Article April 1, 1916 Issue

Our critical friend has no doubt noticed that practically all...

Samuel Greenwood

The Hedley (British Columbia) Gazette

Our critical friend has no doubt noticed that practically all of the so-called miracles of Jesus were concerned with the healing of the body or in connection with bodily wants. He surely would not wish to be understood as implying that our Master made too much of the healing of the body; but that would be the natural conclusion, since Christians are commanded to take up the cross and follow Christ. It might also be noted that Jesus used no drugs. We have no record that he recommended his patients to go to the physicians if they were sick again. In the case of the woman who had "spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any," and who eventually applied to Jesus for help, is it possible that the Saviour erred in "repudiating the system of medicine" and "the skill of the physician, or did he do the will of God by healing the woman without resorting to material means? The obituary list in the daily papers hardly inspires one with confidence in materia medica as being the rightful substitute for Christian healing, as this clergyman would have us believe. But clergymen as well as doctors disagree on this subject, for eminent members of both professions have admitted that Christian Science does "do the works," our critic's denial to the contrary notwithstanding.

As for the attitude of Christian Science toward evil, which seems to trouble our friend sorely, let me assure him that Christian Science does teach most unequivocally that evil, when examined in the light of God's absolute allness, has neither reality nor power. He makes no mistake about finding that in Science and Health. If he reads the other works by Mrs. Eddy he will find it in them too. If he chooses to look he will find it in all the Christian Science periodicals. There is no attempt to evade this point,—why should there be, since Christian Science rests upon the truth that God, or good, is infinite? The gladdest thing that has come to the Christian Scientist, or that can come to any man, is the absolute assurance that good is supreme and omnipresent. We are taught in the Scriptures that God is in every place; how then can evil still have a place to exist in?

Making reckless charges against a teaching because it differs from one's own belief is foolish and unconvincing. If denunciation and abuse were effective weapons, the Christian Science movement would have long ago collapsed, for these have been heaped upon this movement and upon its Founder; but it continues to grow and to prosper, because it is meeting the need of mankind for a demonstrable knowledge of God and of man's relation to Him; and this practical knowledge of God's infinite goodness and love is all that can meet this need. It is every day becoming more generously admitted that Christian Science is of God, and that it is vain to attempt its overthrow, "lest haply," in the words of Gamaliel, one "be found even to fight against God."

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