Article March 7, 1908 Issue

THE ONLY ANSWER

MARY WHEELER.

It often happens that an explanation is demanded of some of the profounder problems of Christian Science, before its claims in lesser matters are granted. Do Christian Scientists really believe that Jesus walked on the water? Do they think he fed the multitudes with material loaves and fishes? How do they explain the resurrection and ascension? These are some of the questions asked. How shall they be answered?

No one who calls himself a Christian Scientist should be content to accept any statement in regard to this Science simply "on faith," if by faith is meant mere credulity or blind assent to the dogmatic assertion of another. It is on no such ground that our Leader asks allegiance to her teachings, for she plainly says, "A simple statement of Christian Science, if demonstrated by healing, contains the proof of all here said of Christian Science. If one of the statements in this book is true, every one must be true, for not one departs from the stated system and rule" (Science and Health, p. 547). And herein lies the answer we are seeking.

No intelligent person to-day doubts that the earth is a sphere. But how many of us know it of our own knowledge? How many of us have demonstrated it, even so far as to have circumnavigated its surface? Yet not many centuries ago this belief was generally looked upon as preposterous. How many of us are able to compute the time of an eclipse, or of the rising of the sun? Yet we believe that there are those who are able to do so, because we have seen the sun rise, and eclipses take place, as predicted by them, many times. But have we seen one rise from the dead, or walk on the wave? No. Then let us search more deeply for our clue. How is it claimed that these things have been done? Was it by any principle, or law, by any "system," or "rule"?

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March 7, 1908
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