Editorial September 9, 1911 Issue

"VAIN REPETITIONS"

Archibald McLellan

One of the numerous fallacies imposed on many who are taking their first steps in Christian Science, is the belief that the practice of this healing religion is confined to the use or reiteration of some formula or combination of words; whereas in their experience of its saving power it should have been made clear to them that it is the knowledge of God and man's relation to Him that heals the sick. As a matter of fact, it is difficult to understand how any one could be misled on this point when Mrs. Eddy has so clearly and concisely epitomized her teaching on this subject in the opening sentence of our text-book: "The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God,—a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love" (Science and Health, p. 1); and that this "spiritual understanding" is the knowledge of "the one true God" which Christ Jesus declared is "life eternal."

There is no doubt that in our present state of understanding it is necessary for us, mentally and sometimes audibly, to go over the arguments by which we may clear away the doubts and fears which so easily beset us, and which would tend to make us accept the material as the real and to reject the spiritual as the illusion; but should these arguments ever become to us the substance of our healing practice, rather than a means to an end, our usefulness would be lost, and we should be subject to the rebuke which was given by our Master to those who use "vain repetitions."

Mrs. Eddy, not only in Science and Health, but in all her writings, strongly emphasizes the necessity of acquiring this understanding of God and His relation to the universe, including man, which casts out all false beliefs and heals the sick, and while it is necessary to deny and reject every material belief which would becloud this understanding, we must not mistake the argument for the understanding which actually accomplishes the healing work.

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