The Columbus journal., 1886-11-24
THE MORAL VALUE OF LAUGHTER.

There is a sober side to the subject of
laughter. though Sober-sides do not
usually observe If. Nor is it without q
positive moral value, as might he pre-
sumed. from the fact that 10 other nat
ural physical movement of the human
frame is without its assigned purpose.
Laughing is not 10 be sneezed at any
more than sneezing is to he laughed at,
We should rather inquire what is their
definite design amid the intricate move
ments of life.
A medical writer of high authority Is
publishing. in one Of our scientific jour-
nails, q series of articles upon .'The
Remedies of Nature" In suggesting
relief for certain diseases, especially
asthma, he declares that ''next to out
door exercise, the best corrective is
conversation. laughing and singing"
He adds that daughter is a peptic
stimulant, while silence and brown
study favor dyspepsia. asthma and
sleeplessneS>." "A piece of good news
is worth bushels of asthma-weedS."
And so say we. Send on your bushels
of good news. As cold waters TO u
THIRSTY Soui, 50 IL gnu he"S HUN iHi
country"
Now laughter is evidently designed
to wake up things generally. and set
everything to moving lively in that i'm
portant region where the main physical
operations of life are going on. There
is evidently a little engineer stationed
somewhere under the fifth rib, on the
right side of the human frame. When
anything striking or funny meets the
eye or starts in the mind, the bell-rope
that goes down to him receives a sudden
jerk from the pilOt-house in the braiR,
and he turns on the steam. At once the
chest begins to blow its bellows rapidly;
both sides have to Join in whether they
want TO or not, even until they ache;
the heart receives III impulse and wakes
up throbbing rapidly; the lungs expand
and contract with considerable violence;
the bronchial tubes lost their stringency;
the eyes twinkle; the mouth draws back
and opens; a gurgle and a gasp or two
follow; then the air is filled with many
. merry ha! Ina! and the asthmatic
patient finds his breath again. All the
parts of the human system have been
let out for a run, like the boys at re-
cess, and after having a good romp
and cheerful. active exercise. for u few
minutes. cOne down 10 regular business
again.
Now we can not see why it is not
everybody's duty to laugh. just as much
as to eat and drink, and take any other
kind Otphysical exercise. Indeed. the
live:, the spleen. and other mysterious
organs, seem 10 nave the function of
laughtar appointed for some special use
in their i.ealthful movements. and lis
neglect entails disorder and disease
upon them. For laughter oils afresh
the wheels OF the body, with It's stimu-
lating effect. chases away that terrible
enemy of strength ana peace. dyspepsia:
and ii physicians are true. dispeis sleep
lessness. with its painful and dangerous
consequences.
To laugh and grow fat" is an old
proverb that IN ght suggest wisdom to
us, for VI are made 10 laugh. But
there is a class of morbid Pharisees who
affect a lofty contempt Of laughter and
mirth as undigniiied and trifiing. and
unworthy the ciaracterof sobar-minded
men. Their multiplied sorrows have
NiC1atCHe1 l'tT C.f'tSk vi tHCil It'd pow.
ers; life burdens have Outweighed its
pleasures, and their organic apparatus
gravitates toward q suspension of its
functions The handspring has lost its
tension, and they are already half dead.
All because they are neglecting a
physical exercise appointed for the re-
lief of their decaying members and
faculties.
Let them wake up, take the fresh air
in a rousing walk. join in the merry
laughter of the children, whose buoyant
spirits display the healthful activity of
their bodily system. play with the dog.
run and jump as much as their old
bones will let them, and their morbid
ness will take lasting fight on the merry
wings of laughter.
Or let them take a good horseback
ride through the woods and fields. and
they will laugh in spite of themselves.
Laughter thus possesses a moral quail
ty. For our moods are too often the
reflection of u physical conditions.
No man can be . free, earnest servant
of God, filled with love to his Master
and active goodwill to his fellow-men.
who doesn't keep his laughing appa-
ratus polished up and in good working
order. He will be filed with jealousies
and envies and all discouragements, il
he does not laugh betimes. This is no
Joke; it is q solemn fact.
We need not indulge in I'M
timely or ~nproarious laughter. But
there is a time to laugh; and when the
time comes, it is our Christian duty, for
the sake of our bodies. minds and souls,
20 laugh to the best Of our ability-tO
laugh thoroughly. heartily. and clear
down to our boots. II We don't feel
Nke it, We ought somehow 10 work
ourselves up to ii.
Being happy is q talent that can be
Sullivxted The gilt of confning ihe