Chapter VII - Physiology
341:1
They propagate it mentally, and then consider a thing
They propagate it mentally, and then consider a thing
of mind should be dosed with matter; but after all,
'tis faith in drugs, etc., that cures, mind is their remedy
at last.
341:5
Faith is all that ever made a drug remedy the ailments
Faith is all that ever made a drug remedy the ailments
of a man. Mortal mind is belief, the immortal is un-
derstanding, the latter is Spirit, the former personal
sense; we must learn to hold immortal and mortal
mind or belief separate. The cause and cure of disease
is solely mental, and to understand this renders mind
less productive of disease, and able to destroy it. Mat-
ter has neither action nor sensation of its own; mind
moves the body, and feels for it. We cannot retain
the old positions diametrically opposite to metaphysical
science, and conquer disease with mind. And because
physics must eventually yield to metaphysics, it will
keep the old schools fighting science for the next cen-
tury. Ignorance, superstition, or avarice will shut the
door on health and harmony not obtained through their
systems. When there were fewer doctors and less
thought bestowed on sanitary subjects there were better
constitutions and less disease.
341:23
In olden times, who ever heard of a case of dyspepsia;
In olden times, who ever heard of a case of dyspepsia;
if one had chanced to appear it would have yielded at
once to benevolence, or hard work; people had little
time then to be selfish, or to think of their bodies, and
for sickly after-dinner-talk. The exact amount of labor
the stomach could perform was not mapped out in mind
by physiology; therefore a man's belief was not a law
to his digestive organs. The action of mind on the
body was more harmonious before the "tree of knowl-
edge" had taken deeper root in man's belief. The
342:1
primitive privilege was to take no thought about the
primitive privilege was to take no thought about the
bowels, or gastric juices, letting these act in obedience
to Truth, instead of error. A ghastly array of diseases
was not constantly kept before the mind by works
on physiology, hygiene and materia medica; hence the
greater longevity and more harmony of man. Before
these got the floor, dyspepsia, consumption, spinal dis-
eases, etc., were not heard of in all the land. The du-
ties of man were thought of, and the naturally undis-
turbed mechanism of man not interrupted by sorrow,
cares, or materia medica, went on harmoniously. Damp
atmospheres, and freezing snows, empurpled the cheeks
of our fore-fathers; but never reached the refinement
of inflaming bronchial tubes; they were as ignorant
as Adam, before informed by his wife, of bronchial
tubes, or troches for bronchitis.
342:17
But, alas! the nineteenth century would load with
But, alas! the nineteenth century would load with
disease the very airs of paradise, and hunt mankind
down with airs in dress and airs of heaven. Metaphys-
ics hold mind the only friend or foe to man, and Truth
destroying error, the great panacea. It is important to
learn the exact belief that has produced disease, if you
would destroy it, unless your spirituality is equal to this
by holding a balance over matter; when you destroy
disease in mind it disappears on the body. A surgeon
must hit the ulcer with his lance to cure it, unless
he is able to destroy it without the sharp point; and
you must reach the mind by argument, unless the Spirit
reaches it without speech. A strongly material, bigoted,
or opinionated man yields more slowly to scientific
treatment than the more liberal and logical mind, but
the spiritual is more easily affected than either.