Article April 14, 1917 Issue

From the time when as a boy of twelve years Jesus astounded...

B. F. Chandler

Bristol (Va.-Tenn.) Herald Courier

From the time when as a boy of twelve years Jesus astounded the wise men in the temple with his understanding, to the close of his earthly career, he utterly ignored the "evidence of the senses." Would such evidence have enabled Jesus to walk on the water, raise the dead, immediately transport himself from place to place, feed the five thousand, and instantaneously heal "all manner of sickness and all manner of disease"? The Master performed those mighty acts by his complete understanding of the spiritual facts of creation and the utter nothingness of all material evidence. His declaration, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also," was not intended to extend a privilege, but to require proof that his followers understood his teachings, and were Christians, followers of the Christ.

Christian Scientists are today presenting the proof, with "signs following," of their right to be named Christian, and are undisturbed and undeterred by the criticisms of those who do not understand. Was not even the Master himself accused of casting out devils by Beelzabub? And lest any be deceived he said, "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." One must indeed be blinded by prejudice to write in this day of "the absence of the evidence of the power of Christianity as an active healing agency." Christian Science has spread the proof of that power all over the world, healing all manner of diseases—functional, organic, and so-called incurable. Hundreds of thousands of people in every walk of life are hourly thanking God for the healing and regeneration brought to them by Christian Science, and the only "world" which Christian Science "threatens . . . to ruin" is the one of which the apostle James wrote, "The friendship of the world is enmity with God."

When one feels a desire to denounce what he believes to be the religious faith of another, he might well pause and ponder this Scriptural admonition as found in Acts: "And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to naught: but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God."

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