Article January 1, 1903 Issue

God the Saviour from all Ills

SAMUEL GREENWOOD.

No one objects to the healing of sin by spiritual means alone, for the forgiveness of the sinner is the foundational belief of all Christian religions; and this result is sought without recourse to human devices or material aids. There is no monopoly in this redemptive work, no class legislation conferring this privilege on some conservative school of theology. The sin-sick man is allowed the freedom of choice or no choice at all, and if he dies apparently unforgiven, there is no outcry because he had no proper religious attendance.

Mortal man, with no resource outside of matter, is without a remedy for sin and is compelled by his extremity to seek salvation in God, Spirit, alone. He recognizes that sin is primarily a mental state and can therefore be reached only through mental or spiritual means. A physician would think the man demented who sought him for medical aid to cure dishonesty or hatred. In all materia medica he has no sedative to quiet a troubled conscience; no corrective that will remove the tendency to steal, or lie, or hate. But when continued indulgence of covetous and malicious thoughts has disturbed the harmony of bodily functions, the same physician, in all good faith, would dose him with his pills and poisons. If these drugs can remove the effects, why not the cause? and if they remove the effects and leave the cause still active, is the man healed?

The Christian world has based its theories of redemption from sin on the Scriptural promises of pardon, and though the ultimate result of their belief and prayer is beyond their ken, though they cannot know if the departed sinner has been admitted into paradise, they still hold to the efficacy and faithfulness of God's word. No one objects to this, except the infidel. There is no dismal protest that the day of moral miracles has passed, or that the Christ power which regenerated a Saul of Tarsus has not been operative since the apostolic age. But when Christian Scientists very lovingly suggest to their Christian brethren that we seek God for all good, and rely upon Him alone for the forgiveness of the sick man, they are met with skepticism and rejection. "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life."

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