Article June 14, 1913 Issue

The Messenger in a recent issue contains an editorial...

Thomas F. Watson

Montague (Cal.) Messenger

The Messenger in a recent issue contains an editorial which objects to the statement made by a Christian Scientist that "sickness and sin were never made or supported by God." The editor says: "If God did not create these disease-producing bacteria, who did?" In Genesis we read that "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Then, as "disease-producing bacteria" are not good, they could not have proceeded from God. If God had sent sickness, sin, and death upon His children, Jesus would not have healed them, for he said, "I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me."

The Bible teaches us that it is God who "forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases," and as God is unchangeable, "the same yesterday, and today, and forever," His power is as great today as it was nineteen hundred years ago. Jesus neither used drugs nor recommended hygienic methods; he healed through the power of Spirit, and said, "Follow me;" also, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also." His commands, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel," and 'Heal the sick," were for all his followers in every age. In Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" we read that Christian healing was practised by the early Christians for three centuries after Jesus' resurrection, in accordance with the Scriptural text, "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; . . . they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." The Bible states, in Psalms, "He sent his word, and healed them;" and the Christian Science text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, teaches us how to understand the word of God which heals the sick and saves the sinner.

The editor's fears lest the adherents of Christian Science be a menace to the community because of their reliance upon God instead of upon medicine, are groundless, for Christian Scientists obey the law, report all cases of contagion, and observe all sanitary regulations. They do not go about "scattering disease and death," as the editor intimates, but they are endeavoring to follow the Master in being daily about their Father's business, obeying the command of him who said, "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."

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