Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-08-01
TuE VALUE AND DUTY OF HEALTH.
by REV. W. PERKINS.

ny REV. W. PrRKrss.
Ten years ago a reformsr said, IN
speaking to Q youthful audience, tna'
he believed In the course ofa bali CEN
fury disease would be no less disgrace;
full than in~toxication. Startling ana
fanatical as the prediction then seemed
to many, ifindeed not to all who heard
this progressive thinker, there are more
than a few who now recognize tho signs
OF it, ful6llment. or those composing
the mass who neither know nor care FOR
any reform, quite q number begin to
"see men as trees walking, Connect
ing occasionally in their minds the cause
with the effect, they conceive it posi-
BILE that i'll health may be caused. That
the staggering drunkard has sinfully
caused his disease, they cannot well
doubt, whilo they almost believe that
tho gluten, as to quantity and quality,
may have sinfully brought on his collie.
or cholera morbus. Nevertheless, the
more ordinary diseases this hopeful
class still regard as among the unaToid-
able things f~oreordainsd TO come to
pass.
Without some knowledge Of tho phys
iology and hygiene, the real value OF
health is not appreciated. Indeed, this
is true Of all subjects; for, until a thing
is studied and understood, how can its
value be KNOWN Yet the instinctcom-
mon to all persons might be supposed
to lead them to prize most highly their
health and their life. Facts, however,
disprove this assumption. Some months
since, in Southern Indiana, | advised
an energetic, money-making citizen, to
discontinue his pork, coffee and tobac-
co. He answsred-as 1 proved their
bad effects on health-that ''as we had
but q short lease of our lives any how,
he went in for enjoying these things
while it lasted" That 10 poisonous
substances contribute more to ones hap
pinsSs than nutriment.
In vain did I try to convince the man
that Graham bread-frse from lard,
yeast and the like-with rice and fruit,
was really more delicious than flesh OF
their lean, %long-nosed swine.
OF the Laws Of Health, or tho true
value of health, the man knew nothing.
He set q proper estimate, and bestowed
q proper care, upon wagon, his saw-mill
aud his watch, while the incomparably
finer machinery in himself, his wife and
his children, had claimed none Of his
attention, and Of consequence ranged
way below par in his appreciation.
About ordinary machinery, and indeed
about his lower animals, he could think,
and mako some provisions for their well
fare; but the health and life Of rational
beings entrusted most seriously and
solemnly to his care, he entirely
ignored.
So is it with the large majority OF
communities in the Western States.
Could they but learn the ineIpressible
value of health, and that it can be
secured more certainly and easily
than most of the objects for which they
toll, how changed would DO their lives.
AS Columbus thought il lawful to take
q few savages ui ct arms, to the religion
and civilization Of Spain-returning
them to let their light shine among their
benighted fellows, | sometimes think
that n here and there might be
taken per force from communities, and
in q hygienic homo made to realize what
health is, and then returned to give his
experience to his old suffering asSo-
ciates.
That to study and practice the laws
of health is a Christian duty no one OF
good moral sense will doubt il he will
but reflect. All concede that Christians
must read their Bibles. Should any
one in the church preach or practice to
the contrary, his offence would bring
discipline upon him-without benefit Of
Clergy. Willful ignorance Of the Bible,
and habits directly injurious to the soal,
are everywhere held as crimes in Chris
tian churches and members. How much
analogical discernment is needed to see
that willful ignorance Of the laws Of
health, and direct injuries inflicted per-
s~istently on the body, constitute crime
as certainly, if not as grossly. Did not
the Savior spend as much time in cast
ing out diseases as he did in expelling
Devils? Did he not always, in sending
forth his missionaries, tell them to heal
the sick? In doing so how plain 10 the
duty Of advising the restored how to
live 80 as to continue we'll. Surely o
Physician should invariably say" Go,
and see that thou sin no more, lost a
worse disease come upon thee"
The claws of Life " is working as
the woman's leayen in meal, and COM
bined with other german agencies, will
finally restore innumerable diseased
prodlgals to their Fathers Home
From the Laws Of Life.