The tree of life, or, Human degeneracy : its nature and remedy, as based on the elevating principle of orthopathy / by Isaac Jennings.

  • Jennings, Isaac, active 1847-1860.
Date:
1867
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The tree of life, or, Human degeneracy : its nature and remedy, as based on the elevating principle of orthopathy / by Isaac Jennings. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    diate payment. Among the articles enumerated were cloth and trimmings for two or three silk dresses. The brother made some remarks indicative of perplexity in the case, to which his wife replied, Why, my dear, we must have clothes. This brother was now numbered among the absentees from the prayer-meeting. He was a mechanic, with a large family depending on his daily labor for support. While he had been devoting a portion of his time to visiting and other la- bor for the promotion of the revival, his financial matters had suffered, and he must now apply himself to his work until he is too much exhausted in body and spirit for profitable at- tendance upon a prayer-meeting, or other revival duties. I had now got a clue to my difficulty, and no longer won- dered why revivals of religion were short-lived. I learned, too, where the largest portion of the blame belongs. The half- dozen who were constant in their attendance upon the prayer- meeting, who were grieved at the absence of others who had been accustomed to meet with them, were themselves the un- intentional occasion of the absence. They were so pecu- niarily circumstanced that they could live in some style, and at the same time engage in revival efforts and enjoy them the year round, without feeling it in their pockets. As they were the leading families in the place, it was natural and praise- worthy for other families to try to imitate their example, at the cost of leisure for even religious purposes—that is, if their example was good ; and leading families should be careful to set no other than good examples. If there is intrinsic value in a silk dress sufficient to outweigh the good that might be