Physical Exercise by James D. Montgomery

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 9, 1913

Physical Exercise

By James D. Montgomery

JAMES D. MONTGOMERY

Physical activity is necessary to physical well-being. There has never been an exception to this rule since Adam was placed in the garden of Eden to "dress it and to keep it." There never will be an exception to the rule in this life nor in that to come. Even in the earth made new we shall "build houses, and inhabit them;" and "shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them." Isa. 65:21.

To Adam it was said, "Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life." It could not be said that the ground was cursed for man's punishment. It was for his sake, for his benefit. How could it be for the good of man unless work was a blessing to him? He should eat of the fruits of his toil until his death. It is very rare now that a man is physically able to work after he begins to reach old age. He usually spends his declining years in idleness.

The motive underlying the physical culture of the Christian is not that of the self-centered systems of the world, but is an entirely different incentive. It is a self-sacrificing practise meant to help the helpless and to succor the fatherless and the widow. All that is selfish in this method is that the Christian regains his lost health, or else retains his health for the purpose of being all that God made him to be. He may then be a true helper to those less fortunate than himself. As is said in James 1:27, "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." There is no better outlet for bodily activity than such work. It is a potent factor in both retaining and regaining the health. It is also an outlet for spiritual activities, thus being the practical demonstration of a rounded life.

"Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward." Isa. 58:6-8. To use our spare time among our poor neighbors, breaking the bands of wickedness, relieving heavy burdens, breaking yokes, feeding the hungry, bringing in the outcasts and caring for them, would afford an abundance of physical activity. It would also promote the health and advance our righteousness, as well as assure us of a protection to the rearward. Nothing short of this is to be put forth as meeting the requirements of the Bible on this topic.

In the judgment scene portrayed in Matthew 25, certain misled individuals inquired: "When saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?" The answer given to this query is identical with the demands of Isaiah 58, from which we have quoted. Those who are the most active in this work are the ones who are placed at the right hand of our Lord in that great day.

Regarding it as a practical science, we find that the right kind of physical culture is a remedy for physical ills and a veritable panacea for spiritual ills, such as envy, discouragement, petulance, and jealousy. And as a preventive against both physical and spiritual diseases it has no equal. It is always mentioned in the Bible as a useful work, and never as one that "beateth the air" in so-called "exercises." "So built we the wall," said Nehemiah; "for the people had a mind to work." Neh. 4:6. In the parable the Saviour asks, "Why stand ye here all the day idle?" and I may say that many in poor health are so because of inactivity, and would readily recover should they heed the injunction: "Son, go work to-day in my vineyard." Taken in the physical sense, this is excellent advice to those who are physically idle.

Adam was not only to till the ground and eat the fruit of it by the sweat of his face, but he was to do it until he returned to the ground — all his lifetime. The second Adam was a worker. "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?" In fact, there were no idlers among the holy men of old. Says Paul: "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good." Eph. 4:28. And in another place: "For . . . this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat." 2 Thess. 3:10.

Speaking of the virtuous woman, Solomon gives her various qualifications, one of which is useful industry: "She worketh willingly with her hands. . . . She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff." And by her physical exertion in useful labor she "girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms." See Proverbs 31. A strong body is the result of useful labor. The doer is benefited as well as those who receive the help. Whether it is in the family or in the neighborhood, this kind of work operates for the good of the operator.

The circumstances in the beginning were such that the earth brought forth of its strength; yet man was placed in the garden to dress it and to keep it. After the fall the ground was cursed for the sake of man, and he was compelled to work for his living. Ever since that time there have been opposing elements in life that have required more or less effort to overcome. This effort has at times developed sturdy bodies and well-developed minds. Should these opposing elements be removed from our pathway by others, we are not the gainers but the losers. We need to do our own work for the good of our bodies and the clearness of our minds. The idle man has no encouragement in the Bible. He is condemned for his slothfulness and urged to reform. Idleness in a land of plenty is sure to breed every evil thing. One of the sins of Sodom was "fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness." It is a common saying that "Satan finds work for idle hands to do." And it is also said, "The idle brain is the devil's workshop."

Newark, Ohio.