Editorial February 18, 1905 Issue

"Let us reason together."

Annie M. Knott

When one invites another to the discussion of any subject, the one invited may properly ask what he is to gain thereby. The prophet Isaiah gives the invitation of the Supreme Being in these words, "Come now, and let us reason together;" and it is accompanied by a promise which is indeed startling to the human sense: viz., "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow: though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." It is surely self-evident that a great expansion of the human faculties is necessary in order to grasp adequately the import of these words. Although the appeal is made to reason, the result which is promised would seem wholly to transcend possibility, if we take into account the limitations of mortal experience, but this whole question hinges upon what premises are accepted as the statements of fact, or reality.

Students of Christian Science may sometimes be at a disadvantage, in the world's judgment, because they apparently reject reason, when in fact they do no such thing. What they do is to reject premises which they formerly accepted, premises which are held as fundamental truths by mankind at large. On analysis, however, they will frequently be found to be mere human opinions concerning being and its laws,—prevailing beliefs which have been undergoing a slow process of change with the passing of the centuries. In consequence of the acceptance of incorrect premises, all reasoning on the subject of being must necessarily lead to wrong conclusions, and until the true basis is reached,—until absolute Principle is discerned and understood,—all processes of reasoning are only relatively correct. The teaching and the demonstration of Christ Jesus sustained each other and proved that he understood reality, and yet his reasoning appeared unreasonable to those whose accepted premises were based upon material evidence. He substantially said to the sinners who sought his compassionate aid, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow," and of the one who was hopelessly ill,—even of him who had passed the mortal bound of life,—he said, "though he were dead, yet shall he live." If such statements as these had not been supported by corresponding demonstrations, we could hardly wonder at the accusations of the multitude who testified against him at his trial, saying, "We found this fellow perverting the nation."

If we are to accept as a finality the seeming material evidences of the operation of law, any statement which denies its authority or its processes would be unreasonable. It is certainly contrary to human experience to look for the immediate cleansing of the sinful or the instantaneous healing of the sick, yet Truth bids us "reason together," that we may see the possibility of this great wonder, to human sense.

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