Article February 22, 1908 Issue

Jesus said he would build his church upon the acknowledgment...

Willard S. Mattox

St. Albans (Vt.) Messenger

Jesus said he would build his church upon the acknowledgment of his Messiahship, as voiced by Peter; and his Messiahship rested upon the works that he did,—not upon a theological platform, for he had none. According to the Gospel record, he preached very little, but he went about doing good, and he said plainly, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." Christian Science is a daily fulfilment of this prophecy, consequently it is not superseding but is confirming and perpetuating the teaching of our Lord.

At what time in the history of the world did Jesus' command to "heal the sick" cease to be incumbent upon all his followers? Or when did he indicate by an act or a word that healing the sick was to be by means other than the spiritual method he employed? If God had provided material means of healing, which we might use, according to our critic, and which it is impious to neglect, why did not Jesus use these methods? He said he came to do the will of the Father, and then he healed without resort to drugs. Jesus' understanding as to what is God's will in this matter does not agree with that of our critic, who insists that to depend upon God solely, as Jesus did, and as his disciples and followers did for nearly three hundred years, is "fanatical," and people who do so are "hard and cruel." The reverend critic says we must combine prayer and medicines. We must pray first and then use drugs. Christian Scientists can assure the gentleman that if he would sacrifice material remedies and venture out upon an unreserved dependence upon Spirit, he would soon learn that he may fare better without than with the material accompaniment. It will also be interesting to know just what proportion of efficacy the clergyman ascribes to prayer in his combination, and what to drugs, and how he would explain the healing of infidels by drugs alone, without the accompaniment of prayer.

If "it has pleased God to provide means for the relief of sickness," is it not to be presumed that Jesus would have utilized these means and taught his followers to make use of them? Why then did the early Christians for nearly three centuries heal by prayer alone? The book of Acts contains many records of spiritual healing. When did it become "fanatical" to employ such healing? What revelation of truth appeared to the Church to discredit the healing system inaugurated by Jesus and perpetuated by his immediate followers?

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