LITTLE THINGS BY Charles Robert Morrison

That this body of ours, wonderfully wrought and fearfully made, is to
receive our care and our attention continually, is solemnly and strongly
set forth by the apostle Paul, who said: "Do you not know that your body
is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received
from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore
honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
The prayer of the beloved disciple John for his friend Gaius, that he
might prosper and be in health, was a wise and tender petition. The
mind needs a healthy body in order to do its best work; the soul
develops wisely and well when dwelling in a house where every part
harmonizes with the highest laws of physical being.
But, alas! how many and how fierce are the enemies that attack and
wound and weaken this body of ours! Who of us is free from pain, from
weariness at slight exertion--and who is not in search of a remedy for
the ills the flesh is heir to? Who has perfect health? Who has never
been sick a day in a score or more of years? Who is vigorous and strong,
ready for any task, any kind of exposure, or any service along the lines
of ordinary service?
The fevers of the South, the "white terror" of the North, the plaguespots
and contagions of the crowded East, the hurry and haste and
worry of the West, are like invading armies, bent on the utter
destruction of the frail citadel of man.
The skill of the physician, the marked progress in surgical knowledge,
the skill of the trained nurse, the multiplied appliances of hospital
service, the patience and genius that has wrought in laboratory and
brought to pharmacy the wealth of helpful remedies--all have done
much to make life worth living. Yet again I ask: Who has reached
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