Editorial November 30, 1907 Issue

"THE MANDATES OF JESUS."

Archibald McLellan

In writing of the demand for healing as a part of the work of the Church. and of the efforts now being made to establish this healing, the editor of The Christian church work and Evangelist prophesies success for these efforts, and says, "The good Christian brothers who have had nothing but denunciation for Mrs. Eddy's work will look back in thankfulness for this at least, that through the lesson she taught, that Christianity and health should go together, the Church has been inspired to carry out both the mandates of Jesus, to heal the sick as well as preach the kingdom of God."

The most hopeful sign of the times is that the churches. and writers upon religious subjects are at last recognizing the indivisibility of our Master's gospel, and the need for returning to the Christianity of the early centuries, when both preaching and healing—words and works—were required of those who "named the name of Christ." In the early days of Christian Science its opponents were loud in their denunciation of the followers of Mrs. Eddy because, as was alleged, they "put themselves on an equality with Jesus" by claiming to heal the sick as he healed those who applied to him.

Now we find that one of the great Protestant denominations is stirred to its very center by the demand that its ministers shall heal the sick. and through its denominational papers and at its congresses this demand has been most strenuously urged. While it is true that some of those who have urged this return to the practice of primitive Christianity have given as their reason a desire to keep the members of their churches who are seeking healing for their bodily ills from going over to Christian Science, it would be neither fair nor charitable for us to assume that this is the only reason.

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