Editorial April 18, 1925 Issue

The Word is with Power

Ella W. Hoag

"AND they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power." Luke thus refers to the fact that Jesus proved the power of the truth he taught by unquestionable evidence. Not only did his word convince his hearers that he was declaring the truth, but they saw the Word still the tempest, heal the sick, cast out devils, raise the dead. All this was in accord with the testimony of the Psalmist as to the power of the Word, when we proclaimed that the Lord "sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." Our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, also claims throughout her writings the same power for the same Word to-day.

All Christian Scientists are most deeply interested in this power of the Word, and all are longing to understand and demonstrate it perfectly. While they know that the Word itself always has the identical power, — that it can never do less than express the perfect authority of God, — they also realize that to-day they do not always seem able to prove it completely. They still recognize, however, that, if they are to obey Jesus' command to heal even as he did, their declaration of truth should be as powerful to banish the evidences of error, be they of sickness or sin, as was the same Word when spoken by their Master. Their prayers, their study, and their mental work are therefore largely to the end that they may be able to see the promise of Jesus fulfilled in themselves: "Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith."

In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 271) Mrs. Eddy writes: "Those, who are willing to leave their nets or to cast them on the right side for Truth, have the opportunity now, as aforetime, to learn and to practise Christian healing. The Scriptures contain it. The spiritual import of the Word imparts this power." Here our Leader opens the door to that understanding of the Word which carries with it the authority to prove the nothingness of evil of every name and nature. Here she stresses a very important point, — the fact that it is "the spiritual import of the Word" which imparts the power. How this "spiritual import" is to be gained is of vital interest to every Christian Scientist.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

The Word is with Power

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access