Article June 27, 1914 Issue

Doubtless many of your readers have been greatly interested...

George Shaw Cook

Peoria (III.) Star

Doubtless many of your readers have been greatly interested in the sermon, "Religion without Superstition," which was published in a recent issue. Some, however, will object to the implication that to "mix healing with religion" involves superstition. Jesus "mixed healing" with his religion; Paul "mixed healing" with his religion. Are they for this reason to be regarded as having been superstitious? The early Christians for about three centuries "mixed healing" with their religion to the extent, according to secular history, of raising the dead. Are the primitive Christians for this reason to be regarded as having been more superstitious or less reasonable than those of today who relegate healing to the medical profession and reserve for the Christian minister only the offices of preaching to and praying for the members of his flock? Has this method of dividing the work of Christian ministry demonstrated itself to be entirely satisfactory and successful? Have modern physicians in their efforts to cure disease exceeded the work of Jesus and the early Christians? Have present-day clergymen found that preaching without healing is sufficient to satisfy the reasonable demand of their parishioners for salvation from the ills as well as from the sins to which flesh is heir?

Some ministers and many laymen have found that the results of their religion, when applied to human need, have not been all that could be desired. Many have been willing to admit that their religion did not give them the practical results which they not only desired but had a right to expect from applied Christianity. For this reason hundreds and thousands in all parts of the world have turned in their extremity to that religion which includes healing of physical disease by spiritual means, and have it to be a restoration of primitive Christianity. They have found that in a reasonable, logical, rational way Christian Science has explained to them how to experience present salvation, not only from sin but also from sickness, and incidentally from one of its chief causes, superstition.

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