The Diary shows that in the course of this year, Brother Kline entered
a new field of useful activity. In his desire to do good; in his heart
of general beneficence, we are reminded of the philanthropy of Howard
and Wilberforce. They, it is true, wrought in a wider sphere, and
operated on a grander scale; but it may be seriously questioned
whether they had any more of the love of God in their hearts, or any
deeper sympathy for suffering humanity in their souls, than was to be
found in our truly devoted pattern of genuine benevolence, Elder John
Kline. This new field was that of administering medical relief to the
afflicted.
FRIDAY, January 1, 1836. He says: "I have long had doubts in
regard to the curative efficacy and health-restoring virtue of the
regularly established course of medical practice of the present day.
Active depletion of the body, by copious blood-letting, blistering,
drastic cathartics and starving, is, to my mind, not the best way to
eradicate disease and restore the diseased human body to its normal
state. I am well aware that every age has had its own way of treating
diseases, and every age has thought its own way the best; but fashion
and custom have, no doubt, had quite a controling power in this as in
other things; and 'the fashion of the world passeth away,' because
there is little or nothing of substantial good in it."