Article May 7, 1904 Issue

Conversation about Disease

H. Coulson Fairchild

Passaic (N. J.) News

It may be a surprise to many who are in the habit of conversing about disease to learn that this practice is detrimental to the person who indulges in it as well as to others, and to a much greater extent than most people suppose.

Though many seem to be aware of this fact in a way, they do not investigate the matter closely enough to learn the mental cause and effect and abandon the habit; hence even people of otherwise high intellectual and moral attainments continue to contemplate and "talk disease," seemingly all unconscious that this daily practice is stealing away their health and happiness, sometimes slowly, but nevertheless surely. Jesus, the Christ, said, "By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Saint Paul states, "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." These verses from Scripture are proven true when we see one who constantly talks sickness ever in need of healing, and those who tell the truth or a lie forever being "justified" or "condemned" thereby. Punishment for thoughts and conversation about disease or sin comes every day and every hour, though to the material senses the effects of these false thoughts may not immediately follow. "He that soweth to his flesh [thoughts of the material body] shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit [thoughts of God] shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Thus we see plainly that Scriptural warning has been given on this subject.

Most people sentence themselves to suffer; they talk sickness on the trains, at the reception, at the golf club, while at card parties, weddings, funerals, in church, any time, and apparently under all circumstances. If these people have not "been sick" themselves or do not "feel as if they were going to be" they almost always know of some one whose unfortunate condition becomes the immediate subject of conversation, and all the details are entered into with relish, possibilities of recovery discussed, and the patient either sentenced then and there, or hope expressed for recovery. These people are constantly sending out disease in every direction. What is the result? A mental contagion; and thousands of conscientious physicians try in vain to stem this tide of "Mental miasma" with material remedies poured into the stomach to reach the mind, and thus to minister to a "mind diseased." the human mind must think about something; why not contemplate the beauty, the truth, the harmony and majesty of God's universe? Why not speak of the everlasting goodness of God, who maketh the sun to rise upon the "just and on the unjust"? Why not contemplate and try to see all the good we can in each other, thus bringing in transformation by a renewal of the mind as the Bible advocates?

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