Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-02-22
VINEYARD
LETTER

Aoi 10 Ausit hfdlNs ne ptSl iUbN
can do is to remove any obstacle that
prevents or retards the natural heal
ing process. All the science in the
world viii not cause a broken bone
to knit together. though science. by
seeing that the broken parts are pro-
perly put together, may prevent de-
formity and aid nature in her own
work of healing.
Allied to This law of health is the
one of growth. It is natural for all
things to grow. Death and decay are
facts. but they but manifest the fact
that even the process of disintegra-
ton is growth.
These Two facts are well attested.
yet Notwithstanding this, the credul-
Gus are always ON the lookout for
panacea. Patent medicines advertised
to cure all the ills that flesh is heir
to find ready purchasers; while In the
spiritual end mental worlds the same
noted professors of New Thought"
there are who teach that by certain
prescribed method taught only by
them. the student may by taking
thought add cubits to his stature.
And they add by way of proof that
Napoleon Bonaparte or George Wash.
ington was secretly in the habit of
following their Identical method. And
those there be who believe them.
Creeds there are which insist that
by some special act slightly different
from the act performed by other
creeds. an absolute certainty of sal
walton is assured, and the creed pro-
claiming such panacea is sure Of
It's followers.
When will mankind learn that In
the physical. mental or spiritual
worlds. as far as known. there Is no
panacea? For our wrong acts we suf-
fer, and the only relief to be obtained
is by return TO right living and then
mayhap. the old scars remain.
Conscience outlines for us a course
OF action, but, from various causes we
fail to live up 10 this mark and there
fore we have this secret knowledge
that We have hdfan sha-+s Mentally
and physically It is the same. In our
school days perhaps, we cultivate ex-
cellent mental habits which we drop
in after life, and again comes to us
the knowledge that we are not as
bright or that our minds are not as
active as might be. We eat, or drink.
or smoke in manner that we know
to be detrimental to good physical
health. and suffer, mayhap. but slight
ly, but still slightly. in consequence
and to our knowledge of our other
shortcomings is added this one also
These shortcomings and the knowledge
of them are universal and account
in large measure for the human de-
sire for some short cut back to per-
fection. or at least. to the highest
possibility.
The desire is doomed to failure of
attainment and the remedies are none
of them efficacious
81 there then no balm in Gilead. no
way of relief? Should doctors, spirit.
ual and physical, be discharged and
life be given over to despair?
BY no means. Growth is a law OF
nature, and nature heals. Give ma
ture a chance. and In order that the
best good may result use the doctors
to see that nature has the best pos
sible chance.
Corruption Of any sort causes the
accumulation of diseased matter and
before healing can commence this
matter must be removed. Physically
this Is brought about by the use of the
lancet. and spiritually much the same
result is obtained by confession. Ev-
erything is forgiven the perfectly can.
did man.
The chapter in psychology on hab-
II is intensely interesting. but is. be-
lieye. greatly misleading. The array
of statistics, the clever Illustrations.
have the effect Of producing the belief
that there is positively no escape from
the growth of habit. and that once an
act is committed and It's impression
recorded by the nerves. that its repe-
ution Is almost sure 10 take place
Such a doctrine is harmful In the ex-
treme as it leads to belief in fatal.
ism. and the doctrine that what is
to be will be"
The words degeneracy and degen-
crate are also banded about in pro-
miscuous way calculated to do much
harm. Let youth commit some act
of petty thievery and Immediately
some newspaper scribe. fond OF his
familiarity with popular word.
rushes into print with his story of the
theft. branding the guilty one as a
degenerate. The youth sees the word,
learns its meaning. ponders II in his
mind and as likely as not accepts the
verdict as true. On his escape from
justice he proceeds to Justify the term
that has been applied by committing
another theft.
It's natural He sowed the act. nc.
cepted the verdict and reaps the hab-
II.
The truth overlooked Is that good
habit Is as readily cultivated as a bad
one. That certain tendencies are In.
eradicable in human nature Is true,
but that their growth should be fos-
tered is not true While we may not
be able to eradicate the evil tenden.
cies. we are able to cultivate the good
tendencies.