Only One Remedy

Albert F. Gilmore

The success of Jesus' ministry was due in large part to proof through the works he performed of the divinity of his doctrine. It is generally conceded that without this practical proof Christianity would have made little headway, if any, in a world sunk so deep in the morass of materiality. He proved the power of God to heal disease and sin, and to overcome evil in its every phase. And we are assured from the gospel story of the healings wrought by the Master that he used no other power than his understanding of God, and of the divine All-power. He made his demonstration wholly upon this spiritual basis. Christian Science revives spiritual healing, reveals its Principle, and proves its thesis by its works. Therefore it may be truly said to reestablish primitive Christianity, both in doctrine and in demonstration.

Christian Science holds firmly to the teaching that since all causation is mental and spiritual, disease, discord in its every expression, in belief has a mental cause—is the result of false belief held as true. Since God, who is infinite, is good and the only cause, all that exists is the expression of this infinite cause, and is good. This reasoning eliminates evil both as cause and effect; that is to say, evil is unreal, and its unreality is proved by destroying it. Now, as Christian Scientists we resolve things into thoughts; that is, we look for the mental discord, and, finding, it, heal the physical inharmony by correcting the procuring thought. Into this process matter does not enter, either as cause or as effect. The seeming mental cause, the false beliefs held to because of misunderstanding the fact about God and man, is destroyed by application of the Christ, Truth, the truth about God and His image, man. Truth supplants error.

In this healing process no cognizance whatever is taken of matter, either as cause or as effect. Cure is wrought wholly on the basis of spiritual truth correcting false beliefs. This is the method of Christian Science; and in the practice of this Science, cure is wrought on no other basis. In her exposition of the familiar saying of Jesus, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also," Mrs. Eddy states in "Miscellaneous Writings" (pp. 194, 195), "To reach the consummate naturalness of the Life that is God, good, we must comply with the first condition set forth in the text, namely, believe; in other words, understand God sufficiently to exclude all faith in any other remedy than Christ, the Truth that antidotes all error." Faith in God and in His infinite power and availability to heal, coupled with spiritual understanding,—knowledge of God and His image, man,—constitutes the perfect remedy. None other is comparable with the Christ in efficacy; in reality, none other truly heals, for true healing consists of regeneration, of the transforming of consciousness from a material to a spiritual basis. Obviously, material remedies as curatives could have no part in this holy experience.

Mortal mind, so called, does not take kindly to this radical stand; for not only does the practice of the Christ-healing withhold all recognition of its claims, but the Christ, Truth, denies all reality to the subjective state of mortal mind termed matter. Sometimes, it seems, those with scanty understanding may strive in their ignorance to utilize both Spirit and material remedies in the healing of disease, Such an effort, however, avails nothing. It is a house divided against itself, and contains the element of its own destruction.

Furthermore, since Christ, God's idea, the full expression of God, constitutes the spiritual universe, matter can by no possibility possess the slightest claim to reality. How impossible, then, to hope for or deserve success in a course which both breaks the First Commandment and controverts the very essence of Jesus' teachings! With great emphasis, Mrs. Eddy characterizes this inconsistency in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 167). "The flesh and Spirit can no more unite in action, than good can coincide with evil," she declares. And she closes the paragraph with this conclusive statement: "Only through radical reliance on Truth can scientific healing power be realized." These words summarize our Leader's teachings on this important subject. Truth is the only remedy, and in reality there is no other. Her practice conformed precisely with her teachings. Consistency is the handmaid of divine Science, and consistency precludes all compromise.

The temptations which came to Jesus when, led of the Spirit, he went into the wilderness, were the temptations common to mankind. His transcendent spiritual insight enabled him to discern the nature and purpose of evil in its presentations, and he dismissed them, denying them either reality or power. He utterly refused their protestations. Christian Scientists, spiritually alert, likewise recognize the tempter which presents itself in many diverse guises, and they refuse to yield. Not infrequently the tempter whispers of a compromise, a little concession, a slight letting down from the high standards of spiritual healing of disease. But full-hearted faith in God resists such advancements. Compromise never wins. Truth alone is triumphant.

Albert F. Gilmore

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The Father's Pleasure

March 2, 1929

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