Article May 24, 1913 Issue

According to history, the practise of medicine antedated...

Lloyd B. Coate

Dayton (Ohio) Herald

According to history, the practise of medicine antedated the Christian era, but neither before nor since have material methods of healing equaled the method of Jesus of Nazareth nineteen hundred years ago. Jesus the Christ did not heal through mental suggestion or hypnotism; he healed through the power of God, through an understanding of God's law. He was accused of healing through Beelzebub. "The Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils." In reply to such accusations Jesus said, "But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you." To prove that his teachings were the opposite of suggestion and hypnotism Jesus said: "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." "I can of mine own self do nothing." "The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works."

Prof. Hermann S. Hering, in a public lecture on Christian Science, said: "The difference between the method of healing through mental suggestion, or hypnotism, and that of the divine Mind, the Christ-healing, must be clearly seen. When the effort is made to heal by suggestion, the operator endeavors by means of mental manipulation to make the patient believe that he is not sick. He attempts to change the belief regarding the disease, but the cause of the disease remains, and in time manifests itself even in worse forms. The patient is no better off, he has not risen in the scale of being, he has no more manhood or moral courage, and does not know any more about God and His Christ than before. The true Christian Scientist reflects the divine Mind, stands on the basis of God, man, and the universe as Spirit and spiritual, as Love and its manifestation, as Mind and its ideas—perfect and harmonious. Hence he understands the unreality of matter and evil, and knows that man, the likeness and image of God, or His divine reflection, is not sick, but that the patient is simply suffering from a false mesmeric belief. From that standpoint he proceeds to correct the errors of belief with the truth of being, and thus establishes harmony on a spiritual, scientific basis."

Regarding the matter of "sympathy," the critic is reported as saying: "Sympathy to be expressed to one who is ill does not necessarily have to be genuine. It is not a question of its moral value; it only has to exist in order that the patient may secure the belief that sympathy for him exists. A physician may be filled with real sympathy, and not understanding the mode of expression, will be less successful." The sympathy of the greatest physician this world has ever known, Jesus of Nazareth, was genuine; it was no sham; it was of great moral value. The Christ saith: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

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According to history, the practise of medicine antedated...

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