the problem of buying and selling will be a very serious one. We should now begin to heed the instruction given us over and over again: Get out of the cities into rural districts, where the houses are not crowded closely together, and where you will be free from the interference of enemies.—Selected Messages 2:141 (1904)— LDE 99.3 (1992)

...he morning sun, which is so beneficial to sick people. The sun is the Lord’s doctor; there is healing in its beams. Faith and works are to be combined. Do all you can to obtain the sunshine of the first morning hou...— 14LtMs, Ms 67, 1899, par. 13

...ar the house; and dry earth or wood ashes, used as a covering, will absorb the foul emanations. The directions given to the Hebrews concerning cleanliness, show how careful God was that the camp should not become contaminated, and should lead us to the u...— BHY 183.4 (1890)

289. A neglect of cleanliness will induce disease.... Stubborn fevers and violent diseases have prevailed in neighborhoods and towns that had formerl...— HL 66.5 (1897)

... and separated from the world's corrupting maxims and customs and excitements, they would come nearer to the heart of nature. God's presence would be more real to them. Many would learn the lesson of dependence upon Him. Through nature they would hear His voice speaking to their hearts of His peace and love, and mind and soul and body would respond to the healing, life-giving power.—The Ministry of Healing, 190-192(1905)— CL 19.1 (1946)

When selecting land for a home, the most vital practical considerations involve securing a large enough tract for extensive cultivation, ensuring a location far removed from city centers, and evaluating the soil’s potential for diverse food productionCG 34.2+2.

Proximity and Location Strategy

Choosing the right geographic location is a matter of spiritual and physical safety, as the Lord has given specific instruction to move miles away from large citiesLDE 95.2. These urban centers are increasing in wickedness and are filled with temptations and strife, such as labor unions, that peril the soulLDE 119.1+1. A rural district offers a refuge from the "street education" that corrupts the youth and provides an atmosphere where God's presence becomes more realCL 16.3+1. It is wise to seek a location that offers a cooler, healthful atmosphere, which can provide rest for strained nerves and relief for the body3MR 277.2.

The Capacity for Agricultural Production

The land should be chosen with the specific goal of being able to raise one’s own fruit, vegetables, and provisionsLDE 99.3.

• Acreage for Diversity: A plot of approximately forty acres is often necessary to provide sufficient space for woodland, grazing for animals, and varied cultivation11MR 185.1.

• Self-Support: The land should be extensive enough to help the family or institution become self-supporting, providing resources richer than gold or silver for the faithful worker1MR 333.4+1.

• Fruit and Nut Trees: It is highly advantageous to select land that already has fruit trees in bearing or possesses the potential for planting orchards of oranges, lemons, or grapesPCO 104.5+1.

• Resource Potential: Even land that appears unproductive may yield rich returns if it is treated with proper, intelligent cultivation and fidelityPCO 119.6+1.

Nature as a Schoolroom and Remedy

The physical features of the land serve as a "lesson book" for both children and the sickCOL 87.3+1.

• Natural Variety: Ideal land includes varied scenery such as hills, valleys, woods, and brooks, as these sights and sounds lead the mind toward purity and peaceLDE 99.1+1.

• Spiritual Education: Extensive grounds and flower gardens allow children to be brought into direct contact with nature's laws, which are the very voice of Christ teaching submission and perseveranceCT 186.3+1.

• Medicinal Surroundings: For those suffering from disease, land with medicinal properties—specifically those surrounded by ornamental trees and flowers—can help divert the mind from pain toward the Life-giver2SM 301.3+1.

Sanitation and Environmental Health

Practical land management is essential to prevent the "agent of destruction" that brings disease2SM 461.2.

• Cleanliness of Premises: The land must be kept free from impurities, as neglect in the yard can send deadly poison into the atmosphere inhaled by the family2SM 461.2.

• Water and Air: Locations must be chosen where pure air and light can circulate freely, and any impurities should be purified daily by burial with earth, lime, or ashes2SM 461.2.

• Orderly Development: Every part of the grounds, from the farm to the buildings, should be an object lesson of thrift, orderliness, and refinementGH October 1, 1907, par. 5.

Strategic and Prayerful Acquisition

Securing land should not be done in a rush or with rash excitement, but through candid, prayerful consideration of the Word of GodCL 25.2+1. It is a gift of God to have insight and the ability to counsel on such matters, ensuring that the path taken leads to spiritual advancement and not a defeat caused by impulsive movesCL 25.5+1. Ultimately, the tiller of the soil who follows God’s instruction regarding the land will find real independence and a certainty of return for their labor Isaiah 28:26Ed 219.1.

Summary

In summary, land should be selected based on its distance from the corrupting influences of the city, its capacity to produce a wide variety of fresh foods through diligent cultivation, and its natural beauty which serves as an educational and healing influenceLDE 95.2+3. By treating the earth as God’s treasure house and following His plan for rural living, a family can find a taste of Eden and a refuge that prepares them for the eternal life ahead12MR 30.1+1.