The constant suggestion of danger attending the indulgence of certain foods, or habits, produces another complication that must be explained before the Great Central Truth that is so shrouded in mystery can be fully appreciated. The fear of a condi-tion causes the thought of it to be retained in the mind, lowering the vitality, tending to product the condition, while a sudden conquest of the fear frees the mind from the oppression, resulting in the same wonderful influx of vitality for a time from the subjective side of life, already mentioned as causing delusion regarding the real revivifying agent, or the healthfulness of foods, or habits, as when one with a delicate stomach overcomes the fear of chile pepper in Mexican dishes - indulging them freely and fearlessly without apparent injury for a time, he is liable to decide, even against his judgment, that red pepper is desirable food, and to increase the amount, hoping for still better results. Many decisions regarding food are based upon no better judgment than this, while the suggestion of fear is a constant menace to health.

Children, instead of being given the true suggestion that a reasonable amount of sweetmeats, at the right time of day - after luncheon or dinner - will afford them more pleasure than a large amount taken irregularly, are continually burdened with the admonition that "such things are unhealthy." The appetite for them is unchanged, but the stomach may be weakened or the vitality lowered by the suggestion of disease until it is unable to digest any kind of food.

Were it not that these ideas of fear are instinctively counteracted by auto-suggestions, that most children dare not speak aloud, as, "No, it won't hurt me; I've tried it before; I'll risk it," none of them would live to reach maturity, hence it is most important that parents know the influence of thought upon the organs of the body, that they may avoid fostering sickness and death more rapidly than would the forbidden food, even though used injudiciously.

Habit has much to do with the craving of the appetite and for a time hinders complying with the highest law of hygiene. Children raised on a few kinds of food are better nourished and better satisfied, besides being stronger to resist the temptation of injurious things, than when a great variety of tastes is known to them before they are able to judge what is for their good, or to regulate the indulgence. There is no difficulty in adopting systems of scientific living for long life if begun pre-natally.

After appetites have been formed, if they are overruling or injurious, as a taste for intoxicants, they should be overcome as a diseased condition; but if the injury is only in the misuse, as with the taste for sweets, it is far better to control and satisfy the desire for them "until it is gradually outgrown than to stifle it. The system that knows the pleasure of taste, in its diversity, is like the youth who gains a glimpse of the world. He can no longer be content within the bounds of home, or be shielded by love and advice. His only safety lies in his inherent nature and ability to regulate himself in the new sphere. If the system is called upon to sacrifice all of its pleasures of taste, many of which are perverted at present, it, like the youth, if restrained, becomes morbid. The glands refuse to secrete the fluids, and the harmony of the organs, as well as the influx of subjective vitality, is affected.

The stimulus of a great purpose to test reformatory measures of diet may be sustaining for a time, but will not be permanent if the food is not gratifying to the palate. It is upon this principle of influencing the secretions that pepsin is obtained for medicinal purposes. Swine are kept fasting until the stomach is entirely empty, when they are permitted to see and smell a tempting pail of food, but not allowed to touch it. Immediately a large amount of gastric juice is secreted to digest the expected meal, then the animal is killed and the pepsin extracted for human use.

The experiments of Pavlow upon dogs also prove that appetizing food always induces the greatest amount of juices to digest it. When dogs were forced to eat distasteful articles of diet the secretions were almost entirely stopped, and raw meat induced a much greater supply than cooked meat.

This shows why children do not thrive when their natural or cultivated taste is disregarded. Even a health diet must be pleasing, else it fails in its purpose. Because of this tendency of the system to be ruled by the appetite, great care should be exercised by mothers in cultivating, from infancy, a taste for simple natural foods, that the struggle with the perverted appetite may be avoided. If the stomach is kept normal it craves only a normal food, but as most stomachs are already abnormal, to some extent, the change must be made judiciously, as it involves complications.

