The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-21

L
posed to the teachings Of revelation-as If there
could be any real antsgonism between the teach-
ings OF true religion and those OF true science.
No. no; II is only the dreams, the vagaries OF
these men, under the cloak OF science, that ever
are or Can be opposed the teachings OF religion
That there Is no discordancc whatever between
the behests OF religion and those of science the
subject OF fasting and abstinence proceed now
10 show. 1t has been, alas too much overlooked,
TOO much Forgotten, that the Church, IN all her
precepts and counsels, never requires anything
from her children but what Is really for their well
fare In the temporal as well III the spiritual
order What reason have we not to admire the
wisdom, the ingenuity with which she varies her
gifts, dispenses her succors and distributes her
treasures, her remedies, her lightsl In soothing
and healing the wounds and sorrows OF poor hui
manity she paws due regard to It's weakness and
perfection consulting with wise foresight aud
condescenson our delicacy OF feeling, our seI-loye
and even our railty.
Perhaps 1t is not as well known as II should be
that the meats OF the far greater part II not all,
OF the unclean animals forbidden to the Jews
In the eleventh chapter OF Lsylticus were, among
other reasons for their prohibition more or less
unwhOlesome, and productive OF disease OF body
or OF mind, remotely If not Immediately. Tue
same wise foresight is not forgotten in tne law OF
Jesus Christ For instance: when was attend
lege Philadelphia, one OF the Faculty. Professor
George McCle'lan speaking Of the ei1cacy OF fast
Ing and abstinence In some forms or disease, used
to mention 10 the class the case OF young
Catholic Irishman, who was suffering from q Sc
pleteiy cured OF 1t by strict observance OF the
lasts Of two successive tents. All physicians or
any experience, or VINO are conversant with tho
records Of their pro esslOn. know OF mnumerabie
instances OF The same KIND
IL was the observance Of such reshlts-results
which thorough anu enlightened knowledge OF
medicine would lead one TO eXpect-that caused
an eminent French physician 70 declare that II RS.
lglon had not instituted the Leuten fast medicine
should have done so, as measure Tor me restora-
tlon and preservation OF the puohc health When
1t Is remembered that Lent occurs to ward the be-
ginning Of spring, ana that people generally in
duge too freely during the winter In nosn meats
and other concentrated FOODS and drinks, thus
| vtiatlng the numors and clogging the bodily
| overs as well as tbe mental faculties nothing
can be more opportune, considerate aud n &C.
cordasce with the principles OF true hygiene than
the forty days fast WHOM The Church ord.uns Tor
1s or a. On ts eesC1s
ton OF the glorious festival OF Easter. But
the sena s' referred ., ,s Soox
It is especially in the sphere of the mind to say
nothing OF The soul that lis admirable effects be-
| come most conspicuous. Nothing is better verified
! by ample experience and observation taan tue
truth OF the following words. sung or read in the
uttd con,prtns's aaeistet eiccas cdtu,ent lGrgf's
| ct prdn'la-that Is 10 say. "Wno ov this bodily
last, uost eXtlneu5h our wees, elevate our under
standings ana pestow upon US virtue aud It's
rewards Here again We see medicine come 10
occupy It's appiopria place, as tue handmade or
collaboration OF reugi D. in emo ling aud
ameilo.atl0g tile conoitlon OF humanity, ana
not as nsreo us oSpSnens or Jealous rival
Of the influence OF abs tinence from meat 10 his
own person can easily do so. thus Let INN some
morning eat pretty neely oil Ueeiseak, and loon
he VIII notice mat II he engages IN anything that
requires muc1 mental application now couaed
| to the mornings wheu he eats 10 mnlt. ihe
| limits have prescribed for myself IN THIS article
viii not pc nit my Showing at length how all the
philosophers e.
inarkaoie Tor tDeir lrugaty ana aostcm1oh' ness;
III other words, Tor their lasts and abst.Be'tt A
few examples must, therefore. Ince Tor tAe hreS.
ent. flato. according 10 tue account sc uare
81 S,s nm by hes,su1 heinz vea an on VERY %
onions Tne salpe writer informs us mat Denfoc-
MUS, Ia his voyage TO the indies, having become
acquainted with the Gy ninOsopnlsts, he embraced
Sieir frugal mode Of HE, wDcn he continued alter
his return TO his own country.
