CHRIST AND THE INDIVIDUAL

Dr. Wilfred T. Grenfell h.'09 delivered the second of the William Belden Noble lectures on the general subject "The Adventure of Life" in Sanders Theatre last evening. His special topic for the lecture was "Christ and the Individual."

Throughout his lecture, Dr. Grenfell gave examples of how Christ's influence works itself out in the lives of men, with especial relation to the professions of doctors and lawyers. Christ teaches that the effective use of learning is not simply intellectual, but that like our life the important thing is not what we have but what we do with what we have. Christian faith is not only valuable for the soul of man but also for his body, and has succeeded in eliminating many diseases through the use of medicine and in other ways. Cures and remedies have been found for almost all the common diseases, and new ways of preventing their causes have been discovered, yet the real contagion among mankind is spread through weak minds, feeble mental influences, and bad environments. Drunkenness, tuberculosis, and almost all forms of vice are the result of this mental disease. Although the ideal Christian condition without disease is naturally the doctor's enemy, as without it he would not have his work, yet that fact is the very glory of his profession, for although striving towards his own self-elimination, he is following the teaching of Christ. Such a profession not only calls for learning and medical skill but also for a heaven-given power obtained only through faith.

The whole stress of the modern view of medicine is in behalf of fresh air, good food, plenty of sleep and exercise rather than drugs. No one can doubt, however, the strong relation between the health of the mind and the health of the body. For example, in the modern high pressure of life, the pressure of life, the great percentage of physical sickness is due to nervous troubles which have their source in the mind. It is in these mental disorders, that the doctor has opportunity to exert his Christianizing influence. Like St. Paul, he must uphold his faith in spite of criticism in order to contribute the best that is in his life.

With the lawyer, it is much the same as with the doctor. The true lawyer's idea of his profession does not consist in the ordinary routine expressed by crime, retribution and a fee, but in abolishing the conditions which lead to sin. The effectiveness of this method for preventing crime itself is illustrated by the improvement obtained among the Labrador fishermen, and by the present result of prohibition in the state of Maine. Although the liquor dealers have done their best to make the prohibition law ineffective in that state, yet, since its introduction, the amount of crime has shown a significant decline.

As in the medical profession a lawyer cannot truly become great unless he has courage of and the willingness to stand up for his convictions. In short, the real object of his life can only be obtained by reincarnating in himself the spirit of Christ.