p. 14 | How to Breathe by Mrs. H. A. St. John

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Mar 22, 1910

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 37, No. 12.

How to Breathe

By Mrs. H. A. St. John

A CORRECT understanding of this question, and a faithful application of the knowledge obtained, are very necessary for our physical well-being. I will not enter into a full description of the process of proper respiration, being neither qualified nor desirous to do so; but this much I will say,—there are two essentials to the maintenance of the health of our pulmonary systems; namely, the breathing of pure air, and a full and constant inflation of the lungs with the same. To a disregard for these rules are due troublesome colds, the dread pneumonia, which carries off hundreds in the winter season, and a long list of other lung troubles, some more, some less pernicious.

These results are serious enough; but the question of how to breathe, in another sense, is of still greater moment. By breathing foul air, or even good air in insufficient quantities, and thus inducing some fatal disease, we affect only this present, physical life; but by a neglect to place ourselves in a pure spiritual atmosphere, and to inhale sufficient quantities of that life-giving element, we dwarf and enfeeble our higher natures, and become so morally diseased that the result is the loss of life eternally. Hence, let us live in and by this heavenly atmosphere, which is as free for us all as the air we breathe. The one is invisible; so is the other. If the latter is potent for good, the former is much more so.

Therefore let us expand our souls heavenward, breathe in the revivifying atmosphere of faith, salvation, hope, and love, in wholesome, refreshing draughts. The Spirit of God is for all who sense their need, and simply ask for and receive; then we will breathe out with the natural breath that which we have taken in spiritually, even praises to our God.

David evinced what kind of air he had been breathing when he said, "I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving." Ps. 69:30. And with him we would say, "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord." Ps. 150:6. For He says, "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me." Ps. 50:23. It is only when we have breath that we can thus glorify our Maker and our King. Of man we read in Ps. 146:4, "His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish." "The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence." Ps. 115:17. These thoughts pressed themselves so forcibly upon Hezekiah’s heart, he was led to exclaim, "The living, the living, he shall praise Thee, as I do this day." "For the grave can not praise Thee, death can not celebrate Thee." Isa. 38:19, 18.

A Higher Atmosphere

There is another kind of figurative atmosphere, which we will do well to shun — the miasma of self-love, error, and hatred. Belshazzar, dwelling in such an atmosphere, received this rebuke from the prophet of the Lord, upon that fateful night of the handwriting his doom on the wall: "The God in whose hand thy breath is, . . . hast thou not glorified." Dan. 5:23. And others not only fail to glorify God with their breath, but are active in "breathing out cruelty," as were the enemies of David. Ps. 27:12.

Saul the persecutor had an extremely bad breath; for was he not "breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord"? This he did ignorantly. Are not many of us just as blind as to what kind of spiritual atmosphere we are breathing? And will we not continue in that ignorance until our minds shall be illuminated and transformed by the divine Spirit? O, that we would take earnest heed to the following exhortation: "Pray that the mighty energies of the Holy Spirit, with all their quickening, recuperative, and transforming power, may fall like an electric shock on the palsy-stricken soul, causing every nerve to thrill with new life, restoring the whole man from his dead, earthly, sensual state, to spiritual soundness."

Conclusion

From the foregoing we learn that man is a trinity, consisting of body, soul, and spirit, and that he does not and can not breathe right, in the fullest, truest, and highest sense, unless he breathes a pure physical, moral, and spiritual atmosphere. In this way, and in this way only, is the whole man properly nourished. Jesus breathed on His disciples, and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." And when He was glorified with His Father in heaven, on the Day of Pentecost, He sent down the atmosphere of heaven like a rushing mighty wind, and the disciples were all filled therewith, and they went forth from thence everywhere breathing, NOT a spirit of foolishness or frivolity, malice or mischief, selfishness or sensuality, impatience or immorality, unbelief or uncertainty, carelessness or cruelty, deceit or devilry; no, no. All such things are the sure indications of the worst kind of breath and breathing. On the contrary they went forth everywhere breathing a spirit of song and salvation, health and happiness, life and liberty, truth and tenderness, hope and holiness, grace and godliness, praise and prayerfulness, faith and fruitfulness, love and loveliness. Only such have learned how to breathe properly in this world; and all such have the immutable promise, that some day they will be privileged to breathe the atmosphere of the holy city, and of the new heavens and new earth, in the kingdom of immortal glory. Reader, are you learning how to BREATHE for TIME and ETERNITY?