Zeno, the ciilei Of the s'oic philosophers, lived
! solely on bread and wild Hgs, ana never drank
| any wine; and mis- disciples for long Tune Imi-
| taxed his ausete mode OF living.
| Seneca, = philosopher o. tue same school, lived
| very austere lie, both at court and M his own
stain from flesh meats. lie dla so Ior the space OF
one year, and 50 accustomed himself to TINS moe
OF lie 1t became not only easy, but even very
agreeable 70 him, as /, rendered his Intellect more
clear and keen IMAM 1t used ~ be under different
regimen.
bertholet in his admirable "Traite de rAbsti.
nenee dc la Viande,"a WORK, by the way, wuch
ought to be translated into our vcrnacular, men,
tons numerous famous persona2es aud sc.ools or
sects, who ADOPTED an exclusively vegetable diet
Tor their regimen. viii omit mentioning the
| austere lasts and aostinences OF some OF the
canon,zed saints ana some OF the religious orders,
as me bare recital OF them would perhaps only
souls o, our tie Who nave yes to learn tSai
virtue in Its highest and and most appropriate
Specification means strength OF soul. and that tnis
| strength Of soul, with Its unspeakable advantages
orrewards, are ordinarily acquired only oy toe long
continued restraint or denlai ~ our appettes as
wei as Of our evil propensiies.
There be no douot that the reason why so
many render themseives unable 10 observe the
Lenien ana other lasts is their yielding " a per.
nicious custom. wnlcn has optained general sway
among VI, 1t Ueing. unbappily, considered as an
advancement On reuhement--ns,nely, the mis-
treatment OF ali our Dreaas-afTs at almost every
step nom the MI. that srlnds to the oven that
not nsaIubrious, to some Of the most important
parts ana organs o our frame, as the digestive
apparatus, the brain, the eyes, the teen. &c.
How many diseases md disorders arc thus pro-
duced, and now many OF them could be
cured by a more rational mode OF pre-
parng food | VIII not wait to. epumerae;
but certain IL IS That many persons who
NOW seek !or dispensauons rom THESE ias's
coud observe them wItnOut much inconve ieuce,
and certainly without any detgimeGt 20 their
bOdiiy health. by simply accustoming themselves
would consider coarse fare and unpo.luteo water,
the regimen when nature ordinarily requires Tor
the mems sdnd IN corpore sdao-that Is ~ say, u
sound mind Ia a sound body.
IL Is, perhaps, an indisputaole fact that the an
clients better Understood the influence OF frugal
or vegetable diet in restraining and suDdulny the
passions than many modern wlseacf es, n edical as
well az monumental. rave done ana that tie poet
VINO WI 0te Lne words
May govern my passions with absolute sway
would have obtained greater mastery over them
ev SIMPLY adopting and perscvertng IN such
regimen.
NOBODY can deny that vegetables, including
fariBace0us productions potatoes, fruits, &C., re-
slst putreacence much iouger than lesh nes IL do,
and it cannot De doubted that as general II not
a universal, rule this Is true OF them, inside the
body well as outside. and nepce that they yield
q much more mo and bland cnyie than is yielded
by u mixed dlet-taat - TO say, Diet which Is
partly composed OF the flesh OF animals. Bearing
In MIND THESE principles and viewing them
In the hglt presented Dy the following
aphorisrls OF Lancisi winch translate craliy
Or NIX SO Is the chyle; as Is the chyle so Is the
blood; IN fine, as IL the blood so Is the intellect
or mIdr-aphorislns which are c0normaDle to
the most enlightened physiology and rs luminous
as they are emi0enuy suggestive; bearing, say,
thcaG nrincipeS In mind. thus LUMINOSITY Nus.