Confidence in Mother Nature. QUESTION." Why is it that poets, philosophers, and men of science, as a general thing, discard revealed religion?" ANSWER. - Minds that think independently and with becoming care-expanding day by day with the out-flowings of facts, beauties, laws, and principles-very soon ascertain that God made Reason, and, therefore, did not make an unreasonable revelation for man's guidance! God's natural revelation is congenial alike to the fool and philosopher, to the Hindoo and Christian, while man's written revealments are suggestive and spiritual, yet invariably egotistic and uncertain. Wordsworth says: "Nature never did betray The heart that loved her; 'tis her privilege, From joy to joy; for she can so inform With quietness and beauty, and so feed Shall e'er prevail against us, or disturb Our cheerful faith, that all which we behold Put confidence in your nature, and you shall be strengthened. The gods of the beautiful Summer World will bless thee. By daily obedience to the Self-Healing principles of life, thy condition will become more attractive to the upper good. The Eternal Father and Mother of "spirits" have written their commandments in the human constitution. Look within and upward. Read such books only as contribute to the sum of practical wisdom. Do not strive to acquire knowledge too rapidly-think, act, enjoy. Remain in your own Climate. The climate of Pisa, in Italy, has been long considered favorable to persons afflicted with bronchitis and consumptive diathesis. It is very mild and moist, but many times relaxing and oppressive, to persons of northern nationalities. We would recommend you to remain in your own climate, obey the laws of Nature, keep your spirit happy by doing good deeds, and take those simple remedies prescribed in this book for consumptive conditions. "Oh Health! Oh happiness! our being's end and aim; Good, pleasure, ease, content, whate'er thy name, Softening of the Brain. This condition is very common; the heart is proportionally hardened. Professional, but more frequently business men, are its subjects. The predisposing cause is sumptuous living. After a morning fully occupied with business matters, a man comes regularly to a dinner of various and highly-seasoned dishes. of fish, and fowl, and flesh, with every adjunct to excite and gratify the appetite. He partakes freely of food and wine, in excess, to be sure, though, perhaps, never to the extent of gluttony or inebriety. The papers are read, cigars are smoked, a few hours are passed socially, and the evening closes with a hot supper and abundant punch. If a man living thus continues successful in his plans and his business, he may go through life with no other physical or mental infirmity than the pain and irrascibility of gout, or the distress and gloom of dyspepsia. But if it be otherwise, if he meet with a reverse of fortune, or if some grief or chagrin come upon him, then he is exceedingly liable to this fatal disease, which is the joint product of luxuri ous living and some torturing anxiety or disappointment.-See Report of DR. JOHN E. TYLER, Superintendent of the McLean Asylum. How the Will Acts on Nerve-Centers. Physiologists cannot determine in the living subject the exact condition of the nerve-batteries located at the base of the brain and in the spinal cord. These centers in color are gray, derived from the positive substance of the cord; and by fibers (or thread conductors,) they communicate with every muscular tissue in the organization. Your Will can, through the magnetic forces of these centralized batteries, reach and ramify through every part. Practice a few days, as we have admonished you, and your experience will sustain our philosophy. One correspondent writes that the Willing-remedy, applied to herself for deafness, has already benefited the parts; but complains that the exertion of Willing, accompanied with the suitable manipulations, has the effect to induce sleep. Many patients would be delighted to have similar results follow their pneumogastrical efforts. If, however, every patient so affected would take a foot-bath of tepid water, while in the act of manipulating and Willing, we are sure that a cheerful wakefulness and other benefits will ensue. The Will-energy at Work. See how that fellow works! (says a writer); no obstacle is too great for him to surmount; no ocean too wide for him to leap; no mountain too high for him to scale. He will make a stir in the world, and no mistake. Such are the men who build our railroads, dig up the mountains in California, and enrich the world. There is nothing gained by idleness and sloth. This is a world of action, and to make money, gain a reputation, and exert a happy influence, men must be active, persevering, and energetic. They must not quail at shadows, run from lions, or attempt to dodge the lightning. Go forward zealously in whatever you undertake, and we will risk you anywhere and through life. The Man who can Will. Mirabeau said: "Why should we feel ourselves to be men unless it be to succeed in everything, everywhere. You must say of nothing, That is beneath me, nor feel that anything can be out of your power. Nothing is impossible to the man who can Will. Is that necessary? That shall be: this is the only law of success." Whoever said it, this is in the right key. But this is not the tone and genius of the men in the street. In the streets we grow cynical. The men we meet are coarse and torpid. The finest wits have their sediment. What quantities of fribbles, paupers, invalids, epicures, antiquaries politicians, thieves, and triflers, of both sexes, might be advantageously spared! Mankind divides itself into two classes-benefactors and malefactors. The second class is vast, the first a hand. ful. A person seldom falls sick, but the bystanders are ani. mated with a faint hope that he will die: quantities of poor lives; of distressing invalids; of cases for a gun. Franklin said: "Mankind are very superficial and dastardly; they begin upon a thing, but meeting with a difficulty, they fly from it discouraged; but they have capacities, if they would employ them." Shall we, then, judge a country by the majority, or by the minority? By the minority, surely. 'Tis pedantry to estimate nations by the census, or by square miles of land, or other than by their importance to the mind of the time.-Emerson. Gall and Spurzheim's Works. In the history of the investigations of phrenological science, we first meet with the celebrated Gall. This physician was the first to make practical observations upon the living brain. But Doctor Spurzheim's classifications and works have superseded those of Gall in popular estimation, because the former was the most successful in bringing the facts of mind more clearly and simply before the world. It has been ascertained that the front lobe of the brain exerts an influence which is invigorating and refining to all the senses and the nervous system, but that its effect upon the muscular and osseous systems is somnolent and debilitating. Harmony is possible only when both brains, back and front, are equally exercised. (See "A Remedy for an Unbalanced Body and Brain," on another page.) What the Will can Do. QUESTION.- -"Do you mean to convey the idea that a person who has inherited nervous infirmities may ever, by careful, conscientious use of the internal, self-healing powers, become so 'redeemed and sanctified' as to have a sound mind in a sound body'? Can one with undeveloped concentrativeness make use of the practice recommended in Pneumogastrical remedies ?" ANSWER.—Yes; we certainly mean to teach that mind is destined to stand sovereign master over all below its exalted plane. Matter the body-is below the soul; therefore the soul is capable of instituting an absolute government. "Practice makes perfect," is an old and a true proverb. The method of applying the Will-power is as simple as walking, moving your hand, or speaking, for all such motions are from the Will. Why not extend the operations of this power over all parts of the dependent organism? |