Article April 15, 1916 Issue

Truth-healing

LILY M. SMITH

ONE very common criticism of Christian Science is that it pays too much attention to the healing work; in fact a minister was once heard to refer to Christian Scientists as "those who had been led astray by the lesser things that Jesus did." Now Christian Scientists do not consider that any acts which Jesus performed or any words which he spoke while on earth can properly be classed as "lesser things." It might be considered a small thing when Jesus turned the water into wine at the wedding feast, but it proved to humanity that God is the source of supply and ever available. Also when he was preaching to the multitude by the sea of Galilee, feeding them the real bread of life, "which cometh down from heaven," it did not seem too small a thing for him to notice their need of food, and out of his great love and compassion satisfy the hunger of the five thousand, when to mortal sense there was nothing but five barley loaves and two small fishes.

Every so-called miracle which Jesus performed has its special lesson, and in proportion to our understanding of his teachings we are able to profit by them. It is not to be supposed that he would have devoted so much time to the healing of the sick if this were of small importance to mankind. When he healed the man who had been blind from birth he said, "I must work the works of him that sent me," making it plain that he was about the Father's business just as much when healing sickness as he was when destroying sin.

It is often said that Jesus' healing work was a special dispensation, limited to himself and his disciples; but Christ Jesus laid a command upon his followers in all ages to heal the sick when he said, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, . . . teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." He taught his disciples to heal the sick as well as to preach the gospel. In Science and Health (p. 494) Mrs. Eddy says, "It is not well to imagine that Jesus demonstrated the divine power to heal only for a select number or for a limited period of time, since to all mankind and in every hour, divine Love supplies all good." When John's disciples were sent to Jesus and asked, "Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?" it is significant that Jesus did not try to prove his Messiahship by telling them what he believed, but said, "Tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached," showing that his followers must be judged "by their fruits."

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