Article July 5, 1919 Issue

In making reply to the latest clerical criticism of Christian Science,...

W. Stuart Booth—Denver, Colo.

The Rocky Mountain News

In making reply to the latest clerical criticism of Christian Science, no aspersions will be cast upon the critic, but rather is regret felt that one who is known for his efforts to relieve distress should go out of his way to berate those Christians whose successful work in lightening humanity's burden of sin and suffering is generally recognized.

Jesus' words given in Mark 16:17–18, were addressed to his disciples, yet he said, "These signs shall follow them that believe," and among the signs mentioned was the healing of the sick. Had he intended the promise to be limited to the disciples he would have said "you" instead of "them." Some theologians claim these verses are interpolations, but Paul, who was not one of the twelve, evidently believed the joint commission of Jesus to preach the gospel and heal the sick to be applicable to all Christians. Furthermore, healing the sick by spiritual means was obviously regarded as an integral part of their religion by the early Christians, for they are known to have thus healed for about three hundred years after Jesus' time—in fact, until the bringing of pagan forms and rituals into the Christian church by Constantine.

Christ Jesus plainly declared disease and sin to be conjoined when he healed the palsied man and when he freed the "woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself," whom, he said, "Satan hath bound." Although Jesus both implicitly and explicitly commanded and commended healing by prayer, he did not command his followers to change water into wine, the miracle referred to by the critic; however, we can draw helpful and practical lessons from this incident.

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