Article August 23, 1924 Issue

A recent issue of your paper contained a dispatch from...

S. Britton R. Foster,—St. Thomas

Times

A recent issue of your paper contained a dispatch from London giving the following finding on spiritual healing by a committee of medical doctors and clergymen, that "no sick person must look to a clergyman to do what it is a physician's or surgeon's duty to do." This is a very definite conclusion after explaining that the evidence on behalf of spiritual healing and healing by faith "had been found too vast, many-sided, and difficult for any conclusions, except vague ones." Under such circumstances the quite definite finding loses somewhat of its value, when it is observed that the committee could hardly be considered disinterested.

I doubt if the Anglican clergy attending the Lambeth Conference will be satisfied with the finding when the Conference felt that the members of the Anglican church "ought to take more account of the recent growth of the knowledge about the power of Spirit over the mind and body." There is much in Christian Science, continues the statement, which ought to be found within the Anglican church "where it would be supplemented with truths which are neglected in Christian Science." This is a straightforward expression of opinion which deserves a less sweeping finding by the personnel of the committee.

The dual command of the Founder of Christianity, Christ Jesus, to all who believed in him, was to "preach the gospel" and "heal the sick." These commands cannot be divorced, and the preachers sitting on a committee cannot surrender or assign to even conscientious believers in material remedies the practice of Christ's spiritual healing. However, due consideration should be given the committee, because there is no problem to-day more difficult or baffling than mental phenomena, unless aided by the recognized textbook on the subject. Over fifty years ago the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, was compelled to solve this intricate problem. Her separation of the mental chaff from the wheat and the clear and emphatic demarcation between them are daily becoming better understood. The Science of Christianity, or Christian Science, is the unlabored energy of the divine Mind, God, "who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth they life from destruction." Hypnotism, mesmerism, and suggestion, auto or otherwise, are the labored, unavailing efforts of the fleshly, human, carnal mind, which "is enmity against God," and which is also defined as "the wisdom of this world," which is "foolishness with God." This distinction, and reference to the textbook on the subject, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, will help solve the great healing problem which is confronting the churches to-day.