[PE41]
AIDS TO SPIRITUAL HEALTH-GREAT PHYSICIAN

We find that many diseases of the flesh have their counterparts in the condition of the spiritual health, and a study and comparison of these diseases of the flesh and of the spirit may help us the better to analyze our own spiritual condition, to find out the trouble, if there be any, and then to remedy it. First let us consider what are the aids to our health, and we come first to:-Knowledge is necessary if we are to maintain our physical health. We cannot eat anything that comes along, be careless of rest, exercise or cleanliness and then expect to keep in good health. A knowledge of what the body needs and when to take what is needed is necessary to our good health. Likewise we cannot neglect our spiritual food, or rest, or exercise, if we wish to have spiritual good health. Knowledge of our condition, of what we need and where to get it, and of the proper regulation of food, rest, and exercise is necessary to our spiritual health.

The presence of the Great Physician, the frequency of our visits to Him. We should go to him often not only for ourselves, but for others. If we had a child who, through injury, became unconscious, we would not think of waiting until he regained consciousness, and of then sending him for the doctor. We would summon the doctor ourselves, as soon as possible. Likewise, if a brother or sister have some spiritual illness, and is unconscious of it, we should not wait until he sees his error and then let himself pray for help, but we should bear him up before the throne of Grace, that he might receive the attendance of the Great Physician.

Dieting:-We should regulate our reading matter properly. If, when one rises in the morning, one takes for breakfast the newspaper account of a murder trial, some suicides, and a few society scandals; and for dinner some novel, and for supper something similar to the breakfast; what wonder is it if one is spiritually sick. Our food is contained in God's Word in great abundance and variety; all we need. (2 Tim. 3:16,17.)

Cleanliness:-As we need frequent bathing to keep our body clean, and as we need warm water; so also we should bathe frequently in God's. [PE42] Word to keep ourselves spiritually clean ("Washing of water by the Word" Eph. 5:26); and we must use warm water, that is, put zeal and determination into the cleansing and study.

Exercise:-As our natural food and bathing would not keep us in health, unless we took exercise, so our spiritual food and cleansing by the Word will not keep us spiritually healthful unless we exercise, work for the Master, entering with zeal and whole-heartedness into whatever service He may have for us, be up and doing for Him. We may learn about patience, love and humility, but we cannot develop these unless we go out, and in His service have our patience and love and humility severely tried and tested.

Rest:-Faith gives rest and peace. We must trust him in all things.

The Lord never sleeps. "His eyelids try us". How? Suppose you were the proprietor of a store, and you suspected that one of your clerks, who seemed to work all right when you were around, was very careless and negligent when you were away. And one day resolved to try him, so you went into the back of the store and sitting comfortably down, closed your eyelids as if you were going in for a nap. Suppose that after a while, the clerk thinking you were asleep, should stop working and take it easy for awhile, not tending to business. Now you have found him out, and you say, you do not want such an untrustworthy clerk to work for you. While you were asleep there your eyelids tried him, you only seemed to sleep. So the Heavenly Father often seems to withdraw His presence from us, to sleep; but really He never sleeps, nothing is hid from him. So even when he seems to have left us, and we seem alone, He is only trying our faith, our patience, our loyalty to Him. We know that He is always with us, for He hath said: "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."

Cheerfulness:-If any one should be cheerful, a Christian should be, for we have hopes and promises which the world does not have. God cares for us, why should we be sorrowful? Bro. Barton once saw a double picture in one half of which was portrayed a large rock on which were the words; "Our Troubles." Beneath the rock, staggering under its weight, was a woman, her face filled with anguish and grief.

In the other side of the picture was the same rock, but here the woman stood above the rock and her face was cheerful and happy.

Underneath the two pictures were words to this effect: "Is you life a happy one? That depends upon whether you troubles are above or below you. Where are your troubles?"

