Editorial November 1, 1922 Issue

The Healing of Children

Albert F. Gilmore

When Christ Jesus, in rebuking the disciples who would have kept the little ones away from him, said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God," it seems reasonable to conclude that he spoke in recognition of the mental attributes of childhood,—purity, truthfulness, and simple faith. This quality of thought is readily receptive of spiritual truth, for it has not crystallized along the lines of material belief in the degree so often found with adults; hence it becomes literally true that a little child does lead in the way of spiritual understanding. Christian Science practitioners find that children, as a rule, are quickly responsive to healing through spiritual means; and parents who are Christian Scientists trust their little ones to the ministering power of the Christ in full assurance that the divine Love which watches the sparrow's fall will shield them from all harm. The results have been highly satisfactory. In comparing the spiritual receptivity of children and adults, Mrs. Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 130): "Laboring long to shake the adult's faith in matter and to inculcate a grain of faith in God,—an inkling of the ability of Spirit to make the body harmonious,—the author has often remembered our Master's love for little children, and understood how truly such as they belong to the heavenly kingdom."

While many persons who do not accept the teachings of Christian Science acknowledge the right of the adult person to choose for himself a method of healing, there has been less willingness to grant to the parent inclined to use other than the customary methods the right to select the remedy for a little child. This attitude, in the main, has grown out of good intentions,—that is, a desire to promote the welfare of the child; yet, in opposing Christian Science treatment, that it falls far short of subserving the best interests of the child has been proved almost times without number where spiritual healing has been utilized as a last resort with full measure of success. Moreover, the person who would compel the use of medical treatment, on the ground that it is the safest, fails to take into consideration the great degree of success met with in healing children through the efficacy of righteous prayer. On the other hand, the Christian Science parent knows, through actual experience, that it is never dangerous to trust the little one to the healing Christ, which never fails when properly applied.

There is to be noted at present, however, a marked tendency on the part of the public to deal more generously with the parent who calls upon God to heal his sick child. A specific instance of this is found in a recent decision of the Court of Appeals of Cuyahoga County, Ohio. A parent whose child was ill of a supposedly serious ailment had sought medical aid, under which the child grew worse. Learning of an instance of a child's healing from the same condition and complete restoration to health through Christian Science treatment, the parents sought this method and the little one improved. But a zealous supporter of medical healing sought by law to compel the parents to continue the medical aid on the ground of the inadequacy of Christian Science treatment; and the issue was drawn. In the Juvenile Court, evidence offered to prove the efficacy of Christian Science treatment was excluded; and the parents were found guilty of neglect in using spiritual means of healing. The Court of Appeals, however, set aside the verdict because of the exclusion of evidence to prove the success of Christian Science treatment; and a new trial was ordered.

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