Sound advice at the time, but less obviously useful today

The first Ellen White statements to be considered must be interpreted within the historical context in which they were written. The need for this principle is also clearly evident in the Bible. The apostles Paul and Peter make reference to circumstances that related to issues present in Asia Minor that may not be directly applicable to a twenty-first-century world (though the principles remain true). Examples include counsel for women to cover their heads in church (1 Cor. 11:5) and the call for Christians to greet each other with a “holy kiss” or the “kiss of love” (Rom. 16:16; 1 Pet. 5:14).UEGW 181.3

The first three of the four statements in this section were compiled by Ellen White while she was editor of a monthly column in the Health Reformer during 1871. In these articles she drew material from her personal experiences and observations, and from other publications of the day, to illustrate and support the health principles she was teaching. Some of these early statements are a combination of accurate instruction based on visions with explanations gleaned from contemporary publications, which she gave with the instruction because the explanations provided additional reasons and motivation to follow it. The fourth statement on the dangers of eating cheese, unlike the other examples, was frequently repeated through the years. These all contain advice that must be interpreted in light of the historical context.UEGW 181.4