The Worthington advance., 1880-09-02

| whose posture Is erect, the vertebrse OF
the back are so placed as to press upon
each other, thus enabling them to sup
port q greater weight; while in the
horse they are placed horizontally and
do not support each other.
The deltoid muscle, which is placed at
the top Of the shoulder, is but q small
bundle Of Abrous flesh, less in size than
ones little finger, has been proved to be
capable of sustaining a weight of hun.
dreds Of pounds.
The human eye is composed of two
fluids and two thin coats, on the inner
of which tho image of the object seen is
impressed inverted. If the smallest
pointed instrument puncture these coats
4 colorless fluid escapes, and the sight
is gone forever. In view Of this we
may we'll exclaim "Who but q God
could have made us? Who but brute
would fail to worship Him?"
When we take into consideration the
construction of the human hand, and
the variety of uses to which it can be
applied, we are led, almost involuntarily,
to the realization Of the fact that the
Great Being, who could out Of nothing
form so curious and complicated a ma
chine, could have been nothing less than
perfect wisdom.
When we investigate the subimity
and grandeur of the formation Of our
physical frames, and the fact that We
are placed in possession Of mental
! powers that are capable of such grand,
sublime and important achievements,
| we'll may We say with the sweet singer
| OF Israel: IT am fearfully and wonder
fully made"
But this being, so God-like in his
natural endowments, capable of per-
forming such wonderful feats, has but
short and, comparatively, ephemeral ex-
istence, and, after the lapse Of q few
years, he sickens and dies, returns to
and mingles with the dust from whence
he came, and treads the earth, that has
been for few aeeting years his home,
no more.
In consequence of the violation of
divine command on the part Of the pro-
genitors of our race, the sentence {:
"Dust thou art, and to dust shalt
thou return" has been executed upon
their descendants-an irrevocable de-
cree, from the flllfllment of which there
is no possibility of evasion. Although
death is ultimately the doom, the un-
ayoidable destiny, of the human race,
yet the great majority of diseases that
| afflict the human family, the largest
share Of pain and suffering that is en-
dured, can be traced to a violation OF
some law, or laws that govern our phys
ical being, either on the part of the
sufferer or of his progemtors, who have
left this tendency to disease sad and
unwelcome inheritance.
We look abroad over the world of
mankind, md we see them bowed down
by load of physical suffering-disease
is preying upon their vitals and sapping
the fountains of life, impairing their
physical and mental powers, lessening
their vigor, and initiating against their
ability to properly perform their part in
life's drama, and finally bringing them
to premature graves.
When we view this melancholy specta-
Gle we are led to PROFOUND the interroga-
tory: HAS our kind Heavenly Father,
whose mercy, tenderness and love are so
clearly manifest in His care over and
preservation of our lives, in so lavishly
furnishing us with all that is necessary
to supply our physical wants, in the re-
demption of our race by the gift of His
son, by unalterable decree fixed the des-
tiny Of His intelligent creatures, so that,
from the cradle to the grave, our journey
must necessarily be one of pain, suffer-
ing, woe and affliction?
Oh, let every sentiment of piety, every
just conception of the divine character
at once and forever forbid the heaven
dishonoring thought.
What else is it than gross impiety and
a grand insult to our Maker, Protector
and best Friend to recklessly, wantonly
and heedlessly violate the laws that He
has made by which to govern our lives,
which, if obeyed and we live in harmony
with them, will insure our happiness
the design He had informing them
and then, because we suffer the unavoid-
able penalty attached to their infraction,
lay the blame on Him, and cherish the
idea that He delights in affecting us?
We should remember that the wheels
Of Aature will not turn aside because
We, worms of the dust, are liable to be
crushed beneath them.
An eminent writer has said: "The
chief misfortunes that befall us in this
life can be traced to some vice or folly
that we have committed"
IF We are guilty of committing the
folly OF transgressing the laws of nature
and health, We must expect to incur the
penalty.
Doubtless in very many instances,
perhaps in most, these laws are violat-
ed and the necessary penalty incurred
through ignorance Of their nature, aud
the baleful consequences that must be
the result.
So far from this aHorting any mitiga-
ton OF the ofense or lessening our re-
sponsibility, in my Judgment, it often
enhances it. Where the opportunity for
acquiring important and useful knowl-
edge is possessed and neglected, iqnor-
ance Is a crime.
In my humble Judgment, but very
small portion Of the deaths that occur
in our world can be called natural. The
only natural death we can conceive of is
where one has passed through the term
Of years allotted him, in obedience to the
| laws Of his being, comparatively free
from disease, and, by use and age, the
powers Of Life give way-the oil having
been exhausted, the flame expires. We
cannot regard death the result Of vast
ing disease, or sickness brought on by
exposure, or by intemperance, or by any
other violation of the laws Of health
| any more natural, in the strict sense of
the word, than is one caused by suicide
or violence.
In this view Of the subject what theme
can more properly or prodtably engage
our attention than the laws Of our be-
ing? Is it not duty We owe to our
Creator, who has displayed such match
| less skill in our creation? Is it not q
duty to ourselves, that we may be more
perfectly qualified to enjoy the boon Of
!, LIE, and nd =: discharge e; the duties incumbent @
we may be called upon to sustain? By
so doing we shall be enabled to be hap
py here, and, by Observance of the moral
precepts given us by the Author of our
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