Article March 4, 1916 Issue

"Greater works"

ROSALIE G. AMORY

In pondering the words of our Master, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father," many are led to wonder what those greater works could be which the Master declared should be done by those who were to believe on him.

When one first comes into touch with Christian Science, it seems astonishing to learn that every Christian is called to accomplish any of the works done by Christ Jesus, since these "marvels" or miracles of his have so generally come to be regarded as supernatural. When, however, one experiences the benefits which follow the study of Christian Science, and learns by small beginnings that these benefits do follow a right apprehension of God and man, it appears less strange that our Master should have made healing the test of true faith, and one realized with rejoicing that every believer not only may be but is able to do the Master's works. The student learns to take comfort in the fact that Christ Jesus disclaimed any personal power; rather did he constantly reiterate the fact that all goodness, all power, all glory belong to God the Father; that the "Son can do nothing of himself." From this it becomes manifest that in proportion to one's realization of divine sonship he is enabled to heal the sick.

Nevertheless, when thought dwells upon the further promise of the Master that "greater works" shall be done, who can believe that anything so apparently impossible can be accomplished? If one seeks for an explanation from the material point of view, it certainly is inconceivable that any one should bring about a greater work than the raising of the dead or the restoring of sight to the blind, the healing of the man who had been lame from birth, the walking on the water, the stilling of the storm, or the feeding of the multitude with five loaves and two fishes. Still it is evident that the Master never spoke idly, hence the meaning of his words must be found in their spiritual interpretation. On page 2 of "Rudimental Divine Science" Mrs. Eddy writes: "Healing physical sickness is the smallest part of Christian Science. It is only the bugle-call to thought and action ... The emphatic purpose of Christian Science is the healing of sin; and this task, sometimes, may be harder than the cure of disease."

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