St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-09
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
Cleanliness above Goodness

Referring to the baccalaureate sermon
preached by the Rev. j. S. Scudder to the
graduates of Bennett seminary, Minneap-
oils, few evenings ago. the GLOBE takes
occasion to observe that in many respects it
was remarkable Grafton. Regarding the
particular points, however, in this dis
course which elected from the GLOBE rep
resentative this expression OF appreciation
we are not informed, but when we remem-
Der that the subject of the reverend gentle
mans sermon was the Young Women of
America and that his announced object
was to depict the highest ideal of woman
hood for the emulation and instruction Of
his feminine hearers, we are not surprised
at the verdict rendered, for most of us are
doubtless aware of the fact that sermons
preached from masculine point of view,
exclusively for the benefit Of women, are
not usually wanting in those characteristics
which, out of courtesy, we are constrained
to designate as remarkable.
However, after careful perusal Of the
report as given in the GLOBE, one really
doubtless this point in the learned preach
er's discourse which influenced the reporter
in his choice of language concerning it.
lar stress on the proper care of the body,
and that he advised the young ladies pres
emit to hold health ''abOve everything else,
even religion"
Such counsel coming from a clergyman is
indeed remarkable, especially when we re-
call the contempt for the body which has
hitherto characterized the teachings of holy
men. The fact that for ages the unwOrthi-
ness of the human structure has been IA
vorite theme of the clergy and other saints
is well understood; and, although the spirit
which is manifested through the flesh may
soar to fields elysian, revel in the beatific air
which surrounds the heavenly hosts, and
even grasp the mysteries OF the infinite,
tie body has ever been trail ''worm of the
dust" weak tenement OF clay, subject to
passions beyond CONTROL" and wholly I'M
worthy the consideration of blOOd-WaShed
child of heaven.
Truly the righteous preachers counsel
suggests the inquiry: To what causes are
we to ascribe this sudden dignity of the hui
man structure that proper care OF it should
supersede even the dogmas Of theology?
Doubtless were the able preacher himself
asked to explain, his words would serve
only to betray the aWkwardness of his posi-
ton, by Prevailing the sorry subterfuges
which are employed whenever theology at
tempts to take On modern airs, or to recon-
Gle itself with the advanced thought Of the
present age.
The Rev. Mr. Scudder says that young
ladies shonld go through the world with the
Bible in the right hand and physiology in
the left; or, what is better still, should
carry the physiology in the right hand.
Now, just here is the point where | fear
the pious preacher committed a fatal error.
Certainly it is through better knowledge
of physiology that the interdependence of
mind and body has been traced and the fact
established that a beautiful mind can not
exist in an unhealful body Physiology
has also established the fact that morality
depends largely on good digestion, and that
so essential is health to correct living that
even though man be mOrbidly piOus, so
that his saintship is no more to be doubted
than that of Simeon Stylite's, if his liver is
inactive. if he breathes impure air, if he is
unclean in his personal habits and is nour-
ished by unwholesOme food, he may not
even hope to attain to the beatitudes.
The lesson learned from physiology is
that the penalty for transgresSiOn is inner
ent in it, that no law of health can be vio-
lated with impunity, that the body must pay
the penalty of disobediance. On the other
hand, the Bible teaches that although
mans sins be as scarlet, they may, simply
through belief in the merits of
another, become as white as wool;
that however much the soul may be warped
by will, scared by sin, OF dwarfed by igno-
rance and bigotry, if a man can only per-
suade himself that he believes certain
doctrine, there is no penalty attached to his
transgressions In other words, through a
ssyicarous atonement' he is cleansed.
The young woman who in the future
shall have gained her ideas of correct living
from natural sources, and who, after care
full study of her physiology which MI. Scud-
der advises her to carry in her right hand,