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Temperate in Study, May 20
Temperate in All Things
And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many
books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
Ecclesiastes 12:12
Mental effort without corresponding physical exercise calls an undue
proportion of blood to the brain, and thus the circulation is unbalanced.
The brain has too much blood, while the extremities have too little. The
hours of study and recreation should be carefully regulated, and a portion
of the time should be spent in physical labor....
The health cannot be preserved unless some portion of each day
is given to muscular exertion in the open air. Stated hours should be
devoted to manual labor of some kind, anything which will call into
action all parts of the body. Equalize the taxation of the mental and the
physical power, and the mind ... will be refreshed.
The minds of thinking men labor too hard. They frequently use their
mental powers prodigally, while there is another class whose highest aim
in life is physical labor. The latter class do not exercise the mind. Their
muscles are exercised, but their brains are robbed of intellectual strength;
just as the minds of thinking men are worked, but their bodies are robbed
of strength and vigor by their neglect to exercise the muscles.... Health
should be a sufficient inducement to lead them to unite physical with
mental labor.
Moral, intellectual, and physical culture should be combined in order
to have well-developed, well-balanced men and women. Some are
qualified to exercise great intellectual strength, while others are inclined
to love and enjoy physical labor. Both of these classes should seek to
improve where they are deficient, that they may present to God their
entire being, a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to Him, which is
their reasonable service.
The health should be as carefully guarded as the character.
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