A Solemn Appeal - James White

seen the beauty of health disappearing, and have
marked the sallow countenance, or the unnaturallyflushed
face, have you been aroused sufficiently to
look beneath the surface, to inquire into the cause
of this physical decay? Have you observed the
astonishing mortality among the youth?
And have you not noticed that there was a
deficiency in mental health of your children? that
their course seemed to be marked with extremes?
that they were absent minded? that they started
nervously when spoken to? and were easily
irritated? Have you not noticed that, when
occupied upon a piece of work, they would look
dreamingly, as though the mind was elsewhere?
and when they came to their senses, they were
unwilling to own the work as coming from their
hands, it was so full of mistakes, and showed such
marks of inattention? Have you not been
astonished at their wonderful forgetfulness? The
most simple and oft-repeated directions would
often be forgotten. They might be quick to learn,
but it would be of no special benefit to them. The
mind would not retain it. What they might learn
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