The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-09-14

The Psalmist asks of Jehovah,
what Is man, that thou art mind
full Of him, and the Son Of man. that
thou visitest hfm7" And answering
his own question, he adds. For thou
hast made him a little lower than the
angels, and hast crowned him with
glory and honor"
Miracle Of miracles IL mani Most
helpless Of all Gods creatures in In
fancy: most powerful when fully de-
veloped, and interesting always. What
unfathomed possibilities are wrapt
within the swaddling clothes that en-
fold an infant! Who can measure a
child's influence for veal or woef Be-
fore 1t can lisp a word, 1t has brought
to one woman the sweet conscious
ness OF motherhood. and IL has given
to one man the added strength that
comes with a sense OF responsibility.
Before it's tiny hands can lifts feath-
er's weight, they have drawn two
hearts closer together and Its inno-
cent prattle echoes through two lives.
Every day that child In its growth
touches and changes some one; not a
year In all It's history but that It
leaves an impress upon the race. What
incalculabie space between a statue,
however fawless the marble, however
faultless the workmanship, and a hu-
man being "afiame with the passion
OF eternity"
II the statue cannot. like human
being. bring the gray hairs of a pa
rent Elm sorrow to the grave" or
devastate a nation. or with murderous
hand extinguish the vital spark In q
fellow-bein neither can 1t, like a
human being, minister to suffering
mankind. por scatter gladncss ''o'er
a smiling land" nor vet claim the
blessings promised in the Sermon on
the Mount. Only TO man. made in
the divine likeness. is given the awful
power to choose between measureless
success and immeasurable woe.
Man shares with the animal a ply
steal nature--he has body. the cita.-
lei of the mind. the temporary tene-
this link in the endless chain that
connects the generations past with the
generations yet to come shall be made
SIS strong as conditions heredity and
environment will permit All Of us
inherit both weaknesses and elements
of strength. IT Is within our power
TO conserve and to increase the
strength that has come down to us.
and II is also within our power to dis
nipate the physical fortune which we
have received.
If civilization can be defined--and
] know of no better deflnition---as the
harmonious development of the hu-
man race. physically. mentally and
morally, then each individual. whether
his influence In perceptible or not
raises the level Of the civilization OF
his age just in proportion as he con
tributes to the worlds work a body,
a mind and heart capable Of maxi
mum effort No one lives unto him
self or dies unto himself. The tie that
binds each human A<4+Es ia erarx other
human being Is one that cannot be
severed.
Every kind or sport. every form OF
exercise that contributes TO the devel-
oprnenf of the body. without mental
deterioration or an impairment Of the
moral forces. can be encouraged. Not
only does the body demand attention
in the growing years, but II requires
continuous care throughout the entire
life. A stunted body In the penalty
for overrork IN the child. a weak
body the penalty of lack OF exercise,
but natures punishments are not Wis
tied upon youth alone. The over
worked or underfed man or woman
cannot escape natures penalty Meth
err can those escape who. fancyins
themselves more fortunate. invite the
evils Of idleness and overlooking.
II any one suppo~es that education
should relieve him from a personal
knowledge of bread -labor---''the pri-
mary struggle with nature"he Is In
grfevous error. At present the
strength Of the race is materially les
sened by the decay consequent upon
the !dleness of those who have come
to regard physical toll as a disgrace
1unless endured for amusement}. and
the average length Of life Is shortened
by thosa who convert the normal func-
ton Of eating into gluttony. In the
care OF the body three things are
necessary: First. food sufficient In
quantity and proper in quality to in
sure growth until maturity and health
afterwards. At present we have at
one extreme those who suffer from
lack of nourishing food and at the
opposite extreme those who ruin their
health with high living, Second. the
body needs exercise sufficient in guam
tity and kind to keep 1t in good work
ing order At present a large num-
Der. young and old, work too long
while, on the other hand. many dc
not work at all. Third. the body needs
rest SUFFICIENT for recuperatson Today
a portion Of the population have toe
little opportunity for rest. while Others