The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-12
The New Philosophy Of Health.
Copyright. 1897. by Il. B.Bl

only the power To live and develop under
favorable conditions, but certain power
| OF resistance to those which are un-
favorable and recuperative or re-
constructive power able to restore
normal conditions when such have
been disturbed by some accident. This
power Is as strong In some of the lower
forms OF life as to be able TO restore lost
limbs, new ones growing out In place of
the old. We say that nature does IL.
And il is upon nature Mother Nature
that all!plants and animals depend for
the healing of their infrmities. Animals
| are seldom sick, but when they are they
go away to be alone while nature does
her healing work. The cases are rare In
which they die from sickness at any age,
in their wild state.
But what do we do when we are sick?
We make up our minds that we must
do something at once to relieve the sick
ness which usually means to us the pain;
we think of the symptoms to be expected,
the suffering, and possible death, and
the whole attitude mental and physical
becomes one of shrinking and opposition
TO the very force that is working for our
good. For pain is only the friction of the
recuperative power at work. Its inten-
sity is doubled and its work retarded
when we fear or resist it, whereas, if we
could onlylknow how TO work with il and
encourage It, there Is no reason why il
should not do as much for us as IL does
for dog or a cat. 1t Is the work of this
new philosophy to teach that it can be
made to do as much and more. Soothing
material conditions are help, and should
not be despised A dog, when sick, does
not declare, even by his actions, that he
is well, but goes away and lies down
quietly. Sometimes he will seek out some
particular herb, which instinct teacl es
him will assist in producing conditions
favorable to cure but nevertheless it is
not the herb that actually rebuilds injured
tissues or casts out injurious substances
This is done by the God given power resi-
dent within himself
We say that it would never do for us to
depend exclusively upon our own recuper-
ative powers for restoration from sick
ness. Very likely we have tried it at some
time and found it to be a failure; we only
grew worse and worse until we felt Obliged
to call a doctor. That is very true We
have lost all control of this power but
that does not prove that we cannot regain
It, The difference between man and the
lower animals is that what they do by
instinct or unconsciously, he must do by
intelligent, conscious cooperation with
law. Man has a soul, and by his soul he
must rule or not at all. If he abdicates his
throne there Is no more pitiable slave than
he.
Now, let us consider how this lost
dominion may be regained. The mental
healer not only temporarily restores the
natural conditions but teaches the patient |
certain of the principles by which he may
in future help himself This instruction,
enforced by what the patient has seen in |
observing his own recovery, is sufficient for |
a start, and If he will apply himself to |
study and self-discipline, he can In time |
acquire the much to-be desired control |
over his own health. If ono is not sick, |
but has his attention called TO the subject |
the same study and self-discipline may |
fortify him against future dangers.
Let us consider the case of man with |
IA disease which the doctors do not under |
stand 1t is usually such diseases that |
drive people to the mental healers He is
like an unframed engineer whose engine |
is entirely beyond his control; he does
not know what is the matter with it nor
what valve to touch to stop its headlong
ifrht 10, Il Thn L,,, s,
an engine; the man within, the mind or
SOUL is the engineer. Every function of
the body Is consciously or unconsciously |
under the control of the mind. There is
a set of nerves whose only business it Is to
control the circulation of the blood, by
to it the commands of the un
conscious brain. Sometimes the action is
or paling of the face under the influence
of certain emotions. Sudden fear may
"make the heart stand still. +" A sudden
shock has been known to cause death, and
an instance is recorded of criminal who
for purposes Of experiment. was put to
death by the forced action Of his own inn
agination. He was told that he was to
/
made on his arm, and warm water al
lowed to drip against 1t and into basin
beneath. The doctors sat near, talking
Of the subject and saying from time to
time how much longer the man could
live. At the appointed time he died, sim
ply because he thought he must. The
action of the conscious mind was entirely
effective in stopping every vital process
going on.in that mans body.
But to return to the case of the man
who has applied to "A mental healer What
ioes the healer do to overcome the iiscaseg
He first talks quietly with the patient,
perhaps introducing the subject of mental
healing and perhaps not; that must de-
pend upon the patients receptivity and
apparent desire for information. Then
he sits silent for time with eyes covered
with his hand. IL asked to explain what
nc does, he will probably answer that it