In most cases, by arousing a desire for long life, the mind seeks vital food gradually dropping without conscious effort those less vital, thus the change is natural. If the system has become tensioned, and the craving is too intense to be abandoned easily, especially where the will is weaknend by disease, many experiments show that it is best to conquer the fear and gratify the appetite for the moment, thus untensioning the glands so suddenly that the influx of subjective vital force, that has been held in check, raises the system positive to the disease.

Among the cases of this kind is an authenticated instance in which, gratifying the taste and overcoming the fear, aroused the digestive organs from a chronic dormant condition. A very weak dyspeptic patient craved coffee, but her physicians had forbidden it, saying it might prove fatal. Under the positive assurance that what the system craved would not be detrimental in her tensioned state of mind, she fearlessly drank three cups of strong coffee, and after a few weeks of positive mental treatment, was entirely well.

Another instance shows the result of overcoming the fear of Mexican dishes by natural perversity. A young man - for months a sufferer from dyspepsia - had been dieted until his stomach had become too weak to receive any kind of food without distress. Hope had almost deserted him. One day, in this depressed mood, he passed a place where chili con carnie was being made. He had not tasted such food for many months, but the odor on the crisp morning air aroused a craving for it. He resisted the desire as most dangerous; however, he was not strong enough to master it, so decided, in desperation, to eat all he wanted if he died immediately afterwards. He did not die, and is now very foolishly advocating "chili" as a "sure cure" for dyspepsia, not realizing that as soon as the psychological effect is gone he will have some more serious ailment.

Christian Scientists have many striking experiences of a similar character. Their first advice to a patient is, "eat all you want without fear." The radical enthusiast is delighted with his new-found liberty. He "cuts loose," as did Uncle Peter Bines when he struck his mine, as is illustrated by a wealthy cattleman from the West, who, after taking his first treatment for stomach trouble, of a scientist in Chicago, went to a restaurant and ordered a dinner of corn-beef, veal dumplings, potatoes, roast beef, cabbage, turnips, peppers, beans, pie, ices, three kinds of cake, wine and coffee, laughingly declaring he would test the power of his healer, as he had been starved for six months. After disposing of the largest part of his order he was surprised to find himself still alive. His faith was so established, as he suffered no inconvenience from such indulgence, that he remained two weeks longer to be entirely cured.

The same extreme measures are adopted by Christian Scientists in regard to fear of exhaustion from work. They say "do anything you want to, as God's strength is unlimited." While this is true, they do not realize that such power can be used at will only, as they develop to perceive it, or to establish it in objective growth. The first enthusiasm is inspiration, not real development, hence cannot always be depended upon; however, under this advice, many people demonstrate the wonderful strength that can be commanded for a time. For instance: A refined lady in C------, who had been confined to a wheel chair for years, was treated by Christian Science. As soon as her cure was effected she returned to her home and discharged her servants. For many months she did all her own work, besides boarding two teachers, and walking several miles each day treating sick people. After further development she realized that "all you want" had another meaning. The rush and excesses are not desired. It is freedom from them that is necessary. It soon becomes a pleasure to Christian Scientists to know that they do not need to work so hard, or eat so much, hence the law of the "happy medium" establishes itself like water seeking its level.

Many instances might be given of seemingly miraculous cures, or changes for the better, resulting from the sudden influx of subjective vitality, by the inspiration of hope, in trying new remedies, both material and mental, or through the dominance of the will to allay fear. Subjective vitality is generated by the action of the life principle underlying all growth and repair. If it can cause the tissue of an organ to grow in the first place, there is no reason why it should not be aroused to repair it in case of injury. It is commonly known as the rallying of nature. It serves a great purpose, but is a law of mind power intending to overcome the evils of friction, hence must not be confused with the great central truth serving as a basis of a system of scientific living, tending to avoid the friction and oppressions that demand correction by extreme measures, or spasmodic efforts to re-establish harmony.

The great central principle that is approached from so many directions, and must be kept in mind as fundamental, while the surging changes of hope and fear are fleeting, is that of REGULATION, tending to simple natural habits, sustaining the cell life, and establishing a more normal poise.