Article April 29, 1916 Issue

Christian Science Healing

JUDGE CLIFFORD P. SMITH

One is often impelled to inquire these days why it should seem incredible to Christian people that the law and power of divine good operate and are available to overcome every phase of evil. There is no Christian reason. A thoughtful reader of the New Testament, especially its parts which are historical, can find plenty of evidence that the Christian religion, as practised by its Founder and the early Christians, included the loosing of men and women from the bondage of disease. And though the greater part of the New Testament was written many years after the personal ministry of Jesus, it contains nothing to indicate that the practice of healing had ceased, nor any reason why it should cease. On the contrary, the practice of healing is consistently referred to in the New Testament as a continuing service, and as distinctive or characteristic of the Christian ministry.

Why did the practice of Christian healing cease? And why does any one resist its revival? There is one answer to both of these questions, and that is, Because of the failure to see the Principle, as distinguished from the person, in the healing work; and the tendency of human thought, even that which is religious, to cling to a material sense of all things. But for this failure and tendency, and the sense of sectarian interests, the Science of Christian healing would be welcomed universally.

These observations can be illustrated by an article which appeared not long ago in a periodical that is published in the interest of one of the Christian denominations. It was written by the editor, and was headed "A Speech and Some Letters," with the following subtitle: "An investigation into evidences of some Christian Science cures presented by Senator Works to the United States Senate." This "investigation" consisted in sending letters of inquiry to eight out of the sixty-nine physicians whose names were furnished by Senator Works. One of the doctors to whom this inquiry was sent did not reply. In this case a child was so abnormal from birth that more than one physician said it could never walk and would be an idiot. The physical and mental changes which ensued upon Christian Science treatment were clearly evident to all who knew the child's condition ; and she has now been described by the Washington Times as "a three year old Washington child romping and playing about its home, as happy and as active as her playmates."

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