The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1860-02-02
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81 I" And somentat pain is anlndieator of
mental disaase!3 said Mrs. Warren. ais,,
- Always the. sister answered, sssd
Rs' AlNags?". there was tone Of surprise
in Mrs, " arrep's voice. a a aaas ba
"But what if the pain arise from an,
others act, Instead ef, our owuE
" As when the, p,dy receives external
Injury, for instances ?" saii Anna.
&c Yes Is the pain ffoal mental dis
ease in that ~ rs s.ys Ha9
= Is the body in health when hand
is crushed, or the flesh bruised!" asked
the sister.
"No." #a4 @
"And sudden pain gives warning Of
the sudden inj lry A condition of health
no longer exists, and death may as surely
follow without tn" physicians aid as if
every pore in the Eody had absorbed con
tagion. AS it is with the body, 50 is it
with the spirit. Oneis materially organ
lzed; the other. as I have often said to
you, is spiritually organized and both
are subject to laws which cannot be vio-
lated, even in the smallest particular,
without evil consequehces 1t matters
not whether the disturbance Of harmony
come from without OF from within-the
Indicator, pain, gi,es surely lis alarm, and
ceases not until the danger has passed.
If it were not so, spiritual death, which
is the extinction Of all good affections in
the soul, would as certainly follow spirit
ual disease a natural death follows nat
ural disease"
II see, but dimlv," SAID Mrs. Warren
with a sigh. (" Usease-p pan--death !!
Alas alas There is not. human flow
er untouched By their blight A. for
pain-pain of mind, and pain of body
it is the deaths head ginning at all our
feasts." s..-.
Say rather, dear sister, the angel who
points to the enemy Of our peace, and
cries, Beware. beware = Look down
into your heart, and question it closely.
From what causes have arisen pain Of
mind From orderly or disorderly &C
tivities? That is, from nelghborly and
divine affections, or worldly ana selfish
affections for in these two lie all the ei-
ements Oh life There is not an Impulse
of feeling, nor the motion of thought,
lying outside of them. As the fountain
is, so will the stream be- As the life is
orderly or disolderly-so will be the
consciousness Of life The orderly move
ment will be smooth, harmonious, delight
full the disorderly, with shock, and jar,
and pain.
Dear sister, look into your heart, and
answer the question-What has caused
unhappiness The activities of neigh
borly love, burning with desire to bless
others; OR the activities of worldly love
seeking to receive rather than to bestow !?
Were we in the true order of our lives,
we would be Godiike. for we are the worl,
IT his hands; aud to be God like is to low:
others, and to seek their good. But it.
departing from true order, we love only
ourselves. and seek merely our own good
disease Of mind follows as snrc conSc-
quenoe; and pain, true to her mission,
will give the needed warming lest we per
ish in eternal death Mental suffering
is, therefore, sure sign ttat our life
motions are in the wrong direction Pain
touches us IN mercy, not in wrath Let
US be wise, and heeu her divine admo-
nitions."
The memory of a good deed" said
Mrs. Warren, speaking from new state
of perception, rarely gives us pain"
Never" was answered. "when the
prompting motive is good. But if we ex-
ercise neighborly charities from selfish or
worldly ends, we cannot claim the high
reward of interior delight. As our ends
are, 50 always will be the quality of our
,njoyments. Real good uust be genu-
inc, from inception to act"
But how are we to know whether our
motive be selfish or unselfsh? Ends of
life are most deeply hidden"
We surround ourselves, replied the
sister, with an atmosphere so duskv that
vision is often at fault. And so We move
forwards, not always certain of our steps.
But thanks tc the prompter, pain, she
will not permit US tic swerve hairs
breadth from the right path, without Civ
ing a sign. If We heed not her genter
admoniuons, she speaks in clearer tones :;
and if We heed not yet, Der voice takes
on harsher thrill. Louder, steruer,
harsher it becomes, if our fect continue to
walk in the ways that lead downwards !;
and she ceases not her cry, even unto the
end. A blessing on pain, then, repeat,
dear sister! a blessing on pain! She
is heavep-sent, and would lead US to
heaven"