Article March 12, 1927 Issue

The pronouncement on "Divine Healing" by the Methodist...

Miss Madge Bell, Committee on Publication for North Island, New Zealand,—Wanganui

Herald

The pronouncement on "Divine Healing" by the Methodist Church of Australia, as given in the Herald, calls for some corrections, and I shall be glad if you will grant space for this letter. Christian Science, so called because it deals with the demonstrable truth to which Christ Jesus said he came to bear witness, is evidently misunderstood by those responsible for the "pronouncement." The teaching of Christian Science is that sin and sickness are due to ignorance of, or disobedience to, God's laws; and this is the teaching of the Bible. Christ Jesus taught the freedom comes from knowing and obeying the truth. This freedom, however, is not release from any condition created by God, or imposed on man by God, but from the false or ignorant beliefs that have enslaved the human family, and are manifested in forms of sin and sickness.

On page 390 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, we read: "It is our ignorance of God, the divine Principle, which produces apparent discord, and the right understanding of Him restores harmony;" and again (Preface, p. xi, of the same book), the author says, "The physical healing of Christian Science results now, as in Jesus' time, from the operation of divine Principle, before which sin and disease lose their reality in human consciousness and disappear as naturally and as necessarily as darkness gives place to light and sin to reformation."

It is difficult to see how a church that believes that God allows or sends sickness "for the redemption of the sufferer himself, and certainly for the furtherance of the divine purpose concerning mankind," can deny that God created sickness; otherwise, He is not the only creator and power. It is in such case, surely, illogical to advocate prayers for the removal of what God, the All-wise, deems best for man! Christ Jesus taught otherwise. He destroyed sickness and sin, and quoted his healing works in proof of the Christ, the truth that destroys the works of the devil, whom he designated as "a liar" in whom there is no truth. Christian Science does not ignore disease as a present-day experience of mankind, but recognizes it as a negative condition—which is implied by the word itself—and, also, that it may be the means of awakening men to their need of God. Disease is overcome as men come into harmony with God's will and obey His laws. this shows that physical healing in Christian Science results from regeneration and reformation. Christian Scientists claim the right to turn to God for help in all their troubles. They also recognize the right of others to turn to whatever system of healing they prefer. In the British House of Commons some time ago, during discussion, it was clearly stated that all responsible citizens held this privilege; and Dr. Drummond Shiels, of an Edinburgh constituency, is on record as saying at that time, "Some of the most remarkable cases I know of, wonderful cures, have been in connection with Christian Science, which I have seen myself and know."

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