The broad ax., 1917-05-05
REV. FLOYD GRANT SNELSoN,
PASTOR OF ST. MARY'S CHURCH
DELIVERS A SOUND, SENSIBLE
SERMON ON HEALTH At THE
QUARTERLY MEETING HELD
AT THE TIoNAL
CHURCH.

National Health Week was observed
in Chicago by several organizations
last week. A notable contribution to
the great subject of the conservation
of health among the Colored people,
was a special sermon delivered by the
Rev. Floyd Grant Snelson, pastor of
st. Mary's A. M. E. Church at the
Quarterly Meeting service, which was
held at the Institutional Church last
Sunday at 800 P. M. Text-2nd Sam
uel 20 chapter and 9th verse: cart
thou in health, my brother; is it well
with the? For I shall yet praise Him
who is the health of my countenance
and my God. Thine health shall spring
forth speedily and the leaves of the
trees shall be for the healing of the ma
tions." Doctor Snelson said that there
ar 70 Bible references to health and
healing, and declared that the new tes-
lament is one vast hospital of health.
No race of people need greater health
protection than ourselves, and he re-
ioiced that all of the national associ-
ations of the race have united in the
call for the proper observance of
Health Week. Without good health,
and until we reduce the high death rate
among us, there can be no permanent
success in business, in property getting,
in acquiring education, and in general
human uplift. It has been reported
that one-half million Negroes are seri-
ously sick throughout the year, entail
ing a cost of over 100000 annually.
In spite of the fact that race physi-
clans are more numerous and more
skilled, our annual funeral expenses
are more than $15,OOO,OOO a year. Ev-
erv honest and serious effort must be
put forth to reduce our death-rate, de-
throne disease and guarantee physical
efficiency and race-longevity. The
problem of health may be solved by
fresh air, proper food and drink, good
lighting, and sufficient work, rest, and
recreation. Upon the great and all
important problem of marriage and
proper birth conditions, the health of
the race hangs. Whom to marry and
when to marry were suggestively dis
cussed. Doctor Snelson delved and IL
Illuminated the mysteries of conJugal
love and domestic happiness, and ex-
planned scientifically, prenatal infiu-
ence on human life and destiny. He
showed the relation of mother and
child, of father and son, and cited the
case of Sir Walter Scott's mother,
Lord Byron's mother, Napoleon IS
mother, Nero's mother, and the mother
of the Wesley's. In Virgil, book 2, he
cited the story of LAGOON and his two
sons, who were caught in the coils and
bound by the great serpent, whiehNthe
father had played with from its in
fancy. He showed how Rizpah with
fierceness and heroic energy, as the
mater Dolorosa of the Old Tesla
ment" with fierce sword in hand
fought back the vulturous eagle which
sought to eat the bodies of her seven
sons, as they hung suspended from a
lofty gibbet in the evening storm OF
rain.
In like manner he urger the mothers
of the race to war on disease, and
urged cleanliness, and proper sanitary
environment. All should work for
mental health, pure hearts, unblem-
ished homes, domestic purity, and a
high social order. Clean up your debts,
old sores, animosities, and the blessings
of the races will be marvelously en-
HANGED. If we would be a mighty race,
and a great people, we must ally our
selves with moral reform, and work for
a mighty physical regeneration.