Editorial November 12, 1910 Issue

"DECEIVING YOUR OWN SELVES"

Archibald McLellan

We sometimes hear members of Christian Science churches say, when appealed to for help, "Oh, I am not a practitioner. Go to So-and-so, who is a regular practitioner." A fair implication from this statement would be that there are two classes of Christian Scientists, one which heals the sick, and one which does not; or, more correctly speaking, one class which has a demonstrable knowledge of this Science, and another which has not; or, to carry the distinction still further, a class which might rightfully be termed Christian sciolists.

This much being admitted, would it not be well—is it not a duty, even—for each one of us to take account of stock and find out where we stand,—decide in which one of these classes we could fairly be rated? If we find that we are in the latter class, then it is for us to decide whether we are content to base our hope of salvation upon a mere smattering of Christianity, or be willing to work for and obtain a demonstrable knowledge of our Master's teachings.

Jesus left an infallible rule by which Christians—those "whose profession and life conform to the teaching and example of Christ"—were to be known, and we may find it in the 16th chapter of Mark's Gospel. He did not say that "them that believe" should be able to direct any one in need of help to those who could cast out devils and heal the sick, but he said plainly that they themselves should do these mighty works, and it is a matter of history that for three centuries the sick were healed, and even the dead were raised to life again, as the natural and legitimate result of prayer and demonstration of the power of God on the part of the primitive Christians.

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