A Sound Mind in a Sound Body, or How to Acquire Health
By Daniel H. Kress
In erecting a durable building we are most careful in the selection of suitable material for its construction. Very little thought or intelligence, however, is put into body building. Men, women, and children eat and drink they know not what, and they know not how—perhaps for mere amusement or for pastime. It is a duty to go about the work of body building just as intelligently as carpenters or masons go about the work of house building, for the quality of the material used in either case determines the quality of the structure erected. Man is composed of that which is furnished the organs of digestion, just as truly as a building is composed of the material furnished the carpenters and other workmen. No special transformation takes place in the material after it is eaten; the food, whether good, bad, or indifferent, furnished for body building is merely dissolved by the digestive juices, or converted into a liquid so that it may be absorbed. Then it is built up into bone, muscle, nerve, and brain. The digestive organs correspond to the carpenters and masons; they merely do the hewing and squaring of the body material. The old German proverb is therefore true, and applies to both body and mind: “As a man eateth, so is he.” Mentally, we are what the mind feeds upon; physically, we are what we eat. Gross foods make a gross being, with a gross mind and gross thoughts. That a meat diet produces a grossness of body, mind, and morals will readily be seen by any one who is at all observing. If a gross diet tends to produce grossness of body, mind, and morals, it becomes doubly important to exercise care in the selection of material out of which to build the body. Especially should care be exercised by the one who recognizes that his body is the temple of God, or that he is erecting a temple for God to dwell in. Solomon, in erecting that beautiful temple at Jerusalem, said, “Behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God.” This purpose led him to employ the best available material. The stately cedars were brought at great expense from Lebanon, and costly stones from afar. The floors and ceilings, and, in fact, the whole house were overlaid with gold. When it was finished, he said, “I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling forever.” Then the ark, containing the law of God, the principles of God’s government, was brought into the temple, and “the glory of the Lord filled the house.” Solomon’s aim in the construction of that temple should be the aim of every body builder—“to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God.” Day by day we should use only the best food material available. This is what that command means, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Each evening the body builder should be able to say, I have been building an house of habitation for thee to-day. Every one who purposes to build a habitation for God, will also with Daniel purpose in his heart not to defile it with the meat and wine of Babylon. The ordinary material used by the world in body building will not answer. Should Solomon have erected the temple with inferior timbers, or anything lying about, or should he have had no aim in building, merely building to pass away time, he certainly could not have asked or expected the glory of the Lord ever to fill that temple. There are many who eat and drink anything and everything that is set before them,—pork, sausage, cheese, pepper, mustard, pickles; they have no aim in building; they eat merely to please the palate; and then they are surprised at their leanness of soul, and wonder why the glory of the Lord does not fill the temple. How can we invite the Lord to dwell in a habitation that has been erected in such a reckless and haphazard manner? Is there a remedy for this leanness of soul?—Yes. The Lord says, “Eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.” Even though the greatest care is exercised in the selection of body-building material, more than this is necessary, in order to have perfect soundness. Reformation should be preceded by a transformation of the mind. The law of God, the principles of the divine government, must be placed in that sacred casket, the mind; for out of it are the issues of life. The impulses sent forth from the mind must be healthy and wholesome in order for the body to be in health. Upon the mind are to be written the principles of the kingdom of heaven. When this is done, the glory of the Lord will fill the temple, and his glory will be seen upon his people. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord.” Body building is important; but it is of little value if the mind is not built up with the living bread, or stored with the living principles found in the Word of God. When the law is brought into the temple, man will be governed by principle in all that he does, and will no longer be controlled by feelings or inclinations. When he is governed by principle, then the house will be filled with God’s presence. There is just as much thoughtlessness in the selection of mental food as there is in the selection of food for the body. Men and women read that which tickles the mind, just as they eat that which imparts a pleasurable sensation to the palate. The class of literature that supplies the mental food for the great majority of old and young of to-day is toxic, and destructive to mind, health, and morals. The prevalence of hysteria and other nervous diseases—especially among women—is largely due to reading this class of literature,—literature which is positively pernicious, presenting utterly false and misleading views of human life, and disseminating erroneous notions with respect to the principles which should govern life. An English journalist who has made such publications his special study, calls attention, among others, to the following insidious and erroneous principles which cultivate impulses in the human heart that should be repulsed: “the surpassing advantages of beauty, which will never fail to attract admiration, and consequently suitors; the great delights of dress and of all outside show and splendor; the supreme joys of love-making. The motto of the novelette seems to be, ‘Make love, honorably if you can, but make love; for love and lovers give the great relish to life—the only relish.’ And forthwith the young girl or young woman worker, whether in a factory or in a suburban shop, begins to act on these principles. ‘Why should I plod along,’ she argues to herself, ‘day after day, and at a small wage, when riches are the one thing needful? Let me get riches at any price. If I can marry or attach myself to a wealthy man, then I can get all I want—fashionable clothes, theater tickets, everything that my heart desires.’” So the first step on the downward path is taken. Many a poor creature has thus been ruined for this life and the life to come. This is moral and mental poisoning of the worst kind, and its tendency is to weaken the restraints of morality, to set up ideals which can not be too strongly discountenanced, and to encourage the idea that the aim and end of human existence is the pursuit of pleasure at any sacrifice of honor and self-respect, and not the zealous and faithful performance of those duties which are incumbent upon every one.13 This class of literature creates a feeling of discontent, and causes a disrelish for the plain, homely duties of every-day life which, if cheerfully done, can alone bring happiness and health. Our advice to old and young is, Be careful in the selection of body-building material, and above all, exercise care in building up a healthy, wholesome, sound mind.