Editorial March 10, 1906 Issue

The Mind which was in Christ Jesus

Archibald McLellan

That the views of physicians are changing, and that they are getting away from the old idea of almost unlimited drugging, is significantly set forth in a few words in an article by Dr. Richard C. Cabot of Boston, which appears in the February issue of Charities. He says, "Encouragement is one third of the business of the physician, but if it is to be permanent and not a mental cocktail, we must give the patient good reason for being encouraged, which usually means religion or its equivalent;" and we naturally wonder whether this "encouragement" is a part of the curriculum of any medical school and if it is included among the subjects upon which applicants for registration as physicians are examined, but upon reading further we find that "mental diagnosis and treatment are not yet taught in medical schools." Certainly a line of practice which constitutes "one third of the business of the physician" is worthy of much study, and an applicant who is deficient in "one third of the business of the physician" is not equipped for his work.

Dr. Cabot's statement is true so far as it goes, but it does not go far enough. Jesus, who was the most successful healer of disease that the world has ever known, did not limit his religion to one third of his work in healing, He did not heal with one third "religion or its equivalent," and two thirds something else. His cures were performed with three thirds religion. When he healed the man who "had an infirmity thirty and eight years," he said, "Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee," plainly showing that he regarded righteousness as the means of permanently retaining health. When the Jews "sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day," he said, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work," and "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise."

Christian Scientists, under the leadership of Mrs. Eddy, are putting into practice these teachings of our Master, and through her wise guidance they are finding and proving that right thinking — doing the will of the Father—is the only panacea for the ills of the flesh.

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