Editorial March 22, 1924 Issue

"Signs of the times"

Albert F. Gilmore

Mortals, quite overlooking their lack of logic, have ever been prone to seek material evidence of the operation of spiritual Truth. They have demanded proof in such terms as they could comprehend. Those gross materialists, the Pharisees and Sadducees, were not content with the signs and proofs of his Messiahship which Christ Jesus was presenting in his many mighty works. No more did they interpret as evidence of his divine mission his experience when, baptized of John, as we read, "the Spirit of God" descended "like a dove, ... lighting upon him: and lo a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Unable to satisfy their insistent demands for additional signs from heaven, he demanded of them, "O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" And he declared no further signs should be given them excepting "the sign of the prophet Jonas," a reference which is thought by many to compare his approaching experience of the crucifixion and resurrection with the remarkable happenings of Jonah.

Christian Scientists, accustomed to thinking in terms of Christian metaphysics; look beyond the outward appearance to the mental and spiritual cause of all phenomena. Therefore, in reading the signs of the times, they look to the cause, knowing it to be spiritually mental. Mrs. Eddy, in forecasting the development of spiritual understanding as the outcome of the propagation of Christian Science, made a statement which to those of limited material vision may have seemed extravagant and, perhaps, unwarranted. On page 22 of "Pulpit and Press" she says, "If the lives of Christian Scientists attest their fidelity to Truth, I predict that in the twentieth century every Christian church in our land, and a few in far-off lands, will approximate the understanding of Christian Science sufficiently to heal the sick in his [Jesus'] name."

More progress has been made in this direction than is generally recognized. In recent years, the effort has been witnessed in several denominations of the Christian church to establish the ministry of healing; and while none has approached the subject from a purely spiritual basis, it nevertheless remains that acknowledgment has been made of the soundness of our Leader's position. The century has scarcely run its first quarter, yet the thoughts of men have been immeasurably quickened in the acceptance of spiritual Truth through the wide dissemination of the teachings of Christian Science. The leaven of Truth is changing the trend of thought to an incredible degree. A recent incident is of special interest to Christian Scientists because of the extraordinary recognition of our Leader's works and a certain historical significance attaching thereto.

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