Editorial September 25, 1909 Issue

THE INTELLIGIBILITY OF DIVINE LAW

John B. Willis

THE world is familiar with the fact that in studying a given force or influence the phenomena which have characterized a known period of its history are naturally looked for in any as yet unknown period, and this so-called law of the maintenance of type is sure to determine the expectation of all who are investigating the subject.

In the study of Christianity this law would lead one to expect that all the vital and well-attested results which followed its acceptance in the first century would be found attending it in the fifth or twenty-fifth, and those who believe in the historic verity of the miracles of the New Testament, but deny the legitimacy of any expectation of their recurrence today, are therefore called upon to give reasons for the incongruity of their position. This responsibility they accept, and the usual explanation given is that Christ Jesus was unique; that he had an understanding of things, a perception of divine Truth which does not pertain to us, and which we cannot hope to acquire.

In considering this explanation we are pertinently reminded that Christ Jesus always spoke of his healing works as the result of his knowledge of Truth, hence the question of the present intelligibility of divine law is immediately precipitated. Respecting this question Christian Science has taken a position which is awakening universal interest. It teaches that in its nature all truth is knowable to us in proportion to our likeness to God, and in support of this contention it cites not only the law of the maintenance of type, but also Christ Jesus' explicit declaration that his followers should know and be made free by the truth, together with the fact of the continuance of the healing work by his disciples.

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