Many have
expected that God would keep them from sickness merely because they have asked
him to do so. But God did not regard their prayers, because their faith was not
made perfect by works. God will not work a miracle to keep those from sickness
who have no care for themselves, but are continually violating the laws of
health, and make no efforts to prevent disease. When we do all we can on our
part to have health, then may we expect that the blessed results will follow,
and we can ask God in faith to bless our efforts for the preservation of
health. He will then answer our prayer, if his name can be glorified thereby.
But let all understand that they have a work to do. God will not work in a
miraculous manner to preserve the health of persons who are taking a sure
course to make themselves sick, by their careless inattention to the laws of
health.
Those who will gratify their appetite, and
then suffer because of their intemperance, and take drugs to relieve them, may
be assured that God will not interpose to save health and life which is so
recklessly periled. The cause has produced the effect. Many, as their last
resort, follow the directions in the word of God, and request the prayers of
the elders of the church for their restoration to health. God does not see fit
to answer prayers offered in behalf of such, for he knows that if they should
be restored to health, they would again sacrifice it upon the altar of
unhealthy appetite.
There is a class of invalids who have no
real located disease. But as they believe they are dangerously diseased, they
are in reality invalids. The mind is diseased, and many die who might recover
of disease, which exists alone in the imagination. If such could have their
minds diverted from themselves, from noticing every poor feeling, they would
soon improve. Inactivity will cause disease. And to this the indulgence of
unhealthy appetite, and drug-taking, and those who had no real located disease
will become invalids in very deed. They make themselves so. If such would
engage in cheerful, healthy labor, they would rise above poor feelings. Even if
they should become very weary at times it would not hurt them. As they would
accustom themselves to healthy, active labor, the mind would be occupied, and
not find time to dwell upon every ache and pain.
If invalids would dispense with medicines
of every description, and improve their habits of eating, and exercise as much
as possible in the open air, their names would soon be dropped from the invalid
list. The power of the will is a mighty soother of the nerves, and can resist
much disease, simply by not yielding to ailments, and settling down into a
state of inactivity. Those who have but little force, and natural energy, need
to constantly guard themselves, lest their minds become diseased, and they give
up to supposed disease, when none really exists. It is slow murder for persons
to confine themselves days, weeks and months in doors, with but little out-door
exercise.
Others are too active in body and mind.
The mind of such must rest as well as the body, and without it, will be
overworked, and the constitution must break down. Satan exults to see the human
family plunging themselves deeper, and deeper, into suffering and misery. He
knows that persons who have wrong habits, and unsound bodies, cannot serve God
so earnestly, perseveringly and purely as though sound. A diseased body affects
the brain. With the mind we serve the Lord. The head is the capitol of the
body. If the finger is pricked, the nerves, like the telegraphic wires, bear
the intelligence immediately to the brain. Satan triumphs in the ruinous work
he causes by leading the human family to indulge in habits which destroy
themselves, and one another; for by this means he is robbing God of the service
due him.
In order to preserve health, temperance
in all things is necessary. Temperance in labor, temperance in eating and
drinking. Because of intemperance a great amount of misery has been brought
upon the human family. The eating of pork has produced scrofula, leprosy and
cancerous humors. Pork-eating is still causing the most intense suffering to
the human race. Depraved appetites crave those things which are the most
injurious to health. The curse, which has rested heavily upon the earth, and
has been felt by the whole race of mankind, has also been felt by the animals.
The beasts have degenerated is size, and length of years. They have been made
to suffer more than they otherwise would by the wrong habits of man.
There are but a few animals that are free
from disease. They have been made to suffer greatly for the want of light, pure
air, and wholesome food. When they are fattened, they are often confined in
close stables, and are not permitted to exercise, and to have free circulation
of air. Many poor animals are left to breathe the poison of filth which is left
in barns and stables. Their lungs will not long remain healthy while inhaling
such impurities. Disease is conveyed to the liver, and the entire system of the
animal is diseased. They are killed, and prepared for the market, and people
eat freely of this poisonous animal food. Much disease is caused in this
manner. But people cannot be made to believe that it is the meat they have
eaten, which has poisoned their blood, and caused their sufferings.
Many
die of disease caused wholly by meat-eating, yet the world does not seem to be
the wiser. Animals are frequently killed that have been driven quite a distance
for the slaughter. Their blood has become heated. They are full of flesh, and
have been deprived of healthy exercise, and when they have to travel far, they
become surfeited, and exhausted, and in that condition are killed for market.
Their blood is highly inflamed, and those who eat of their meat, eat poison.
Some are not immediately affected, while others are attacked with severe pain,
and die from fever, cholera, or some unknown disease. Very many animals are
sold for the city market known to be diseased by those who have sold them, and
those who buy them are not always ignorant of the matter. Especially in larger
cities this is practiced to a great extent, and meat-eaters know not that they
are eating diseased animals