In one of Bro. Barton's pilgrim tours, he came to a town where the Friends met once a week for a testimony meeting, and formerly this meeting had always been very solemn and sad. The Friends all told of their troubles and sorrows, and there was weeping and some sobbing, etc. One of the sisters had a husband who was not at all interested, [PE43] did not pretend to be a Christian. One night he decided to attend the meeting, and the Friends were quite surprised. The meeting was of the usual character, some crying and sobbing, and very sad. During a pause the man rose and said: "I am glad to be here tonight. My wife has often spoken about 'The Great Tribulation Class,' and I could not understand what she meant. And so I am glad to have met you people, for this certainly must be the 'Great Tribulation Class.'" The Friends took the hint and held no more tribulation meetings, but pleasanter, happier ones.

So if we have troubles let us stand above them, and not try to put one end of our cross on our brother's shoulders, but to cast all our care upon God for He careth for us. If we have joys, let us tell them, that we may make our brother's path lighter. It is right to bear one another's burdens, to be always willing to help, but not to force our sorrows upon others. Be a helper not a hindrance.

The care and medicine of the Great Physician. We expect that the advice of our earthly physician is the best for us, then how much more should we trust to the advice and care of the Great Physician.

Suppose a man who has received a severe wound goes to the doctor to have it dressed. The doctor says to him: "That is a serious wound, it will have to be cauterized to prevent blood poisoning." The man answers: "Oh! No! Doctor that will be too painful, I could not endure it. I will wait." So the man goes away, hoping that the wound will heal of itself, but it gets worse and finally blood poisoning sets in, and the wound becomes so painful that the man finally decides that he would be willing to endure cauterizing if only his wound would get well. So he returns to the doctor saying: "Doctor I guess you may cauterize this now." The doctor examines the wound and says: "My dear man, it is too late to cauterize now, blood poisoning has set in and you will have to lose your finger." "No! Doctor I can't lose my finger, I can't endure it, No!" The doctor warns him of the consequences of his course, but the man won't listen, and goes away fondly hoping that finger will get well. But it gets worse, and the man returns to the doctor. "Doctor I am willing to have my finger cut off now." But the doctor, looking at the finger says: "You have waited too long, the poison has got into your hand, and I shall have to cut the hand off." But the man is unwilling to lose his hand. "What an awful thing it would be," he said, "not to have any hand!" And he goes away, but returns after awhile, for he can endure the pain no longer.

But the doctor says: "It is too late, the poison has got into your arm, and you will have to lose your whole arm and it is doubtful now if your life can be saved at all." So it is spiritually. God recognizes that some have bad wounds, bad inclinations in some particular direction, and sometimes sees it [PE44] necessary to cauterize, to burn away the dead flesh by painful, burning experiences. Sometimes the flesh will cry out: "Oh, I can't endure this, it is too much, Lord, I cannot," and we refuse to be healed. What is the result? The condition grows worse, and the Lord may find it necessary to amputate health or opportunities. If we will not be healed, if we do not submit willingly to his care, our condition may reach such a point that our spiritual life itself may be in danger, in danger of the Second Death. Let us therefore attend to these spiritual wounds, or sores, and submit willingly to his care, for He will not cause us needless pain, His love is too tender for that.

We need also to properly analyze our trouble, that we may get the right medicine from the medicine chest. Some of the Lord's people sometimes get the wrong medicine for their ills. Consider the case of two brethren, one of whom has very little ability in any direction; he is awkward in body and in speech, and when he gives a testimony he stumbles over his words and takes a long time to say very little. The other brother, well educated, and somewhat sensitive, finds the first brother's awkwardness very hard to bear, and says: "I like to hear someone talk who knows how, and if a man cannot speak clearly let him keep still." So he goes to his Bible to see what to do in such a case, and comes to (2 Thess. 3:6) "Withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly." "There, that's what I'll do, I'll not associate with that course brother, nor have anything more to do with him." What is the trouble? He has taken the wrong medicine, he did not properly analyze his own condition. Pride was the trouble with him, and he should have found medicine for that.

Let us now consider some of the symptoms of disease: The tongue:-Physicians often look at the tongue to learn the patient's condition. So the tongue is also an indicator of the spiritual health. "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh." (Matt. 12:34.)

The tongue is a faithful servant, but a hard master. If we find our tongue given to pride, boastfulness, back-biting, it indicates that we need heart medicine from the word. "As He who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation." (1 Pet. 1:15.)

