Article January 16, 1915 Issue

In the beginning of the Christian movement there was one...

Judge Clifford P. Smith

Springfield (Mass.) Union

In the beginning of the Christian movement there was one fact the recognition of which was regarded as essential to the spread of Christianity. This central fact was the resurrection. To illustrate: When an apostle was about to be chosen to take the place of Judas, the announcement made by Peter for the eleven was that one must be "ordained to be a witness with us of his [Jesus'] resurrection." So in the speeches reported in the book of Acts, the resurrection is the theme of every address. It was the event on which the Christian church was founded and on which it grew. In these circumstances the whole accession of believers became a solid witness of the occurrence thus attested, and constitutes sufficient proof of it.

Likewise in the beginning of the Christian Science movement there has been one significant fact necessary to be affirmed and proved in spite of denials and doubts. This momentous fact is the healing,—the fact that Christian Science heals the sick. To it the spread of Christian Science throughout the world is mainly due. As Paul asked the people of the first century, "Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?" so it may be asked of the present generation, Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should heal the sick? Indeed, why should it seem incredible that the law and power of divine good should operate and be available to overcome every phase of evil?

Later generations marveled that so many of the people of the first century shut their eyes to the events which attended the inception of Christianity. The people of today have need to beware of starting a parallel to that chapter of history. Christian Science is doing a work of which no one need be ignorant,—a work which it were folly to ignore. That Christian Science has destroyed, in a vast number of cases, all manner of diseases, whether deemed curable or incurable by other means, is now an incontestable fact. It is a fact of authentic history, which cannot be reversed or turned back; and it is a fact which is of the utmost importance to the human race.

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