Chapter VII - Physiology
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one instance, but in every case. The shocking theory
one instance, but in every case. The shocking theory
that man is governed all his days, and killed at last by
his body, is too absurd to last another century. Our
press sends forth, unwittingly, many a plague spot on
the human family, in treatises on disease, hygiene,
and therapeutics; giving names for maladies and long
explanations regarding them, affects people like a Paris-
ian name for a new dress; every one that can, will
have it. A minutely-described, long-syllabled name for
disease has cost a man all his earthly days of usefulness.
What a price for knowledge! but not exceeding its
original market value, when God said, "In the day
thou eatest thereof thou shalt die." A doctor's belief
in disease harms his patients more than calomel, mor-
phine, ether, or the forceps; mind is more potent than
matter. A patient hears the doctor's verdict like a
culprit his death-sentence. He may seem calm under
it, and to exercise fortitude worthy a better cause, or
an occasion more real, but he is not calm; fear is
mastering the case and developing the disease. The
mind's power to harm the body, reversed in action,
would heal it, and the sick would triumph over the
disease they resign themselves to suffer on the ground
of inevitableness. If mind can kill, as has been proved,
it has power to cure also. Ah! patient, or impatient
sufferer, may your eyes be opened to behold your way
of escape from sickness; to this end we have pledged
our endeavors, and labored since God raised us up from
hopeless disease and unspeakable sufferings. The doctor
is the artist that delineates in mind most distinctly the
image of disease, and causes belief to fill up his outlines
on the body. Possibly disease had appeared before
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you saw your doctor, but it could not be so positive
you saw your doctor, but it could not be so positive
or defined as afterward; you must have felt the influ-
ence of his mind, his belief in disease affected yours,
even if he said nothing, and but for this it might
have gradually left your mind and you would have
recovered.
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We would not deny to physicians, as noble men and
We would not deny to physicians, as noble men and
women, great philanthropy of purpose; we only urge
them to make their endeavors more effectual by chang-
ing their basis of action from body to mind, and from
personal sense to science. If the science of being was
familiar to them as the edicts of the schools, blessings
numberless would flow from such high sources. In
every case of disease, or of health, to heal the one or
preserve the other, the science of Life is all that is
necessary. But the various methods of healing have
not been science, else disease would have disappeared
ere this remote period since Adam, error, first introduced
it. The so-called laws of health are not science, for the
latter delivers man from their penalty and destroys the
law, establishing a higher law, even the superiority of
Soul over sense, and of Spirit over matter. It annuls
the oppressive bondage that our theories enforce on
man. The law of God is opposed to laws of matter,
and entitled to more obedience and respect. His law
is Intelligence, that recognizes no higher law, and if
this be not apparent to more than myself, why appeal
to God to restore the sick, when the so-called laws of
health are of no avail. God should control man at all
times, and under all circumstances; and controlled
thus, he is harmonious and immortal. Sickness, sin, or
death will never trouble man, or the body controlled