CHAPTER 4 Tissue Differentiation-Diversity in Unity " (Continued from page 265.)
8. Bone or Osseous tissue is the last in order of the connective tissues. In one sense it is farthest removed from the soft protoplasm which lies at the base of all organic structures, but the continuity of life and of cell tissue is preserved. The intercellular substance has been rendered hard by the infiltration of mineral salts, calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate and some magnesium phosphate. These salts compose two-thirds the weight of the bone, yet are so thoroughly identified with it that their presence cannot be detected by a high power lens.
The salts can be removed by diluting them out by acid, leaving the shape of the bone unaltered. Similarly, by a' reverse process of burning, the animal tissues can all be consumed and thus removed, and the shape of the bone^ remain unaltered, with nothing but the mineral salts, in a brittle state, remaining.
In accord with what we have already observed about connective tissue in general, the bones in a special way represent the complete infiltration of objective Truth into the vital parts of the new man, both individually and collectively. As in normal, healthy osseous tissue there is complete identification of the mineral salts with the animal matter, so on the spiritual side there is such an assimilation of the truth that it becomes part of the man. When there is a deficiency in the salts the proper growth of the bone is hindered, and while its general shape is preserved, there is a lack in proper proportion, and especially in strength. The largely prevalent deformities caused by rachitis in infants is due to a failure in assimilation of the mineral salts. These salts are often removed by the modern over-refining of our staple foods, and probably their assimilation is hindered by the absence of the vital principles called vitamins. When these are absent the bones fail to receive their quota of mineral salts. It is significant that the vitamins come largely from growing leafy vegetables, and from the oil of fish. In both cases the mineral salts, of the land or sea, are laid hold of by the vital processes of the plant or animal. It would seem also that sunlight has a most important part in the assimilation of the proper elements. In brief, infants thrive best on pure milk, fish oil, and in the sunlight.
The spiritual meaning of this is clear. Objective truth, which answers to the mineral salts, is only properly assimilated when identified with the vital presence and activity of the Holy Spirit. Grass and leafy vegetables flourish in the sunlight. The green can only be developed in the light, and it is this action of chlorophyl in the light which promotes the actual growth of the green grass and the herb. So true is this that it is found that milk and butter produced from animals fed on hay and dried foods is deficient in the required vitamins. Are we wrong in seeing in all this the great truth that all. spiritual nutrition is dependent upon the vital presence of and communion with the Holy Spirit? The Word of God is not a dull, though correct, history of events, nor merely an inspired compilation of doctrines. Every part of it is instinct with life. It is a living Book. The epistles are not a cyclopedia of doctrinal treatises, but pulsate with the life of God working in the inspired instrument, filling and controlling mind, will and heart.
The blessed Spirit abides in the word He has given us. "The words that I speak unto you they are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63). Hence the vast importance, the necessity, for feeding freshly upon the word of God. The Spirit makes use of His word in its action upon our hearts. "Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (1 Pet. 2:1, 2). The latter verse has been rendered, "As newborn babes desire the pure mental milk of the word, that by it ye may grow up to salvation" (J.N.D.'s Version). The expression λoγικόv δoλov γάλα is somewhat difficult to express in English – "characterized by the Word" is an awkward circumlocution to translate the single Greek adjective. All food for infants, as for all, must be pure – "guileless" is the force of the adjective, for there is no guile in Him who is light. The food must also be impregnated with, saturated by, the Word. It must be, for babes, milk, freshly assimilated by the power of the Holy Spirit. Such is the perfect written word of God, and of similar character must be all true ministry and instruction. The same apostle, Peter, writes, "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God" (1 Pet. 4:11). Thus and thus alone will true nutrition be ministered to the newborn babes in the Lord's household.
A vital ministry! "We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20). How this is needed to-day. It is not to answer to the cry, as in Israel's day, "Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits" (Is. 30:10). There is a grave menace in an over-refining of truth, in taking from it the elements needed to give strength and stability. Wherever the Spirit is unhindered He will give a ministry both fresh and strong, which will supply bone and sinew to the individual and to the Church as a whole, We will be witnesses, the Church will be a witnessing body, and this cannot be without soundness in the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3).
A few scriptures will show the significance of the bones in Scripture. "A bone of Him shall not be broken" (John 19:36 with Exod. 12:46; Num. 9:12). See also Ps. 34:19, 20. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones, not one of them is broken." However much He might be stricken and buffeted, so that His visage was more marred than any man's, as we sing,
"O Head once full of bruises,
So full of shame and scorn,
'Mid other sore abuses,
Mocked with a crown of thorn,"
yet the firm basis of His inward life, His moral character of holiness and righteousness remained unchanged- a bone was not broken. It was this essential perfectness which endeared Him to His Father, and which was the reason why nothing but resurrection could be the divine answer to His atoning work. May this not also explain the expression of our risen Lord, "A spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have" (Luke 24:39)? Whatever changes there might be in the outward form of His life, its underlying character remained the same.
