Article November 4, 1916 Issue

A clergyman in an address on "Spiritual Healing" took...

Thomas F. Watson

Petaluma (Cal.) Argus

A clergyman in an address on "Spiritual Healing" took for his subject, "Does Christian Science Meet All Demands?" His remark that it was evident "God had given medicines to the world for the good of mankind" is not corroborated by Scripture, nor have we any record that Jesus or his disciples used medicines in healing the sick or recommended them to others. When the disciples brought to Jesus the case they had failed to heal, he did not suggest a material remedy or medicine, but rather rebuked their lack of faith, implying that more faith or spiritual understanding was necessary in order to heal the case. The Master said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life," and again he said, "Follow me." Peter healed the man who was lame from his birth, and this without medicine, but rather "in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth," which means "in the faith of his promise, in obedience to his command" (The Popular and Critical Bible Encyclopaedia).

In Acts we read of Paul's healing from the viper's sting, also the healing of the father of Publius, and of many others through prayer. In his epistle to the Philippians Paul said: "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do." According to history the early Christians for nearly three centuries healed the sick and raised the dead through prayer, in fulfilment of the command of Christ Jesus.

To say that Christian Science "refutes and denies fundamental statements of the Bible," is a great mistake, for Christian Science, as its name indicates, is the Science of Christianity, and is based on the teaching of the Bible. Jesus' great commission to the twelve, as given in the tenth chapter of Matthew, is rightly considered as fundamental Christian doctrine. In this chapter Jesus bade his disciples preach the gospel and heal the sick, and this is what Christian Science is doing.

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