Editorial July 9, 1910 Issue

THE EFFICACY OF THE CHRIST-WAY

Archibald McLellan

It was soon after he had raised from the dead the son of the widow of Nain, and the stir which this occasioned, that our great Master was questioned as to the validity of his claim to the Messiahship. Strangely enough, he did not attempt to establish his identity by preaching a doctrinal sermon, he did not expound his theology, but after a brief interval he said to his questioners: "Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached." This method of attestation was an indication of the Master's understanding that his claim must stand or fall by his works rather than by his words; that, though John's disciples might repudiate a claim based upon a mere declaration that he was indeed the Messiah, there could be no disputing its truth when, even as they waited for an answer to their question, they saw that "he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight."

The present-day question as to the truth of Christian Science must be answered in the same way, and the sincere seekers for the truth are looking not to the words of Christian Scientists, but to the works wrought through Christian Science,—through the power of Truth,—for proof that this modern gospel of health and salvation is the same gospel that Jesus taught and practised in far-off Palestine. Such being the case, it is today more than ever incumbent upon Christian Scientists to heed the advice of our Leader to "study thoroughly the letter and imbibe the spirit" (Science and Health, p. 495) of Christian Science, to acquire so clear an understanding of its teachings that they can demonstrate its Principle with unerring certainty. When this is done, the truth of Christian Science will not be questioned, and misrepresentation of its teachings will largely cease.

That the works wrought through this understanding of Christian Science, are even now breaking down the barriers of unbelief, is clearly shown in many of the testimonies of healing published in these columns and in the other periodicals of the denomination; but the cry still goes up from our critics that these testimonies are not to be accepted as evidence, because, forsooth, they have not the stamp and authority of a physician to prove either the correctness of the diagnosis or the genuineness of the healing. The fact that many physicians and nurses have become Christian Scientists by reason of their own healing, or because of the healing of members of their family, is largely lost sight of by these critics, as is also the further fact that the case of almost every person who is healed by Christian Science had been previously diagnosed and treated by one or more reputable physicians.

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