Principle not Personality

WM. H. JENNINGS

In Nebraska State Journal

IF it be asked, "Is there any person in all the world who has the power to heal malignant diseases?" the answer of Christian Science is an emphatic No! If, however, the questioner asks, "Is there any principle in all the world by the application of which malignant diseases can be healed?" we answer, there is just one Principle by which such healing can be done. Thank God, this healing power is a Principle and not a finite person, and so all men in all the world may come to know and obey this Principle; whereas a personal healer could not reach, nor be reached, by all mankind. Would an "infinitely compassionate" and impartial God give one person in any age or land a private and personal power to heal, and leave all His children in other times and places without this divine power? Let us at least be agreed that God is just and deals equitably with all.

The people who are sincerely seeking the facts about Christian Science in order to reach correct conclusions upon this subject, will attend the Christian Science testimony meetings, and will ask the persons who have been healed by Christian Science about the diseases with which they had been afflicted. Those who are not sincerely seeking the whole truth about Christian Science may possibly be satisfied with what the opponents of Christian Science tell them—opponents whose eyes are wide open to the mistakes made by our people, but who are pleased to ignore the demonstrations of healing and reformation that are fast filling our churches with healthy and happy faces.

Our friends will find in the New Testament that the hostile critics of Christ Jesus and his gospel were never given "a sign." Because he who sets himself up as a critic of God, and His healing and saving Christ, is too high upon the pinnacle of self-righteousness to perceive the power of God which is so plain and practical to the meek and lowly children of the kingdom of heaven on earth. To all hostile critics, ancient and modern, the works of the Master and his followers have been "foolishness" and a "stumbling block;" "because they seeing see not: and hearing hear not, neither do they understand." "But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."

No Christian Scientist has ever claimed to know all about God. But the teaching of Jesus, as interpreted by Christian Science, does give one a demonstrable knowledge of God. A critic says that he does not know God. If he knows nothing about God why does he preach obedience to an unknown God? Paul said that he knew Him, and he declared Him unto the Greeks. The Master said: "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." And John uses the word "know," or some form of it, over thirty times in the last four chapters of his first epistle. Mark this passage: "We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."

WM. H. JENNINGS.
In Nebraska State Journal.

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