The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1911-01-13
F0RcIBLE HEALTH LESSON
A THOUGHTFUL ARTICLE BY DIR.
GEORGE w. LAY.

/
The following article written by
DR.. George W Lay, rector Of Saint
Mary's and chairman of the executive
committee of the Raleigh Health Lea
que, puts the health matter so plain
that any man. though wayfarer, may
see 1t.
1t is related that In a composition
on pins little boy wrote "Pins have
saved the lives Of thousands of peo-
pile" Some one asked how this was.
The little boy replied ,"By not swal-
lowing them.
Foolish as this may seem, on con-
sideration there will be found deep
philosophic foundation in the wisdom
Of this little boys remark. We ought
to feel. grateful for Things that do not
happen; but we seldom do feel CRATE
full in such cases. When in health
We do not feel grateful for that great
est of all blessings, since We do not
think about it at all. 1t is only when
sickness comes that we realize from
the misery OF our condition at that
time, how very happy we were indeed
before, and how grateful We ought to
have been that we simply had not
fallen sick.
Suppose that thousand people had
TO come up at certain time and
draw little slips of paper, and that
on some Of these slips it said "You
have to die of tuberculosis" on others
you will have to have typhoid fever
and be sick a long time and be very
miserable, and cause your friends
great deal of trouble and expense"
while some said "You have to die OF
typhoid fever" Suppose others said
you will have to lead comparative
ly useless life from the attacks OF ma
laria, or other disease" IL every one
had TO come up and draw one of
these slips there would be great ex-
element previous to the drawing, and
when anybody drew a blank slip,
showing that he was to be blessed
with perfect health, he would feel ex-
ceedingly grateful. We are drawing
these slips all the time without know
ing il, and 1t is only when we draw
slip that puts us into our beds and
lnfiicts upon us great pain and suf-
fering that we realize that we have
drawn any slip at all. This is why
people are so careless about matters
Of health. Nobody ever thinks that
he Is going to be the one to draw the
fatal slip. I'm time OF peace prepare
Tor war;" Just because we are in ex-
cellent health we should feel most
grateful for 1t, and should show our
gratitude by working 20 keep our
selves and others In health.
Let US imagine that in the above
supposed case it was possible for peo-
pie by banding together and helping
zach other to take out certain num-
Der OF the fatal slips that had tuber-
culosis, typhoid. etc, on them and
substitute for them blank slips which
would show that those particular peo-
pie would enjoy perfect health. Would
We not use every effort in the world
% take out as many Of the fatal slips
Is possible, and substitute for them
he white slips that would give the
blessings Of health? This power Is
actually in our hands. and we do not
'ealize II, or use It as we should, be-
'ause we do not see the slips with
,ur eyes.
II We should all Join together many |
diseases can be practically prevented. |
md the blessing Of health and OF life
yiyen to many who otherwise are con-
iemned 70 illness with It's attendant |
,ain, discomfort and expense, or even
Q death itself. Let US be thankful |
or the blessings given US BY means |
4 the pins we do not swallow.--Ral-
Ugh Times.