Article May 2, 1908 Issue

Christian Science does not teach that we have no body...

James Phelps

Racine (Wis.) News

Christian Science does not teach that we have no body: it only denies the erroneous sense of body as mortal and material. St. Paul said, "There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body;" which is only another way of saying that there is a true sense of body and an erroneous sense thereof. Christ Jesus had a body, but when he vanished from earthly sight he left no trace of a body behind. He walked on water, penetrated closed doors, raised his body from the grave, and finally ascended above mortal vision. All this shows that he must have had a very different conception of body and substance than that generally entertained.

According to history, the practice of medicine began some two thousand years B.C. How then could Christian clergymen be pioneers in the science of medicine? There is nothing in the Scriptures to indicate that St. Luke ever practised differently from the other disciples or his Master. It is not reasonable to suppose that he was presumptuous enough to think that he knew better than his Lord what was best for mankind, physically, mentally, or spiritually. In fact it is extremely doubtful that he was a medical practitioner at all. Although the bishop claims that the first hospitals were established by the Christians in Rome, he admits that "At first the Christian clergy performed both the functions of medical and spiritual physicians," until these were separated "on account of the great amount of time required by the clergy in the healing of the physically sick." This is tantamount to saying that Christ Jesus, who devoted a great deal of time to the healing of the sick, might have been about more important business. How long did it require for him to heal the man blind from his mother's womb, how long to raise Lazarus from the dead, or to heal the multitude of divers diseases? How long did it take Peter and John to heal the impotent man? By whose authority was Christ's command, Preach the gospel and heal the sick, separated? He plainly indicated that the sick and sinful are healed by the same process, for he said, "Whether is it easier to say ... Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?" ...

That physicians, as a class, are noble men and women, engaged in the commendable pursuit of trying to relieve the sufferings of humanity, all Christian Scientists agree, and accord them their just measure of praise and gratitude; but we claim to have found "a more excellent" way.

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