Article September 9, 1967 Issue

Words That inspire Works

NEIL MARTIN

Preaching that is not followed by practice, or words that do not lead to good works, are the cause of much of the current indifference to morality and true goodness. Empty words have given rise to disillusion among many inquiring young people, and even certain mature students of theology have gone so far as to proclaim that "God is dead." What many of them mean, perhaps without knowing it, is that uncertain faith in God unaccompanied by demonstrations of His ever-presence is fruitless; that any theodicy, however intellectually stimulating or ritualistically impressive, is empty that fails to show men how to prove evil's powerlessness over the good that God bestows.

Christ Jesus saw clearly the danger of words without works. In his glorious Sermon on the Mount he said: "Ye are the light of the world. . . . Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."^{Matt. 5:14, 16;} He knew that words alone, even faith alone, are insufficient to heal and regenerate ourselves and our fellowmen.

In his healing ministry he exemplified the divine power which is innate in the man of God's creating, and he assured his followers that they could do likewise in proportion as they claimed their spiritual heritage as God's expression. And the revelator in this age of the Science of Christ, Mrs. Eddy, writes: "The error of the ages is preaching without practice. The substance of all devotion is the reflection and demonstration of divine Love, healing sickness and destroying sin." ^{Science and Health, p. 241;}

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

Healing a Bee Sting