Editor of the Messenger :—I have just been reading the communications of E. W. N. and Mabel Gifford in the Messenger for February 8, and I want to express my sympathy with the thoughts contained in them, and my appreciation of the help which I have obtained from their perusal.

I am sorry to say that with the majority of New-Church people, so far as I have been able to observe, their study of the healing of the body without the aid of medicine has been confined very largely to the criticism, in many cases just, in others to my mind very unjust, of the various systems of metaphysical healing taught and practised in the world to-day. Having, in their opinion, "knocked the bottom" out of these systems, they proceed to state that there is contained in the writings of the New Church a true system of mental or spiritual healing, which is more sound and rational than any of these others. And there they stop! With few exceptions, there has been no attempt to formulate a practical system of instruction as to methods by which we may heal ourselves and others; and, better still, keep ourselves free from disease. And in nearly all cases those who have gone even this far theoretically, fall back upon a physician or the family medicine chest when any so-called case of "real sickness" appears. Now I do not speak of this simply for the purpose of finding fault, for such a spirit can only prove hurtful under all circumstances; but that we may, if possible, learn a lesson from these mistakes.

I would suggest that instead of pointing out the defects in the theology of Christian Science and other metaphysical teachings of this character, we look into them for the good there is in them. There seems to be a general impression among New-Church people that because these systems are wrong in some of their principles, there is nothing good in them and nothing good can be got from them. But this, I am profoundly convinced, is untrue. Indeed, from practical experience I have demonstrated, to my own satisfaction, at least, that one can gain from them an immense amount of help in ultimating in the outward life, even down to the outmosts of the physical body, the teachings of our Lord.

The main secret of the healing of the body through the soul lies in the truth that no evil is ours until we make it ours by appropriation; only we have not recognized that this can be applied to diseases as well as other forms of evil. When we feel a sensation of pain or weariness we at once say mentally, if not audibly, "Oh, I am so tired!" "Dear me, I have such a headache!" Thus we open the door and invite into our homes these ugly visitors from the lower regions, instead of refusing to harbor them and driving them back with the command, "Get thee behind me, Satan! I will have none of you. I am the child of the heavenly Father, and I have a right to refuse you entrance into my consciousness, and I do refuse to acknowledge and appropriate you. I claim my birthright,—health, peace, happiness, and prosperity." If this is done just as earnestly and with the same conviction that we refuse to yield to an unkind thought, or harbor an unholy suggestion or desire, the physical man would soon respond, and in time come entirely under the control of the spiritual.

Another mistake that we often see made is that people expect too much. By this I do not mean that we have not the right to see the outward results of our thoughts and words in increased health and vigor; but they seem to think that in a moment, a day, a year even, they can undo the work of half a life-time of erroneous thinking along these lines. Those who are endeavoring to obtain healing for the body entirely through spiritual forces, and are using as a means some of the varied forms of "self-treatment," expect to affirm, "I am free from this cold, or this headache," and presto! the cold or the headache has disappeared and they feel entirely well. And if they do not, they say the system is false, and they cannot produce any results from it. They do not realize that this refusal to appropriate the physical evil is very often halfhearted on their part. They only half believe what they say. When they see good results, they will believe; if not, there is nothing in it. What kind of faith, what kind of belief is this? "Because of the loaves and fishes" we follow the Lord, forgetting that whatever is true is absolutely true, without any relation to our personal experiences.

It is a fact that there is no time in spiritual states; it is true that an absolute conviction can sweep away in a moment the accumulations of years; but there must be this absolute conviction, and I think I am safe in saying that few have it. With most of us, there is only a little trickling stream of new thought which has to permeate, to soak through, as it were, deep layers of our conscious and unconscious being and make them over; and this is a process which in most cases is measured by time, and considerable time at that. As has been dwelt upon before in these columns, again and again did the Lord say, "According to your faith be it unto you;" "if we have faith," and it is certain that a faith which can be so easily shaken is a very poor sort of faith, and will produce a very poor sort of results.

We are too apt to pet and pity ourselves physically. No one would consider himself an object of commiseration because he has been tempted to cheat or injure his neighbor; so neither ought we to look for sympathy because we are the victims of the toothache or the grip. I am not sure but that we ought to hide away in shame such ugly things, with sorrow that our bodies have formed the soil in which these noxious weeds can take root and grow. But of course this would involve some degree of appropriation to ourselves, and in many cases take the form of morbid self-reproach, which would be a hindrance rather than a help in getting rid of the evil. Still I do insist that the parading of our aches and pains, our physical feelings of any kind, before our friends, is neither helpful nor kind.

It should also be borne in mind that we have a right to claim perfect physical health only when we are living an orderly physical life. Just what are the details of such a life, each must decide for himself; so greatly do outward conditions differ with different individuals. It is certain, however, that the body must not be neglected, and that one must observe as a rule, simple, regular habits of diet, sleep, dress, and cleanliness. No rational, civilized being can voluntarily neglect these without paying the penalty.

It is my earnest wish that the subject of spiritual healing should be better understood and more widely practised among our people; for I believe it would go a long way towards bringing us the answer to our prayer, "May thy kingdom come; may thy will be done, as in the heavens, so also upon the earth."—L. M. H.

New-Church Messenger.