Bridlington and Quay Gazette. — 1913-02-21 (Bridlington, Humberside, England)

THE REV. A. N. COOPER AT CHRIST CHURCH At the special Lenten service at Christ Church on Friday eveninfr, the preacher was the Rev. A. N. Cooper, vicar of Filey, who is known throughout the country not only as "The walking Parson," but also as a cultured and genial writer on many other subjects besides his continental travels. The Rev. gentleman took for his text "Art thou in health, my brother ", 2. Sam., xx, 9. He said:  "However busy we may be, we still make time for the little courtesies of life. In Bible lands, they are very particular about this, and no one would think of asking his way of a peasant working in the fields without first expressing a hope that such labour woUld be profitable. Our text deals with the meeting of two generals, but they do not proceed to the business in hand, until one has enquired of the other, "Art _thou in health, my brother ? " . .  It will be remembered this is the same greeting though in different words, wliich Elisha sent to the woman of Shunem.—ls it well with thee, is it well with thy husband, is it well with thy child? So the oommonplace salutation of How do you do, comes to us with Scriptural sanction. In days when we are apt to think we are lees religious than we were, it may be well to be reminded that we have forgotten that many things are religious at least in their origin. Thus goodbye, is only an abbreviated form, of God be with you, as when ths Frenchman says Adieu, he really is commending you to God, whether he means it or not.  Art thou in health, my brother, is always an appropriate enquiry, but never more so than in the month of February, when chills, colds and fevers are common. The very name of the month has a medical origin, for we may know the febrifuge, or preventive of fever, as a medicine. Therefore the Romans tried to keep themselves in health by progress to their gods, and by greater attention to cleanliness or purification. A popular writer has expressed the opinion that it is little short of a sin to be ill when we might be well. If we earn our living, illness cuts us off from our trade; whether we earn a living or not, it is hoped that all live tieefuluess, which must be at a standstill, when we are ill, and so the public' suffer. li, Is therefore of more than personal concern that we keep in health. Moreover by that mysterious link which there is between the body and the soul, when the body is out of health, sickness does not stop at the body. How many take a despondent view of things and are incapable of Hope, because they suffer from some depressing disorder of the liver. How many are peevish and discontented because they are martys to indigestion, and the bad tempers of others may be traced to bodies which are never free from pain. How important is it that we should be in health. . .  It is -never recorded that Jesus Christ the pattern man was out of health, and this had much to do with the healthy-mindedness of his outlook. Be came eating and drinking, and he loved Martha, who was careful about much serving. Be refused to be a kill-joy, and when he was asked to rebuke his disciples for enjoying a walk in the corn fields, plucking the ears of corn as they went, he would not do so; as when he was asked to silence the children who shouted Hosanna, and cut down branches from the trees, and strewed their garments in the way he would not put down that in which he saw no harm. There never was one who loved, so many and disliked so few as Jesus Christ The Church of England has at least in this way, "followed in his train." The Church has nothing to say against amusement or sport or enjoyment generally. The Church of England has no fads. We could mention other religious bodies which forbid, the eating of pork, others which frown upon dancing, and others which forbid this trade or that The Church of England has that healthy-minded outlook which she inherits from Christ himself.  " Art thou in health my brother ? " If we see any one at table refusing one dish after another, and eating with little relish what is provided, we may be sure that there is something wrong with the health of that person. So if we find ourselves indulging in dislikes of persons and things without any reason or cause, but simply because we don't like them we may be sure that the health of our souls needs attending to. We have all heard that no hatred equals the odium theologieum, and those who have enquired are aware how often that hatred exists without any adequate cause. But it is not the merely liking things which shows a healthy mind. If, for instance I love savoury meat such as delighted the soul of Isaac, and if' I must have it at any price, probably my mind will be in the same unhealthy state of favouritism as Isaac felt towards his sons. If a man love sport as Esau did, and care for nothing else, he will be as Beau, just one who ate and drank and went his way. It is the ability to know when to stop which marks the healthy mind. The maxim of science that " men do not die but commit suicide " turns on this, for men kill themselves by over-indulgence in one thing or another. Last year was the centenary of Borodino when a squad of soldiers were present who fought in the Russian Army. They must have all been a hundred and twenty years old, and some were a hundred and forty. But these Russians had lived on such plain fare as Rye bread and sour milk an their lives.  No better instance of a healthy-minded religion could be given than that of a lady who lost her only daughter, the light of her life. She resolved that her sorrow should not throw its shadow on any of those around her,-friends, servants, dependants 'and the like. She resolved that her house should be still as bright and cheerful as ever it had been when her daughter was alive, and her sorrow should be kept entirely for herself. This is rather different to those who say they cannot control themselves, that one is a slave to his pipe, and another cannot forget his grievance, and a third cannot give up his liquor, let the doctor say what he will. So there are various points which go to show if we are in health or not, and neither the appetite without the restraint or the restraint without the appetite are proof of the healthy-minded religion we profess to belong to.