The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-05-17
The Body-W hat is its King.


a certain extent, Is liberty. A land where
every man might do just as he chose,
without fear of Jail, States prison, or
hemp, would be a land of slaves, for every
man in it would be in complete subsection
either to his own passions and appetites
Of others and boastful freedom would
be nothing more or better than unendur-
able slavery. In family where there is
no law, but where father, mother, and
child may act without restraint there is
no freedom to be enjoyed. If the parents
have not made it law that their own
passions shall be controlled, their temper
subdued, and their whole being brought
into obedietcc to all that is good and
right, they will not only wear the chains
of slavery themselves, but will compel
their children to wear them. And if the
children strike for freedom by trying to
break away from wholesome restraint if
the older ones long for the liberty to do
Just as they choose, and, at last, by de-
ception and false-hood, or some kind OF
artful management or by open rebellion,
attain the coveted freedom, they will soon
feel the weight of the heaviest chains. If
Susy, the little ree-year-old-and Tom.
my, in his si1th year, and almost a man
grow joyful in anticipation of their moth
ers's absence-if they say : "Shc's going
out this afternoon, and we shane have
her to watch us, and we'll eat all the su-
gar in the sugar-bowl; and then we'll
put our hands up to our elbows in her
six-quart jar of plums y if they revel in
the prospect of such glorious freedom,
and at last gain it,they will find theselves
reduced to the most pitiable Slavery
They may not be tied to the bed.post, or
put into the bed, or punished with stripes
for mother may, possibly, not miss her
sugar or sweetmeats, but they will miss
the comfortable feelings they had in their
stomachs in the morning, and they will
find themselves carrying around more
sugar and plums than they know how to
carry they may not be conscience-sm
tin, but they will feel all the misery Of
subsection to an overloaded stomach.
1t is law from which no man, woman,
or child in all the length and breadth of
the world can be safely released, that
subsection 10 certain limit is liberty,
the highest liberty, and the sooner every
one knows and believes it, and yields
himself to the law, the sooner will true
liberty be enjoyed
Now, how far is the law acknowledged
and obeyed? ? The word-at least the
Christian world - confesscs that Gods
law is holy. just, and good; that we
ought to receive him as our king, as our
righteous sovereign that we ought to strive
after spiritual redemption that, indeed
there is no spiritual redemption for those
who break loose from the restraints Of
Gods law. But men, even Christian
men, treat lightly those laws upon which
physical redemption, or more particular.
ly the redemption of the body, depends
They belevemost firmly in that subiectior
fection can not be reached. They think ii
a great sin TO lie, or steal, or swear OF
cheat, or to build up Il fortune by dis.
honesty: it makes their blood curdle tc
think Of riches gained by robbing widow,
and orphans. The talk well about the
guilt Of a man who has sins against hi,
immortal nature by breaking Gods laws
They have correct deas-ideas which
they try to put in practice-about the
dignity of the soul, and our duty
to work with God in bringing it to the
highest possible point of perfection In
their view,no subsection that advances the
soul in purity and all goodness can be toe
great. But what about the body, the
much despised body? Ah,it is nothing but
the body. Made of dust, it will soon re.
turn to dust. Let it live out its brie
period without knowing or yielding tc
any righteous law. Let the stomach
the worst Of despots-rule the body =
Let the stomach be king. 1t is an indis
putable fact that the stomach wields the
scepter in almost all human bodies. L
makes the laws and enforces them, and
its sway is complete. Hundreds ant
) thousands, it is true, refuse to bear thu
) yoke and become free men, but millions
bow their necks to it, and wear it til
they die.
\ man, well known to fame for al tn,
good that he does for the poor, whom h'
befriends and helps-building asylum'
and places of retreat for them, and pay
; ing for debts that stern creditor will nj
, longer let remain unpaid-a man who is
IN many respects, king among men,wil
remain all his life a slave to his stomach
Hear him answer some plain questions
put to him so directly and pointedly tina
he can not get away from them
GLOW long have you had dyspepsia
sir ?"
Twenty years and | expect to have
it till | die"
"lf he would only give up his strong
coffee" quietly remarks the anxious wife
"he would soon be free from dyspepsia.
"Ah, strong coffe Do you drinl
strong coffee, sir?"
YES I've taken it, every morning, fol
twenty-five or thirty years"
Do you think it hurts you?
"Well-well-yes. Physicians say thai
it is very enfeebling to some stomachs
and my physician says | had better stoT
it,-at least try going without it for Q
while"
Have you tried doing without it ~
"Yes; I've dropped it occasionally fol
a few days; but what is breakfast with
out coffee why, nothing more than al
egg without salt-just the most unattrac
tive thing in the world. Really, shoulc
never care for any breakfast ifI couldn'
have my coffee. 1t makes such a cheer
full, comforting breakfast ; and the fac
of it is, it is useless for me to try to give
it up"
Now, here is man, whose body wa.
made for great and glorious purposes, ly
ing down at the feet of tyrant, consen
ting to be slave to his stomach, SHINING
aOainst evarv oroan in his hoJx, anJ