Editorial February 16, 1907 Issue

HEAL THE SICK

ARCHIBALD McLELLAN

IT has been the practice in the churches of the older denominations to plan and provide special services or entertainments for different classes of the community, and in this way it has been supposed that the old people and the young, the men and the women, would be severally brought into the church; but we doubt whether in any instance more has been accomplished than would have had there been no division into classes. However it may be in other churches, we feel sure that these methods cannot be profitably used in the Church of Christ, Scientist, for we know that no person is truly converted to Christian Science otherwise than through intelligent study of its text-book, study that is confirmed by the healing works which stand as the demonstration of divine Principle reflected in man.

Through the regular Sunday services, the Wednesday evening meetings, the lectures, and the Reading Rooms, opportunity is freely afforded to those who wish to learn something of Christian Science, and these agencies place this healing gospel before all classes without offensive and unwarranted efforts at proselytism. It has been found that young and old, rich and poor, men and women, are all reached by these regularly constituted agencies, and that they are sufficient for the purposes for which they are intended; yet all these are merely supplementary to the healing works which were so distinctively characteristic of Jesus' ministry.

People do not, as a rule, become genuinely interested in Christian Science except through its healing and saving work. Preaching without practice is vain, but the healing of the sick and the reform of the sinful is most impressive, sustaining, as it does, the claim of Christian Scientists that their religion is a practical exemplification of the gospel of Christ. As an example of how this healing appeals to those in need, we quote from the testimony of Mrs. Lanham, which appeared in the Jan. 12 issue of the Sentinel. She writes in part as follows: "Christian Science was presented to me in a very practical way. I came to know personally of the healing, and wanted it for myself. I got the Christian Science text-book, 'Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,' and began to read it and was healed perfectly, or rather I was born again, for it changed things for me entirely. The suffering and pain had passed away and I knew they could never have any power over me again. On the third day after the reading began I threw away all my medicines and remedies of every kind and have never had occasion to return to them." Another instance is that of Mrs. Whalen, whose experience is given in the same issue of the Sentinel. She writes: "Two weeks before I heard of Christian Science I felt I was slowly descending to the grave. A very serious bowel trouble had set in, and I experienced a feeling of terror. But just then, when I thought there was no help, a friend told me of his healing in Christian Science and advised me to see a practitioner; which I did, and took treatment. . . . . By degrees every ailment left me and I was and am now in perfect health."

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