Weariness:-Do not be weary in well doing. If we see a child who is weary and tired-looking all the time, we know there is something the matter with him. It is not a question of being weary of meeting with the friends, for one can come to these meetings and enjoy the fellowship and music, and still be weary in well doing. But how much are we willing to sacrifice to find and help a hungry heart? We.also find much in the weaker brethren which we can help and thus help ourselves.

Pain is a symptom of disease. If we find that we are pained only when [PE45] we make a mistake which others know about, and not when the error is a hidden one, this is a symptom of pride.

Love of solitude:-Do not forsake the meeting of the friends.In ordinary life, if we see a person who does not like to associate with others, but is morose and prefers to be alone, we say that something is the matter with him. If our spiritual condit ion is healthy, we will find a heart-felt pleasure in meeting with the friends to help others, and be helped ourselves.

DISEASES Eye troubles:-Two common defects in physical sight are near-sightedness and far sightedness. Those near-sighted can see clearly only those things near to them. So there is a spiritual near-sightedness, which can discern only the present earthly joys and pleasures, and cannot see far enough ahead by faith to know that these are temporary and delusive, nor can correctly weigh the present seeming advantages, against the incomparable joys of the future.

They have not faith enough in the fulfillment of God's promises. Such are mentioned in (2 Pet. 1:9). This is akin to blindness. There is also a spiritual far-sightedness which can see and think upon only the joys of the future and is blind to present opportunities and spiritual privileges. Let us have our eyes anointed with the eye-salve of meekness from the Great Physician that we may discern aright. Then we shall see clearly not only the great blessings bye and bye (Rev. 3:21), but also see the blessed present opportunities for service now, and the present joys.

Cataract:-The spiritual disease which corresponds to this, seems to be pride. Nothing blinds one's clear view of his own condition as much as does pride. It was pride which caused Satan's fall. (Isa. 14:13-15.) Many wonder why Satan does not seem to know that he will be destroyed, when the word tells so much about his ultimate destruction: but he is so blinded by pride that he cannot see his false position, and believes that in some way he can yet outwit Jehovah.

During the thousand years when he will be bound, there will be plenty of time for him to repent, but the scriptures indicate that he will be only hatching plots whereby he may yet get the victory.

So pride acts upon all and blinds the unconscious victim more and more. If pride is in our hearts, and we are wrong in any matter, it will.prevent us from seeing that we are wrong, and we will be sure that the other is wrong. Those who have this disease usually do not know that they are proud and haughty. Let us keep our eyes anointed with the Great Physician's eye-salve of meekness, that he may see clearly.

Indigestion:-There are some people who cannot digest milk. and others who cannot digest much of anything else. So there is a spiritual [PE46] indigestion which has no taste for the ransom or washing by the blood, but believes only some of the deeper prophecies etc., which such as are afflicted with this disease think can be understood on another basis than the Ransom. And there is also a spiritual indigestion which can believe only the milk of the word and cannot digest the stronger meat. The healthy spiritual condition can use and appropriate the whole of the word.

Heart troubles:-Faint heartedness, lack of courage, lack of determination. What have we to fear, and why tremble before the enemy? "The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge."

Nervousness, Nervous Prostration:-Do not be so nervous as to imagine that evil is spoken or intended to you. Put a generous construction on all that is said, even when it does appear to be evil speaking. Don't be too sensitive. When one has nervous prostration every little noise is intensified and aggravated, when a chair is moved across the room the noise sounds like the rattle of a heavy wagon. So also too great nervousness, sensitiveness spiritually, magnifies every little thing, and imagines evil and injury when none is intended.

Paralysis:-Persons that are paralyzed cannot move or use their members. So sometimes we hear of people who get the truth in some measure, who dare not hand out a tract, or speak, or contend for the truth, because they fear men. They are completely paralyzed with fear. Let us get that perfect love which casteth out fear.

Fever is like impatience. Let patience have her perfect work. Have patience that God will work in the hearts of those searching for the truth. Be zealous but not hasty. Even when there seems to be no fruit to your labor, have patience. It may be that God hides the fruits of your labor from you, for your own good, and again remember that while you may be instrumental in planting or in watering, yet it is God who giveth the increase; that is His part, not yours.