Similarly, as we have quoted, the underlying basic character of the righteous is maintained in all his afflictions. Job might be deprived of wealth, family, friends; might be covered with putrefying sores, but the root of the matter was in him and he comes forth, after he has learned his needed lesson, without a broken bone, a marred character. On the other hand, "Envy is the rottenness of the bones" (Prov. 14:30). The convicted soul cries, "My bones waxed old through my roaring all the day" (Ps. 32:3). "Heal me, for my bones are vexed" (Ps. 6:2). "Neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin" (Ps. 38:3). These and other scriptures show the use made of the material to show the spiritual.
At the risk of repetition we add a word as to the presence or absence of revealed truth in the life of the individual and the Church. Without it there may be a correct form, but no strength. That which should be firm and unyielding, when the truth of God is at stake, becomes vacillating, unable to be "the pillar and ground of the truth." This accounts for the efforts of the enemy to eliminate the Scriptures from the chief place in the life of God's people. Higher Criticism, in all its modernistic forms, deprives men of the only thing which will give form and strength to a testimony for God. The "form of godliness'" may be there, the shape of the bones, but "the power thereof" is lacking, Instead there is a molluscous helplessness, which can neither stand nor fight. Of what value, by itself, is amiability, sweetness of manner, even correct morals, if the truth of Christ the Son of the living God be lacking.
On the other hand "speaking the truth in love" ever marks a true testimony. A mere correctness of the form in the truth, a rigid contention for doctrine without its transforming power in the life is a dry brittle thing, which easily crumbles into utter weakness. This brittle-ness is characteristic of age. "Thou hast the dew of thy youth" marks our Lord. Where there is this vigor and freshness, even a fall does not result in a fracture. Recovery is prompt and complete.
Even a fracture is knit together more effectually and promptly when there is abundance of life in the bone. As is well known the knitting process in old age is slow, and sometimes the sufferer is maimed for the rest of his life. The lesson is obvious.* *For further details on the importance of the vitamins in bone growth and nutrition the reader is referred to an interesting work, "Food, Nutrition and Health," by Professors McCollum and Simmonds of John Hopkins University, also the larger works of Professor McCollum. An interesting article, "Health from Sunlight," will be found in the Literary Digest, for August 28th, 1926.*
Coming next to the structure of the bone, there are two general kinds, the cancellated or spongy, and the dense or compact. This is not due to a difference in the matter, but to the larger or smaller cavities, with more or less solid material between them. The compact tissue is the stronger and is on the outer part of the bones, especially in the longer ones; the spongy portion is on the inside and serves to give extension and lightness where most needed.
The cancellated bones have abundant nutrition from the blood-vessels supported by the marrow. This latter substance is in the hollow of the long bones. At the end of the long bones it is red, and in addition to supporting many blood vessels, contains white and red cells from which the corresponding cells in the blood are derived. Hence the vast importance of healthy marrow in the bones. Without that anaemia would result, and the body quickly fail in health and vigor.
The bones throughout are traversed by Haversian canals, and their tributary canaliculi, forming a complete system for the circulation of nutritive blood and lymph. This system supplies the entire bone substance of the body with its sustenance, maintaining its cells and preserving its vitality, as we have already seen. How beautifully has our gracious God made every portion of our anatomy a vital and integral part of the whole.
All this furnishes abundant and interesting illustrations of the truths upon which we have already dwelt. The growth of the bone from the cartilaginous stage in early infancy to the gradual ossification of the entire bone corresponds to the spiritual growth of the new man. In the goodness of God he is not at first subjected to the tests for which he has not strength. The babe knows the Father, and refuses what is not of Him; while the young man is strong and has the word of God (objective truth) abiding in him. Thus he is able to overcome the wicked one. In the fathers, the growth is complete, and they are in that sense, marked by a knowledge of Him who is from the beginning (1 John 2:12-29). It is of great importance that ossification should not be completed too early in life. The result would be a dwarfed and stunted body. So spiritually, abundant nutrition, assimilation and elimination, is necessary to prevent a too rapid completion of growth. In fact spiritually this process is doubtless more gradual than in the material body. A most practical question however for us is, Are we continuing to grow? Or are we already a finished product? Sad indeed is it when such is the case, and we present to the eye of our Father a dwarfed and stunted soul.
Let us see to it that the growth of bone continues in our spiritual body long after we have received the great outlines of truth. Let the entire Scriptures, especially the Gospels and Epistles, be daily fed upon, and their formative truths filter throughout our entire inner man, making us "strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" (Eph. 6:10). S. R.
(To be continued, D. V.)