Editorial November 1, 1924 Issue

"If these should hold their peace"

Albert F. Gilmore

When Christ Jesus was about to make his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, he was loudly acclaimed, we are told, by "the whole multitude of the disciples." The Pharisees standing by, apparently disturbed by the popularity of the Nazarene, called upon him to rebuke his followers for their enthusiastic approbation of the Master. To their demands Jesus replied, "I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." Thus did he indicate the urgency that the presence and potency of the Christ be recognized and acknowledged by mankind. The Master's words contain an important lesson for all who strive to order their lives in accordance with his precepts. Recognition, that is, by all striving to be Christians, must be had of the Christ-presence, and public acknowledgment made in order that mortals may know that God's power to heal and redeem is never impaired, but ever present, available, and capable of meeting the human need in whatever manner presented.

God must have His witness; and who could that witness be but he who had felt the healing touch of the divine presence? Who had felt this beneficence in so great a degree as those witnesses of the marvelous demonstrations of God's power in destroying the so-called laws of the flesh, even the destruction of "the works of the devil"? Had they not been directly the beneficiaries of this healing Christ; and, having become witnesses to the fact of spiritual healing, could they remain silent in the presence of the master Metaphysician, who had wrought these marvels? So compelling was the necessity of recognizing God's presence that unless it were done, even so improbable an occurrence as the stones becoming vocal would be the result.

Christian Scientists often inquire of themselves what, as beneficiaries of divine healing, are their obligations in the way of acknowledgment of the source and character of their blessings. Should they make public acknowledgment by testimonies, oral or written; and does that fully meet the obligation? Mrs. Eddy has made clear in the Maunal of The Mother Church the duty of Christian Scientists to give testimonies, including both those which are for publication in the periodicals and those which are heard in the Wednesday evening meetings. Our Leader plainly states the importance of such testimony regarding healing the sick. But she has gone much further than this. The great purpose of her life-work was to establish a religion which should prove through Christian living the power and availability of divine Love to solve all the problems of mankind.

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