Article May 5, 1917 Issue

An evangelist speaking locally, as reported, said for the...

Avery Coonley

Bloomington (III.) Pantagraph

An evangelist speaking locally, as reported, said for the special benefit of Christian Scientists that "any religious system that denies the virgin birth of Jesus is of the devil. Any religious system that makes Jesus less than God is of the devil."

Christian Science does not deny the virgin birth of Jesus, so that shot went wide of the mark, but it does deny that Jesus was God, and does so because of what he himself said. Jesus must have known whether he was God or man, and he said many things which show that he did not consider himself God. If he had so considered himself, he certainly would have said so plainly. But he never said so, and said many things which absolutely exclude the possibility of his having considered himself Deity. Those who contend that he was God, rely upon such statements as "I and my Father are one." These must be considered in connection with such declarations as, "My Father is greater than I." Again, such statements as, "I can of mine own self do nothing," and, "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God," show beyond dispute that he did not consider himself God. On this point the following citations are interesting: John viii. 40; Luke xviii. 19; John iv. 19-26, especially verses 22 and 24; John x. 22-39, especially verses 33 and 36; John xiv. 28; John xvii. 16, 22; Mark xii. 28-34, especially verses 32 and 34.

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