Article February 5, 1921 Issue

The Bible's Recipe

LESLIE MARSHALL

Despite the fact that the remedies of the old schools of medicine seem frequently to be temporarily effective, they never offer complete freedom from the fear that the so-called difficulty or disease may at some time return. Nor do they give relief from the delusion that man can be subject to any inharmony whatever. And though before becoming interested in Christian Science we continue to be dosed, or advised, often, as Dryden wrote, "the remedy is worse than the disease." Certainly there is no comfort in the fact that the very ones looked to by those depending upon material means for relief can never agree among themselves as to just what the remedies are. In the face of all this doubt and fear, how relieving it is to read Mary Baker Eddy's statement on page 406 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," that "the Bible contains the recipe for all healing." But we are not helped simply by reading and memorizing this. What we must do is to prove, as Mrs. Eddy did, that the statement is true. In the measure that this is done we demonstrate Christian Science and overcome any false sense of things.

It is helpful to note in the passage quoted that Mrs. Eddy does not say recipes but "recipe," and that she does not say healing disease or healing sin, but "all healing." In fact, in the same paragraph she says, "Sin and sickness are both healed by the same Principle." Mrs. Eddy knew and proved, and it is for all who would be Christian Scientists to prove also, that in reality, in Science, there is but one recipe for healing and that same recipe is presented in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Abraham and Moses tell us what it is. So do David, Daniel, and Job. It sings through every page of Isaiah and Ezekiel, while all the patriarchs that followed show it to us. The wise men of the East saw something of it and followed to where it was. And John the Baptist came preaching it. A little later Christ Jesus gave us of it immeasurably. In every word and deed he pointed to the true recipe for the solution of all so-called discord. He said, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." At another time he said, "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."

How evident it is, then, that the truth is the only recipe for all healing. But we must be alert to the subtle suggestion that we need to go to the Bible and Science and Health only in times of seeming difficulty, that we can then take from them some particular recipe for the trouble to be overcome. Attempting to use Mrs. Eddy's teachings as a palliative until we are pleased to think we are well again simply shuts us out from true progress in the understanding of Christian Science. In fact, it shows lack of understanding of what Mrs. Eddy wrote and more particularly of her statement on page 495 of Science and Health, where she answers a question as to how one can progress most rapidly in Christian Science. She says there: "Study thoroughly the letter and imbibe the spirit. Adhere to the divine Principle of Christian Science and follow the behests of God, abiding steadfastly in wisdom, Truth, and Love."

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