National Republican., 1876-12-25
nor.I value of Physical strength.

Moral Value of Physical Strength.
The American scholar and thinker Is BY rule
dyspeptio He is Q raxor.faced, lanternjswed,
thin, nervous man. This is partly the effsct Of
climate, and partly that Of diet and regimen In
the old days Of bran bread, and prayers before
daylight In the colleges, and long morning walks
before breakfast and suicidal eonsumptive habits,
It required pretty tough man to live through
his studies at all. We are now doing this thing
better, but we have not yet reached the highest
outcome Of the change, and shall not reach It,
probably for several generations. But we have
como to the recognition Of the fact that It does
not tougher Q man to reduce his diet, to cut him
short In sleep, to take long walks on an empty
stomach, and to indulge In cold baths when there
is no wellsupported vitality to respond to them.
We have come to the conviction that, for useful
public life, brains are Of very little account II
there are no muscles to do their bidding. In
cal vitality. the profoundesf learning. the most
charming talents and the best accomplishments
are Of little use to public man in whatever held
of professional life he may be engaged 2
So, the men whom We used TO .starye We feed.s
We bid them take all the sleep they desire. We
sSs Say In and aP s
frames: We encourage sports on the land andon
the water. We try to raise q sound and powerful
Of former times, that the mind may have source
Of vitality behind it and the largest possible fund
Od Ot @ ood rssas Ss spe Or
We have still much 10 learn, but We are working
In the right direction.
high physical vitality were the very first condL
tion Of success The nnest sermon that ever was
preached will fall dead upon the average congre-
voice that does not tire, but matches the thought
IL utters, however strong and high 1t may be; the
action which 10 the outcome Of what seems 20
be an eIhaustless force; the magnetism Of
way. even If the brain and is culture be not
anra loff m and has 0rnar
are attracted and moved in q way they do not un-
dorstsnd by splendid health. They delight inths
them Of al drain Upon the their sympsthies, and acts
upon them with Q stimulating charm. A thousand
sermons constructed by the finest brains the coun-
and zeal fall dea every sunday, which, If they
were preached by strong men, would Work mira
clesof movement and transformation. Weak
lungs and . shattered physique, drawn upon for
lower BY the force Of strugg gling will are always
tax upon the popular sympathy, while untiring
ffeshes. The practical difference between them
Is the difference between being hlled and being
exhausted. Churches lsnguish on every hand,
their pnlpits simply because those men are are
re%.ns rent na and any s we are Obliged to aecspt @ IT, MI MI
know no fatigue, can ms speai to and hold bis tens
have but little culture while his superors in edu-
cation and every direct exhibition OF brain power
lacking his wGnderfs, physical VT vitality, could
The two great men Of the Brooklyn pulpit are
splendid men physically, and they never could
have been the powers they are had they been
though fine and strong In intellectual fire, are
not so Exceptionally in that particular
as to account for their long. strong hold upon the
draw the largest crowds, Mr.. Phillips Brooks and
Mr.. Murray, are men of entirely exceptional
physique-hard to be matched anywhere In the
world for size and strength. 1t is an inspiration
They exercise charm which can only come from
complete manhood-the equipoise Of thought and
intent with voice and might. II we turn to our
find them at DR.. Halls and Dr.. Taylor's. Mr..
Hepworths church, too, Is usually o crowded one.
1t Is DO dlshonor to these men to say that the
people do not flock to them because they preach
There are dozen pulpits furnished with as good
brains as these. The simple truth is that II they
were called upon to preach with slender ply
sique and weak voice their crowds would leave
them. They are large, strong, healthy men.
America does not produce enough Of these, and 80
We were obliged 10 import some Of them. The
Brick Church has called pastor from London,
and he is one Of the same kind-strong enough not
only to do an immense amount Of pastoral work,
but to preach without fatigue, perform the duties
OF professorship, take charge of school matters
work that comes to q man In his position. Ths
church went for that man simply because It could
not find him here It Is no dishonor to our
theological Institutions to 50 out Of the country
for such men, because America does not raise
enough OF them for her own use. When We pro-
duce them in sufficient numbers, We shall not be
obliged to import them. And when We fully
much to do with pulpit usefulness as the heart
and the mind, and that one Of the first conditions
Of that usefulness Is high physical vitality, We
shall give culture the attention that It demands
and ultimately raise our own preachers.-Scrib-
Il ner's, for JdnHdry. s.4T -rss