Never had I heard from my elders that what I thus did was bad.

It is true that there are the ten commandments of the Bible; but the commandments are made only to be recited before the priests at examinations, and even then are not as exacting as the commandments in regard to the use of ut in conditional propositions.
"Thus, from my elders, whose opinion I esteemed, I had never heard that this was reprehensible.

On the contrary, I had heard people whom I respected say that it was good.

I had heard that my struggles and my sufferings would be appeased after this act.

I had heard it and read it.
I had heard from my elders that it was excellent for the health, and my friends have always seemed to believe that it contained I know not what merit and valor.