Editorial November 10, 1928 Issue

"The prayer of the righteous"

Ella W. Hoag

"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Thus James declared when descanting upon "the prayer of faith" that was to heal the sick. Mrs. Eddy in the textbook of Christian Science, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 206), enlarges upon this same thought when she says: "The exercise of the sentiments—hope, faith, love—is the prayer of the righteous. This prayer, governed by Science instead of the senses, heals the sick."

The Christian virtues, hope, faith, love, have been appreciated and practiced, in some degree at least, for centuries. Men have recognized their ennobling nature, and there are but few who have not longed to express them in ever increasing measure. Their beauty, their attractiveness, their harmonizing properties have been so plainly apparent that the Christian world has always extolled them. And yet men have not as a rule connected them with healing the sick. Although Jesus lived their power, it was not until Christian Science was revealed that their might in this direction was so presented that all men may learn to understand and demonstrate it.

A great point of illumination in this statement by Mrs. Eddy is her declaration to the effect that this prayer must be governed "by Science instead of the senses." It is here that the exercise of hope and faith and love departs from the merely amiable and demonstrably ineffective and becomes the power that heals.

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Man is Immortal
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