按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
thoroughly medical； and such as a physician of that age would use in
describing the symptoms of disease； or of returning health。 In short；
there is little room for doubt that out of the twenty…seven books which
make up the little volume of the New Testament； two of the longest e
from the pen of a medical man。
But； after all； there is another fact of even deeper significance which
demands attention。 I refer to the very large number of the cases of
sickness and disease which our Lord Jesus Christ was pleased to heal
during the period of His earthly ministry。 No doubt； if He had thought
fit； He could have shown His Divine power； and proved His Divine
mission； by miracles like the plagues of Egypt； by calling fire from
heaven like Elijah； by causing the earth to open and swallow up His
enemies； as Dathan and Abiram were swallowed up in the wilderness。 But
He did not do so。 The great majority of His wondrous works were works
of mercy wrought on the suffering bodies of men and women。 To cure the
leprous； the dropsical； the palsied； the fevered； the lame； the blind；
was the continual labour of love of Him who was 〃God manifest in the
flesh。〃 To use the deep and mysterious words quoted from Isaiah by St。
Matthew； 〃 Himself took our infirmities； and bare our sicknesses〃
（Matt。 8：17）。
Now why was this？ Why did our Lord adopt this line of action； and
habitually condescend to devote time and attention to the humbling and
often loathsome ills to which flesh is heir？ Partly； I believe； to
remind us that He came to remedy the fall of man； and that of all the
consequences of the fall； none cause so much trouble； and affect all
ranks and classes of society so thoroughly； as sickness。 But partly
also； I believe； to teach Christians in every age； that to minister to
the sick is eminently a work of mercy according to Christ's mind。 He
that endeavours to check disease； to alleviate suffering； to lessen
pain； to help the self…curative powers of nature； and to lengthen life；
may surely take fort in the thought； that； however much he may fail；
he is at any rate walking in the footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth。 Next
to the office of him who ministers to men's souls； there is none really
more useful and honourable than that of him who ministers to the soul's
frail tabernacle the body。
He that thinks of these things will not wonder that the rise and
progress of Christianity in every age has done much for the office of
the physician。 That nothing was known of medicine or surgery before the
Christian era； it would be unfair to say。 The names of Podalirius and
Machaon in Homer； the better…known； less mythical name of Hippocrates
（no mean observer of symptoms）； are familiar to students。 But it is a
certain fact that the sick were never so systematically cared for； and
the medical profession so honourably esteemed； as they have been since
the Church of Christ leavened the world。 The builders of the Parthenon
and Colosseum built no infirmaries。 You will find no ruins of hospitals
at Athens or Rome。 The infidel； the sceptic； and the agnostic may sneer
at Bible religion if they please； but they cannot get over the fact
that medical and surgical knowledge have always advanced side by side
with the gospel of Christ。 Clever and ingenious as the heathen
inhabitants of India； China； and Japan are at this day； it is notorious
that their acquaintance with anatomy and materia medica； and their
treatment of bodily diseases； are beneath contempt。
Few of us； perhaps； realize what an immense debt we owe in Christian
England to the medical profession。 How much the fort of our lives
depends on it； and how vastly different is the condition of those whose
lot is cast in a heathen country； or an 〃uncivilized back settlement of
a colony！ He that has a good servant in his house； and a good doctor
within reach； ought to be a thankful man。
Fewer still； I believe； realize what enormous strides medicine and
surgery have made in the last two centuries； and are continually making
in the present。 Of course death still reigns； and will reign until
Christ returns in glory。 Kings and their subjects； rich and poor； all
alike die； and will die until death is swallowed up in victory。 And no
marvel！ The human body is a frail and delicate machine。 〃Strange that a
harp of a thousand strings should keep in tune so long。〃 But that the
duration of life in this age is greatly increased by the advance of
medical science； and that many diseases are preventable； manageable； or
curable； which were once always thought fatal； are facts entirely
beyond dispute。 Let any one read Baxter's semi…medical sermon in the
Morning 。Exercises； and observe his receipts for hypochondria and
dyspepsia； and then say whether he ought not to be thankful that he
lives in the nineteenth century。 The mere fact that our ancestors knew
nothing of quinine； chloroform； vaccination； the carbolic spray； the
stethoscope； the laryngoscope； the ophthalmoscope； or the right
treatment of the lunatic； the idiot； the deaf and dumb； and the blind；
is a fact that speaks volumes to any intelligent mind。
None； perhaps； have such constant opportunities of seeing the value of
a medical man's services as Christian ministers。 We meet them in
sick…rooms； and by the side of death…beds； and we know the self…denying
labour which their profession entails； and the ungrudging and often
unpaid attention which the sick almost invariably receive at their
hands。
There ought always to be the utmost harmony and friendly feeling
between the two professions。 The sick…room is the mon ground on
which they meet。 On that ground they can greatly help one another。 I
think the minister of religion can help the medical man by teaching his
patients the paramount importance of obedience to orders； of submission
to advice； of attention to rules about diet and sanitary matters； and
by encouraging patience and quietness of spirit。 I am sure the doctor
can help the minister by gently and wisely reminding those whose cases
are past recovery； that it is their duty to accept the inevitable； that
this life is not all； that they have souls as well as bodies； and that
it is wise to look calmly at their latter end； and a world to e； and
to prepare to meet God。
There is much in mon in the two professions； the one in caring for
men's bodies； and the other in caring for men's souls。 We ministers
cannot mand success。 Too often we visit in vain； exhort in vain；
advise in vain； preach in vain。 We find that spiritual life and death
are in higher hands than ours。 The doctor finds that under the most
skilful treatment people will die； and we find that under the most
faithful teaching many continue unmoved in conscience； and dead in
sins。 Like the doctor； we often feel our ignorance； cannot diagnose or
discern symptoms； and feel doubtful what to say。 Both ministers and
medical men have great need to be clothed with humility。 But I trust；
to use the words which were placed on the tomb of Sir Henry Lawrence；
we both 〃try to do our duty；〃 and persevere。 Duties are ours； but
events are God's。
That there never may be wanting in Great Britain a continual supply of
able； right…minded； faithful medical men； and that we who minister to
the soul； and those who minister to the body； may always work
harmoniously together； and help one another； is my earnest prayer。
__________________________________________________________________
＇2＇ The substance of this paper was originally delivered as a sermon in
Liverpool Cathedral at the opening of the Annual Conference of the
British Medical Association in Liverpool； on July 31st； 1883。
__________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER III
Eccles。 12：12。
SIMPLICITY IN PREACHING。
＇3＇
KING SOLOMON says； in the book of Ecclesiastes； 〃Of making many books
there is no end〃 （Eccles。 12：12）。 There are few subjects about which
that saying is more true than that of preaching。 The volumes which have
been written in order to show ministers how to preach are enough to
make a small library。 In sending forth one more little treatise； I only
propose to touch one branch of the subject。 I do not pretend to
consider what should be the substance and matter of a sermon。 I
purposely leave alone such points as 〃gravity； unction； liveliness；
warmth；〃 and the like； or the parative merits of written or
extempore sermons。 I wish to confine myself to one point； which
receives far less attention than it deserves。 That point is simplicity
in language and style。
I ought to be able to tell my readers something about 〃simplicity；〃 if
experience will give any help。 I began preaching forty…five years ago；
when I first took orders in a poor rural parish； and a great portion of
my ministerial life has been spent in preaching t