Article July 3, 1909 Issue

The reluctance of ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ...

James Phelps

Appleton (Wis.) Post

The reluctance of ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ to believe in the availability of divine power in healing the sick, is simply amazing. His healing works were cited by the Master when that momentous question was put to him by the disciples of John the Baptist: "Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?" The ability to heal as the Master healed was given as one of the tests of the sincerity of true believers: "These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Much of the Master's time was taken up in healing the sick. His instructions to his disciples were: "Preach the gospel;" "heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead." He said, "Believe me for the very works' sake;" again, "The works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father;" "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Many more promises along the same line could be cited.

Now the question is, How did he do these works, and are we, his professed followers, to follow in his footsteps as nearly as possible or invent ways of our own? The good Book says: "There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Evidently, then, we are to seek out and follow his way. He said of his method: "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works;" "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing." St. Paul admonishes us, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." That Jesus healed the sick through divine Mind, and that he used no drugs, herbs, or other material remedies, I believe will be conceded. So, too, the healing of disease in Christian Science is the result or outward showing of spiritual healing which takes place in the consciousness of the patient, regenerating, reforming, renewing, and reestablishing him in the image and likeness of his creator.

Have we any evidence of the reality of matter except the testimony of the physical senses? Have these senses not been proven to be deceivers, times without number? The Christian religion cannot be safely founded on the testimony of the physical senses. If their testimony is true, immortality is a myth. The great Shakespeare and St. Peter both discerned that matter was "the stuff that dreams are made of." Had not Christ Jesus known the unreality of matter could he have raised the dead, stilled the tempest, passed through closed doors, raised himself from the dead, and achieved the ascension? Never.

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