Article October 5, 1912 Issue

Adverting to a letter which appeared in a recent issue,...

W. H. Webb

Southport (Eng.) Visiter

Adverting to a letter which appeared in a recent issue, rebutting the reference to Christian Science made by the Bishop of Liverpool in his sermon during the recent Medical Congress, may I be allowed a few lines thereon? The subject of health and healing on Bible lines has been grossly neglected by the church, hence the bishop's reference is surely out of place until the church does its duty in this particular. There is yet another and a more grave reason why this allusion is uncalled for at this time, and that is, the reign of doctordom with which this country is threatened is paralleled only by the priestly reign over conscience during the Middle Ages. Surely we are living in perilous times when Protestant bishops can be found in the camp of materialistic orthodox doctordom, helping to weld the chains wherewith to bind the people's conscience in the matter of the right to care for the welfare of their own bodies, and denouncing in unsparing terms the only body of Christians who are trying to realize the Bible ideal of spiritual healing.

I am not concerned for the moment with what are, to me, the peculiar views of Christian Scientists respecting God and sin, which are a fair field for criticism; but, surely, the fact that their practise is based upon the vitalist theory of life, which is agreeable to Scripture teaching, while orthodox doctoring is based upon the materialistic theory of life, which is diametrically opposed to Bible teaching, ought to deter people from committing themselves unequivocally in favor of materialism and so much against vitalism. Man is something more than bread and butter when in health, or a chemical compound when sick. Health does not depend upon a calculation of a due proportion of the chemical properties of food, nor when health is lost are mineral drugs necessary to restore it. Fasting is miscalled "starvation" according to materialistic calculations, yet, according to Scripture teaching, it is a wholesome exercise and is enjoined on all Christians, especially on those who are called to "heal the sick."

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