Article September 21, 1918 Issue

A Question Answered

CLARENCE W. CHADWICK

The question is sometimes asked, "Why does not the church heal the sick now as it did in the beginning of Christian history?" The answer to this question would open the way for all with seeing eyes and hearing ears to learn and practice the Christ-healing. Fifty years ago or less this question might not have been asked, so asleep was the whole religious world to the need of Christian healing. One there was, however, who asked this very question and insisted upon its being answered. This was the revered Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy. It was in the year 1866 that "the word of the Lord" came unto her as it had come to spiritual thinkers in times past. To her it revealed the demonstrable fact that "all causation was Mind, and every effect a mental phenomenon" (Retrospection and Introspection, p. 24). To prove the verity of her discovery she healed instantaneously numerous cases of disease, sin, and suffering, and could then proclaim to the world that the lost art of healing by spiritual means was no longer a secret but a demonstrable fact for all who would listen to the message of Truth and Love, accept the premises laid down in her book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," and put them into practice.

It can readily be seen that Mrs. Eddy is naturally the one to whom we should look for an explanation of why Christian healing has not been practiced in the churches since about the third century, A.D. A careful study of her published works will furnish a complete answer to any honest seeker for the truth: In her writings Mrs. Eddy goes a great deal farther than merely to say that the healing art was lost sight of, for this fact of itself would not enlighten anyone. She tells us how it was lost sight of, and what is necessary to reinstate this Christlike activity in the lives of professing Christians. She effectually dispels the fallacy so persistently entertained by many religionists, that Christian healing was intended only for apostolic times. Did not Jesus say, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also"?

In this connection it might be well for us to consider a statement from Science and Health (p. 495), "God will heal the sick through man, whenever man is governed by God." Would any consistent Christian attempt to quarrel with this statement? Is it not one which only an infidel would attempt to controvert? Accepting this statement as fundamentally true, it goes without saying that any disposition to discredit Christian healing in the church of to-day is an admission that God is not being allowed to control those who profess to be Christ's followers; and if God is not controlling them, there is just one conclusion to be drawn, namely, that the human or mortal mind is in control. If God, divine Mind, controlled fully the modern Christian, he could and would be healing the sick. Whenever and wherever such healing is not taking place, one is forced to admit that some phase of the human will rather than the divine will is dominating human consciousness. One should be most grateful to Christian Science for uncovering to him this one sin of omission on his part—his failure to let God instead of human will power control him. The moment he discovers this fact he can go to work in earnest to let that Mind be in him "which was also in Christ Jesus."

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