The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-04-05
MIND AND CIRCULATION.

MIND AND CALCULATION.
Theie appeared in the KenneH Id
0aa1Ge, Of January 25th, a very inter-
esting article, entitled "Muscle Board
Inventor" which is described as a
device to show the minds influence
on circulation. Its author claims
that the centre of gravity of the hu-
man body changes as the circulation
of the blood becomes more or less
rapid.
Your correspondent was very much
interested in the article-exceeding-
ly so. He hopes that it will COM
mand the attention of many. But
your correspondent could not resist
the humorous thought Che is nothing
if not humorous) that, so far as his
knowledge goes, the centre of gravity
in individuals seems to be centered in
different parts of the body.
In some we see great gravity cen
tered in the face. In some it seems
to be centered in the feet. In GER
tain Bucks county man once knew,
now deceased, the centre of gravity
seemed to be all over him. One said
of him that he thought if he moved
one degree slower he would be stock
still. In some there is anything but
gravity or slowness about the feet,
as with the lively dancing master.
In his case there would seem to be
no gravity at all, unless it be when,
in the retirement of his room, he con-
templates his foolish capers. In the
dancing master gravity does not seem
to centre anywhere-in face, body,
legs or feet. With him it seems to
have rowing commission. Appar-
emily, it roves altogether out of him.
Your correspondent is not a dancing
master. Neither does he know how
to dance. He is not one of those
who "slings nasty foot" His foot
is not nasty foot at all. 1t is a
neat, trim foot, but it knows nothing
about the light fantastic" f" 1t is
neat and trim, but it is very sober
foot ia real Friendly one-the writer
will not say, however, if Orthodox or
Hicksite. One who sits much would
seem to have gravity centered remote
from either head or foot. In hori-
zontal body it would appear that the
centre of gravity is at a point distant
from the centre of gravity in a per-
pendicular body.
We have in actual life gravity or
graveness of look, word, act and de-
meanor. Some go about with faces
dolorous-gravelooking, indeed. Some
walk through life, gravity seemingly
through and through them-every
look, every word, every movement,
every thought apparently, a grave
one. No smile to encourage us, no
happy thought lighting up the coun-
tenance. They are the very embodi-
ment of gravenes. Solemnity, deep
solemnity, is always theirs.
Perhaps I have been talking fool
ishly. If SO, let me close. Before
doing so, let me say that I shall never
forget a remark made to me few
years since by minister in the Socie-
ty of Friends. He was not one of
the solemn kind. He was good,
though, and sufficiently dignifed.
In the course of conversation, one
day, he said to me, II do not believe
in that religion which thinks it nec-
essary to go through life with long
face and manner of great solemnity.
As though to be good and virtuous,
one must always look grave and SOL
emn." William Penn did not think
so, for we read that he (splendid man
that he was) with the Indians skip
ped and jumped, entering heartily at
times into their innocent amusements.
The religion of the Friend of whom
speak was not of the severely grave
and solemn order-and yet a more
sincere and truly good man 1 think 1
never knew. His, cheerful, sunny,
uplifting religion. He buoyed you
up-he encouraged-he did not, with
great solemnity and gloomy thought
distress and weigh you down. He
was simply good. He went about
doing good. He attended to his dali
ly business and home duties in con-
scientious but always cheerful way.
He always had smile for you and a
pleasant word. He always extended
a comforting and helpful hand. He
did not repel. He drew you to him,
with his ever kindly, cheerful way.
You left him, always, strengthened
and refreshed.
Yes, this Friends religion was not
gloomy one. 1t was bright and
cheerful and inspiring. There was
goodness in it, but no undue gravity
of word or look. His a genial, sun
ny, generous nature. 1t was not in
him to be gloomy or morose. He
was a Friend by Confinement. I"
These, perhaps, the best of Friends.
To be born a member of a church
does not seem to the writer to be the
best way. 1t may have had its ad-
vantage in the past in the Society of
Friends, but the time has come, in
the writer's view, when it were bet
ter to let the young man and young
woman choose their religion for them
selves. As it is, they do this in a
large degree, for many go off from
the faith into which they were born.
1t was the privilege of the writer to
attend the funeral of this good, sunny
minded man. The gathering was at