Editorial March 2, 1912 Issue

SEEKING AND FINDING

Archibald McLellan

It is worthy of note that the first declaration of the mission of Christ Jesus to the children of men, as recorded in the New Testament, is that "he shall save his people from their sins;" and as we follow him through his brief ministry it is made clear that the primary purpose of his coming was the awakening of mankind to universal salvation, to a recognition of the at-one-ment of God and man, and the leading of humanity through progressive steps to that knowledge of God which he said was "life eternal." In taking these progressive steps the Master gave great prominence in his ministry to the healing of the sick, not because this was the ultimate of his teaching, but because the perfection of God and man in His image and likeness, the truth of being which he taught, was diametrically opposed to the false concept of man as sick, sinning, and dying. The knowledge of God and man which he imparted destroyed these false beliefs, and the individual, being no longer under their dominion, was healed.

John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah, had preached repentance and the coming of the kingdom of heaven, and Jesus reiterated this preaching, coupling with it, however, in demonstration of its truth, the healing works that made their appeal where the doctrine of salvation from sin fell upon ears that heard not. How close was the connection between the preaching and healing is shown in the instance of the man sick with the palsy. The scribes accused Jesus of blasphemy when he said to the afflicted one, "Thy sins be forgiven thee," but there was no room for doubt as to his God-given power when at the word of command the palsied man "arose, and departed to his house."

There is no disputing, therefore, that the healing of sickness was important in the work of Jesus, and inasmuch as the teachings of Christian Science are based on the words and works of the Wayshower, Christ Jesus, it has and should have an important part in the work of Christian Scientists today. Our Master's answer to John's messengers shows that he considered this healing indisputable proof of the truth of his teachings and the reality of his Messiahship, but it must also be remembered that his exhortation was not primarily that men should come to him to be healed; it was that they should repent,—seek first the kingdom of God, and find health, happiness, all good, as the natural consequent of this seeking.

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