Editorial September 30, 1967 Issue

The Balm of Gilead

Alan A. Aylwin

Gilead, a mountainous region east of the river Jordan, was occupied in early Biblical times by certain Israelitish tribes. In this district grew balsam trees which exuded a gummy, fragrant, resinous substance that was given the name "balm of Gilead" and was used as an ointment.

Jeremiah speaks figuratively of this balm when he laments about the unhealthy moral climate that prevailed in Israel in his day. He asks, "Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?" ^{Jer. 8:22;} Why indeed, we might ask, when the spiritually fragrant and uplifting influence of the great Physician, divine Love, was present and active to save and heal? But the prophet's countrymen were not willing to awaken to spiritual perception. They had bitter lessons to learn before idolatry yielded to true worship.

Christian Science teaches that all the seeming wounds that plague mankind are based on a material conception of the nature of man. This view of man is wholly false, a mortally mental dream picture which must be rejected and progressively outgrown. Mrs. Eddy says, "Progress, legitimate to the human race, pours the healing balm of Truth and Love into every wound."^{No and Yes, p. 44;}

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Testimony of Healing

One summer afternoon while at the beach with my four children...