The Arizona champion., 1890-11-08
WHY DO YOU EAT7

A Pertinent QuestiOn-Violation of Ma
 ture's Law-The Penalty.
 Why do you eatG This query, if re- sponded to by the majority of people on the spur of the moment, would, no doubt, result in answers as varied as the indi- viduals to whom it is propounded. Why do you eat? Truly pertinent question, and one which should be considered as of sufficient importance for careful rehec- tion. A query of this character is the source of momentary surprise possibly to an intelligent person, for the reason it is directed to daily habit or exercise which has become so strongly automatic that our attention is not fixed in its consider ation. We arise in the morn, early or late as the case may be, and eat; go to labor for five hours or 80, eat again; seek recreation for the eve and possibly eat again, and finally retire to obtain the benefits of natures sweet restorer-sleep.
 In and through all this the healthy in- dividual uses no force in thought or at- tention, but is the automaton. This is as it should be, if nature and things natural were natural. Are things in na- ture natural? The reply to this we think can be found, to large extent, for the purpose of OUT paper, in the replies our query would bring forth.
 Why do you eat2 The dyspeptic says, "From necessity" The epicure says, ''From a ruling desire on the part of my sense of taste" The glutton says, "To get enough" The laboring man says, ''To work" The natural man says, 'To enjoy life; to ive." The dyspep- tics reply is a sad contrast to that of the natural man. Ask the dyspeptic what he would do or give for the privilege or ability to sit down at the table hungry, actuated only by the principle that actuates the natural man, namely: "To enjoy life, to live" Why, methinks, if he is not too far along in his distemper, that expression of disgust and despair would change into broad grin of happy anticipation; the dull, hstless eye bright en with a gleam of its pristine intelli- gence, and there would burst from his lips the exclamation: Do or give2 any thingl everythingp Poor victim! In this exclamation is found the explanation for his dyspepsia. It is just because he was at one time able and did do "any- thing" and everything that today he has dyspepsia.
 If we ask the epicure or glutton the same question as the dyspeptic, we will find that they are perfectly content. They have not violated law and order long enough as yet; have not done ''any- thing" and everything" a sufficient number of times to reach that miserable existence allotted to the dyspeptic. Their desires and wishes are fully satis- fled.
 There comes a time finally for all of these classes when the ''dead hne," so to speak, is met. To halt and put stop to the reckless violation which has been go- ing on means salvation. To keep on and cross this dead line means everlasting misery. The sal1ation that Is established for those who meet this dead line is, like other salvations we have heard of, estab- ished for violated law and order, not easy of attainment, but entails for many days upon the repentant victim rigidity of rule and persistence of purpose that deprives life of most of its pleasures and leads the poor victim in response to our query to say, q eat from necessity" He is still dyspeptic, notwithstanding his efforts toward salvation, and will be until that salvation is fully attained. But this physical salvation accomplished, is our dyspeptic become the natural man2 Can be. as can the natural man, exclaim in ac- cents glad and joyous, T eat to enjoy life; to liveg' Let us see. We live to learn, and, as truly, learn to live. Ex- perience is apt to determine mans ac- tions. License is only permitted when it is safe. The dyspeptic has truly lived to learn, if he has not lost all reason, and we have no doubt but that the redeemed dyspeptic will testify that he has learned to live. But his experience has taught him a lesson which will, during his re- maining life, be ever in mind. He knows beyond all doubt that there is no license for him, and that as surely as he per mits any license, just so surely will there come back to him the forerunners of those monstrous miseries which led him to exclaim: 'I eat from necessity."- Globe-Democrat.