Show THE preservation OF olf HEALTH WE understand that at the bishop bishops 8 meeting held last eveni evening the word of wisdom I 1 was tile the topic of some discussion cus slon sion it appears somewhat singular in flew fiew view of the plainness of the revelation section 89 of the book of doctrine and covenants on the subject that there should be any particular difference of opinion lon ion upon the subject strong stron 9 and hot drinks are designated as not good for man except that the former are beneficial for outward application in the washing of the body it Is stated by individuals who were wm personally acquainted with the prophet that hot drinks had special reference to tea and coffee but doubtless included the general princ principle ile lle that any hot liquid taken into the stomach om h had an injurious effect a fact attested by many eminent physicians meat bleat according to the word of wisdom I 1 should be used but sparingly and it Is even better that its consumption as an article of food should ba confined to times of cold coid and famine tobacco Is declared to bo be injurious to man and should be applied to bruises and as a remedy for sick cattle while a few art articles ioles toles are arc named as tending to deteriorate the physical health of mankind the bounties which can be used to build up sustain and anih enliven en the body are almost boundless in extent and variety bein being g practically without limit the I 1 word of wisdom I 1 should not be yie vie viewed wed through technical spectacles but in accordance with its spirit and intent it Is not merely the ri rigid ld observance of the admonition of the lord that should be gou rou sought t but a temperate and wise course of life ilfe and compliance with all the hat will secure tho promises portrayed in the revelation Ye lation A man may conf conform orni to the etter of the revelation and yet fall far short of a realization of the reward because he may in some other respects fall miserably in preserving his body from influences that diminish dimini sg the health if he refrain from partaking of all the injurious materials specially named and yet et en engage age in physical or mental labor beyond beyond his powers of endurance he will break down if he need peed needlessly lessly expose himself to the deleterious action of the elements such buell as cold damp etc etca the effect wll wit will be the bame same as also aiso a so it if he be guilty of ex cesse 4 in directions not specified we havo hava acen noen numerous instances illustrative of the principle we are now trying tp to explain the failure of the realization of the promises was because all those thosa other conditions were included in the spirit although not in the letter of the reve reye revelation lwon iwon the summit of mere technical observance Is reached when a person imagines he can comply with a principle at all by a course of evasion should a man form an idea that he be can obey the word of wisdom I 1 in relation to hot drinks by sim simply ly letting the beverage he has been in tre the habit of imbibing stand till it cools his mistake is very strongly marked one ob object act of the revelation which it directly expresses express esy est was to guard the saints against the evils and designs existing in the hearts of con men these trese are exhibited probably a ay as much in the adulteration of tea and coffee as in any other a articles of common consumption how far tar such designs may yet te be carried we are not prepared to say but this much Is sure whatever evils may fall upon the saints saint q from that source will wili be the result of not accepting of the inspired word of the lord in relation to it the spirit of the word of wisdom can be comprehended by grasping its aim the preservation of the human body jody tody from ever every influence that Is detrimental ri to hea health T th and life and consequently to vigor of mentality and clear spIrIt perceptions thus the object in view can cab also be made the basis of the h e I 1 hygiene i glene giene of the latter day saints this h leing is being the case every man in this matter Is necessarily left to be his own adge directed by the spirit of wisdom perhaps it has been noticed generally we have not failed to observe it lub that as aai a rule to which there are some exceptions when people begin to lose their hold upon the gospel and gradually edge away from the church they take on the habits so common everywhere of using tobacco resorting to a greater or less degree to imbibing stimulants and inaura indulging ing in other practices outside of the spirit gilt of broad religion that embraces the care of the body perhaps this is but the resumption of ha habits its of indulgence formed before there was any connection with the church or it may be that they are aye taken taen on for the forst first time their resumption or adoption being generally an indication of a disposition to pander to the physical appetites at the expense of closer communion with the spirit of the lord which speaks peace and teaches restraint to the soul of man not only should men and women act throughout life in harmony with the principle of an existing imperative duty to preserve their bodies from every species of contamination 1 lation but teach their children to be im imbued aued with this important idea in this matter example is all important the rebuke of a parent to a child for instate instance e for the use of tobacco while the admonish er is whiffing the fumes fumea of the weed in regular puffs is not entitled to any appreciable prec preci lable labie degree of respect there are doubtless people however of advanced years who have been so long addicted to certain habits that they feel it almost impossible to totally break them off such individuals are not to be frowned upon as weakness in some form is the common lot of humanity but when such is the case the teaching of the young by those persons should be tinged with an expression sion of regret at the advisors inability to comply with the letter of tile the precepts tendered all excesses are forel foreign n to the letter and genius of the gospel and while on this point it may be well to state that while those who drink with the drunken or engage in the business of dispensing engage I 1 tire fire to their fellow cre ere creatures tue may a old hold a technical standing ini 1 in the church church and be nominally IT within t thin its pale they are virtually outside of its spirit |