Religious faith should be the best preventive against the maladies of the soul or mind, and the most powerful means of curing them. In the religious state of mind man becomes invulnerable. Feeling himself upheld by his God, he fears neither sickness nor death. Whatever comes he remains unshaken in the midst of disease and suffering. He knows no fear. This was what gave fortitude to saints and martyrs of former times. A Christianity such as they were possessed with gave them moral courage which has been the admiration of the word, and will continue to excite it for all time to come.

Religion is a perfectly natural thing, not only this, but man is naturally religious in the true sense of the term. A man may not feel inclined to subscribe, in his opinions, to all which the so-called orthodox churches teach, and yet be a perfectly righteous man. Individuals of this, and in fact of every other class or' creed, should do as Tolstoi, the great Russian philosopher, advises : procure a copy of the New Testament and read it - mark, learn and inwardly digest it, for himself. Certainly "every man can work out his own salvation." We are not made up of a moral and a physical part. Man is a unity - Spirit, Soul, Body - all in one. This moral, intellectual and spiritual life are so interwoven that they cannot be separated. Hence the care of the body is essentially incumbent upon us, otherwise its neglect reacts upon the intellectual and spiritual part of us. This fact is too much lost sight of in the present day teachings. It will be remembered that whenever Christ healed the sick His injunction was "Go, sin no more"; not to go and pray. Christ knew that a sinless man, or one who is striving for this condition, is always in an attitude of prayer.

Perfect physical health produces perfect mental health, likewise perfect mental health produces perfect bodily health. The two are dependent upon each other. The two conditions bring man into harmony with Nature.

To get well without living health is as utterly impossible of accomplishment as it would be for one to stop the revolution of the earth on its axis.

There is much misconception and misapplication of Prayer. So many individuals seem to lose sight of its true intent and purpose. Probably ninety-nine out of every one hundred individuals pray for those things which are purely selfish, and if granted would turn the world upside down. Many of the things prayed for are frequently within the power of the individual to acquire, simply by putting forth the effort.

Many individuals tell us their religious belief takes no special form; just what they mean by this is not quite clear, but let such a one be confronted with death and it is wonderful to witness how the most hardened sinner outrivals the veteran saint in the fervency and frequency of his prayers. As a result of early training, religion is knitted into the very fibre and being of every individual, to such an extent that every person believes in religion, in a God in some form or another. Religion is a perfectly natural thing. Natural man is a religious man. Man's perverted , state, as we usually perceive it manifested, is not his original or natural condition.

The following, condensed as an abstract or little sermonette, from the writings of one of the most talented authors of the day, is so beautifully and logically put that we cannot do better than reproduce it in its more prominent essentials: -

"The basis for true mind-cure is to be found in genuine religion, sound common sense religion. The prejudice against religion entertained by so many individuals is largely the result of confusing religion with superstition. Many individuals hold themselves aloof from religious associations and activities, not because they are opposed to their principles, but rather and because they have been educated to look upon religion as something unnatural, sentimental, or theological. This is a grievous mistake, and one which does the individual himself great injustice and injury.

"Men say, What is Nature? To which it may be said, Nature is simply a philosophical name for God, who is the active force in Nature, the "All in all." There is an intelligence at work throughout the universe, and this power (God, or Nature) is ever working in us. The same forces that are working in the growth of trees, in the lightning, in the storm, in the tidal wave, in the hurricane, and in all great processes of Nature, are at work within us. There is as great a miracle in a vast cornfield as in the feeding of the five thousand. The power that expands the little grains of wheat and kernels of corn into leaves, rearing them up in stalks, and manufactures five hundred kernels out of one, is just as mysterious as the power which expended the five loaves to feed five thousand people. It is the same thing. One of these phenomena we call natural, the other a miracle; because we are accustomed to see the one and not the other."

"True prayer is unselfish, and is not an effort to inform God of something which He is not inclined to do, nor to remind him of something which He might neglect, as might be inferred from the way in which many Christian people pray. Prayer is the expression of a recognized need which may be physical, mental or spiritual. One is not prepared to pray, in the true sense of the word, until he has reached the attitude of mind of one lost in a wilderness, who, when he finally gives himself up as lost, is ready to listen to or accept any suggestion which may be given him by one whom he knows to be familiar with the country, and unhesitatingly and submissively follows instructions. Trouble, perplexity, disease and distress are the means by which man is brought to his knees, by which the wilful human soul is led to submission to the will of the Infinite. Prayer, then, does not change God, but changes man. Prayer does not modify God's plans or purposes, but brings man into harmony therewith, and is an advertisement to man of what God has in store for him. This is the physiological, the scientific as well as the natural basis for faith. We must pray with the spirit and the understanding. We are certain to receive the things for which we sincerely pray, for our desire to pray is put into our hearts by the all-wise Being who knows our needs, and desires to supply them, and adopts this mode of preparing us to receive the things needful for our welfare.

"It may be said then that the act of prayer is the natural method by which man is led to turn toward the Creator, to receive the things for which we sincerely Dray. We are certain to receive the things for which we sincerely pray, provided we pray with the spirit and the understanding. When a man believes that God is ever present with him, and that not the smallest hair of his head may fall without God noticing it; when he feels that God's life and power are working within him; when he feels that the same Power cares for him which maintains the sunshine, that keeps the earth turning regularly on its axis, and the planets circling in their orbits; when he believes that this Power is always leading him onward toward that which is truest, most beautiful, sweetest and best; and to that which will bring into our lives the greatest joy, peace, and satisfaction, then, indeed, will he feel that he has his feet upon a firm foundation; he can lift his head above the doubts and apprehensions of disease, fancied or real, and with David can declare 'Who forgiveth all mine iniquities, Who healeth all my diseases.'"

The majority of those who pray ask that the plans of Providence be made subservient to their ideas, and not that they, as individuals, should be brought into harmony with the Divine Mind. True prayer is, or should be, unselfish, and does not necessarily mean that we should always be begging for purely selfish aims. There are several kinds of prayer, some of which seem to be beyond the view of the average Christian : the prayer of communion, the prayer of meditation, are forms of prayer which soar beyond selfishness.

The very act of prayer, in and of itself, whether we get the things for which we ask or otherwise, has a beneficial effect upon one. Belief in God as expressed in prayer is the true and only lasting perfect Mind-Cure. Thus the exercise of belief, faith and hope, is the salvation for the discouragements, disappointments and worries which happen in the life of every individual.