"O FOR A FAITH THAT WILL NOT SHRINK"

John B. Willis

When Christian Scientists remember Jesus' saying, that if one had faith even as a grain of mustard seed, he could speak to the mountains and they would obey him, they are impressed with the propriety of modest statement as to their present attainments; but they have occasion and they do rejoice that Christian Science has called them to the fulness of both physical and spiritual freedom, that it places no limit upon the possibilities of their overcoming and efficiency. It will, certainly be some time, in the order of human development, before we can be perfect even as is our Father in heaven. Nevertheless, paradoxical as it may seem, every one who honors the authority of Christ Jesus is under obligation to be thus perfect to-day, and a clear perception of this immediate and uncompromising demand of Truth alone supplies the vital stimulus to spiritual advance. For this larger concept of man's privilege and power to assert and maintain his sovereignty over every enemy of his peace and progress, Christian Science stands, and in this it presents a well-nigh antipodal contrast to the thought and aspiration of the many.

There lies before us an article in which a reverend disciple of him who said, "The works that I do shall ye do also." "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel," "Heal the sick,... raise the dead, cast out devils," defines and discusses his understanding of this glorious commission, and his statement could but lead every worthy Christian Scientist to renewed thanksgiving for that unlimited sense of individual privilege and spiritual power which has come to him through the teaching and demonstrations of the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science.

The article says in part, "The ministers of—Church refuse to accept any patient till his case has been diagnosed by a trained specialist in nervous diseases... they believe in Science... and regard all attacks upon the organized knowledge of the race as attacks upon reason, and therefore suicidal." "For ordinary work, two doctors, trained along the most scientific lines, in psychological medicine, are in attendance at the church several days in the week, where they may be consulted. Only persons suffering from nervous trouble, and functional disturbances are accepted, and should any of these be already under medical advice, they must bring their physician's consent before their names can be enrolled." We are further told that "scientific and religious remedies are administered by suggestion," and that this "suggestion is avilable only within certain limits, there being not the slightest evidence that when an organic change has taken place in the body, such a change can be effected by mental means," and that "a cancer, for example, is not amenable to mental treatment."

The recognition that faith has any degree or kind of healing relation to "nervously run-down people" is something; indeed, many declare that the assertion of even this timid sense is inaugurating a "forward movement," but what believer in the words and works of Christ Jesus, and in the actuality of his commission to his followers, as quoted above, can fail to be impressed with the pitifully significant contrast between this twentieth-century material sense of Christian privilege and that realized by St. Paul when with inspired daring he said to King Agrippa, "Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead? or when, after many years of practical experience in preaching and healing, he exhorted the Corinthians that their faith "should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

What, it may be asked, would the seventy have said if, upon their triumphant return from the divinely-appointed ministry of healing the sick and casting out devils, they had been taken to task by some Christian brother for presuming to cure organic disease, or even daring to undertake the healing work without first having every case "diagnosed by a trained specialist," and been reminded that to fail to recognize the authority of material therapeutics was "suicidal"? Surely those who are yet in bondage to this sense of limitation have occasion to sit down and weep, as did their fathers in Babylon, when they "remembered Zion." The world would fain hear a note of Christian triumph, of the overcoming of sin and sickness, in fulfilment of the Master's pledge,—but how shall they sing the Lord's song in this far-away land?

Thank heaven, things have wondrously changed of late. To-day a vast number of those who have been healed of all kinds of functional and organic disease through Christian Science (among whom are many ministers) are awakened to a realization of the weakening timidity and unworthiness of this unfaith. To her eternal credit be it remembered that when Mrs. Eddy began her championship of the liberty of the sons of God, when she declared for the present availability of divine Truth, and sounded the note of a new and glad day in the immortal words, "The miracle of grace is no miracle to Love." "God will heal the sick through man, whenever man is governed by God" (Science and Health, pp. 494, 495), she then stood single-handed and alone "in the midst of the years." In demonstrating the truth of her contention by healing all manner of disease, and in instituting the quickening and beneficent work of Christian Science, she has achieved for the sick and the suffering, the desolate and the enslaved in this sad world, that which in common justice should have won for her the loving appreciation and gratitude of all mankind.

It was declared by the psalmist that when the Christ-idea had ascended (in human consciousness) he should lead "captivity captive," but speaking to the unbelieving, undaring, and inadequate disciples of his day, Christ Jesus said, "O faithless generation.... how long shall I suffer you?" and looking forward to this, the day of the reappearing of the Divine idea in Christian Science, he said, "When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"

John B. Willis.

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"TO DAY IF YE WILL HEAR HIS VOICE"

May 4, 1907

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