Vol. 18. Battle Creek, Mich., December, 1883, No, 12
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Ir II 1 1 I II II II I II II 11 1 II II 11 IIII 1 IT 11 11 1 II II 11 1 ,11 \d NA / COB POI/ E SA NO. VOL. 18. BATTLE CREEK, MICH., DECEMBER, 1883, NO, 12. REARING OF ERRONEOUS APPETITES ON of our being never instituted are so many violations of natural law, which is the law MORAL ACCOUNTABILITY. of God ; and they secure for the offender, BY DR. L. B. COLE, M. D. sooner or later to be administered, a cer- tain and unavoidable penalty. Every THE moral bearings of erroneous physi- such violation of law is a sin against cal appetites is a subject rarely discussed, physical life, exposing us to physical suf- either by physiologists, philanthropists, or fering ; and, when it is done consciously, theologians. Yet it is one of vast impor- it is a sin against moral obligation toward tance, and ought to draw forth the intel- God, to be met on the day of final Judg- lectual and moral energies of those who ment. Hence the importance of trying are devoted to the elevation and salvation to know the difference between the in- of the human race. It is one which stinctive attributes of our being, and the ought especially to come from the pulpit destructive lusts which are made by as a part of that gospel which was insti- habit ; that we may neither be found sin- tuted for the eternal well-being of men ; ning against our own bodies nor the one which every minister of the gospel Maker of them. should make familiar to his own mind, God, the Creator of our bodies, has ar- and give with clearness and force to the ranged the condition of every fibre and people. function, and has pledged himself to Every gospel preacher ought evidently maintain their right action, unless dis- so to study the laws of physical life, and turbed by some foreign agency, till age their bearings on the soul, that he may shall wear out the cords that bind us to be able to speak on this subject correctly; life. Every law governing the human and, by an example of obedience to phys- system is as truly divine in origin and ical law, to preach it forcibly to his peo- character, and authority as are the teach- ple. He should urge them, by precept ings of the Bible. And every unneces- and example, to " abstain from fleshly sary and wanton deviation from obedi- lusts which war against the soul." It ence to this law is as certainly a sin as a has fallen to me, in the providence of God, violation of gospel precept. Hence we to present this subject, during seven years are as truly under obligation to know past, on almost every Sabbath, in different and obey the former as we are the latter. churches throughout the Union. And There are instances in which it may be many have seemed ready to awake from necessary to transgress the laws of health, the lethargy of unconscious sensualism, to answer the demand of some higher ob- and free themselves from the despotic ligation, as in cases of illness in the fam- reign of unnatural animal appetites. ily, where loss of sleep and other priva- Every indulgence of any unnatural ap- tions are unavoidable in the discharge of petite produces a morbid state of the obvious duty : but when we intelligently physical system. Every indulgence at violate law for no justifiable end, we com- war with natural instinct is at war with mit sin against God as certainly as though the healthy condition of every function of we commit robbery. organic life. Appetites which the Author All the kingdoms of nature reveal the 354 GOOD HEALTH. law of God ; but nowhere is this com- on himself. While he expects gain, he mand " so fearfully and wonderfully experiences loss ; and one which perhaps made" to speak out to an intelligent cannot be measured by any ordinary me- mind as in our own physical structure. dium of computation. Whoever expects Here has Jehovah written his law, not by to gain by stepping out of nature's path amanuenses, or inspired men, neither on —a path which Deity has marked out for parchment nor on tables of stone ; but by him—into one of his own designing, his own almighty finger, upon every liv- cheats himself egregiously. ing fibre and function of the human body. He who tries to be wiser than God To needlessly transgress a law of life is makes himself a fool. Nature's path is therefore a violation of the law of God ; wide enough for any man's footsteps. and from the physical punishment of that And a benevolent Providence has strewed sin there is no escape and no redemption. it richly with varied luxuries for his sus- No propitiatory sacrifice has been made tenance and enjoyment. Deity has given for this form of transgression. In some us natural appetites which, if rightly in- way, sooner or later, the suffering must dulged, will secure physical happiness come. -Every transgression of physical and longevity. But, if we use those ap- law, committed consciously or uncon- petites wrongly, or create unnatural ones, sciously, unavoidably or wantonly, will and indulge them in any degree, we per- receive the penalty made due in natural vert nature, and take all the responsibil- law ; and, as just stated, if it be one ity of painful consequences upon ourselves. which is committed under light, and for We contemn the arrangement of Heaven no worthy object, it becomes not only a for our welfare and safety, and cast our- sin against ourselves, but a sin against selves upon the boisterous sea of life, God. The physical penalty May appear without compass or rudder, to be tossed, in the form of sickness, broken constitu- and driven, and dashed upon bars and tion, premature decay and death, or in all reefs which stand thick outside of nat- these forms conjoined. The violation of ure's channel. moral obligation, with all its evils of a The Creator has given us these bod- moral bearing, must be met when God ies to be our habitation,—a dwelling shall call us to a final account. adapted to our highest comfort and wel- Whoever indulges in any unnatural fare. It is now a habitation fitted up by luxury produces a morbid action in the the Creator, of which he should be a system, disturbs the equilibrium of or- faithful steward and tenant, till called ganic vitality, and lessens its native vigor hence-to give account. But if he wan- and durability. And this disturbing proc- tonly destroy that dwelling, suddenly or ess is generally so insidious in its coarse, gradually, by setting it on fire to enjoy and so unrecognized in its final develop- the splendor of the flames, or the grand- ments—for nature will bear abuse silently eur of the lighted clouds of smoke, or by as long as she can—that the offender does gradually digging away the foundation not perceive the cloud of wrath that is on which the vital structure is based, he gathering over him till he is pelted by the stands charged with the crime of suicide storm ; and even then he may be so igno- before Heaven, and must answer to it in rant of the laws of organic life and their the day of Judgment. penal code, that he knows not wherefore Hence the importance which attaches he is punished. He groans under pains to a knowledge of the structure and func- and prostration which he cannot account tions of organic life. People compara- for, and calls it the common lot of man- tively are intelligent upon every subject kind, or the providence of God, when it is but this. They know nothing of their only the final issue of a long warfare be- habitation, or how to take care of it. tween nature and his own habits. They have never even looked in upon If a man would seek to live for no many of its apartments, and especially higher purpose than his own personal en- -upon those which are the most elevated joyment, let him know and obey the laws and important. They seem content with of his own physical being. He who says, living forever in the very lowest room,—the " Let me live while I do live," and seeks underground, basement story,—satisfied enjoyment by indulgence in morbid appe- with groveling in mere earthly and sen- tites, is committing a mighty mistake. sual things, to the entire neglect of the He is practicing the very worst kind of vacant and unfurnished higher portions humbuggery, deception, and knavery up- of their physical being, built by the Cre- GOOD HEALTH. 355 ator for the exercise of intelligence. himself, will be more likely, from desire They are content with living as menial of some selfish end, to sacrifice the peace servants, rather than walk up into a and welfare of others. higher apartment, and be the prince of As before remarked, it is as truly a the palace. They choose rather to be the sin against Heaven to violate a law of brute portion of human nature than to life, as to break one of the ten command- rise to the honor of being the soul of hu- ments. In this statement, no comparison manity, to dwell at a height which is but was attempted in the magnitude of crimes. little lower than the angels. This is a matter which no finite mind can Deity has put every man under obliga- fully measure.