Article July 14, 1934 Issue

Will you kindly permit me to make a few remarks...

Meinrad Schnewlin, Committee on Publication for German-speaking Switzerland,—Berne (translation)

Schweizerisches Reformiertes Volksblatt

Will you kindly permit me to make a few remarks in reply to those of a clergyman which appeared in Numbers 44, 49, and 50 of the Volksblatt for 1933.

What place has healing in Christian Science? Mrs. Eddy writes in her little book "Rudimental Divine Science" (p. 2): "Healing physical sickness is the smallest part of Christian Science." And she adds, "The emphatic purpose of Christian Science is the healing of sin." Healings are the "signs following" or accompanying an inner transformation, as promised by Christ Jesus to his followers. Whosoever seeks physical healing without mental uprightness must pass through a moral change before he can experience a sign following. The clergyman admits the statement of Christ Jesus to be the sole measuring rod for determining the value or worthlessness of a spiritual movement, "By their fruits ye shall know them," and he is fully justified therein. The adherents of Christian Science also accept this measuring rod, and they also see how small their work as yet appears compared to that of the great Exemplar, Christ Jesus.

How does Christian Science heal? Jesus healed sickness. How did these healings take place? Did he not say, "I can of mine own self do nothing" and "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works"? And what did he expect of his followers? "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do." Assuredly this is not suggestion or hypnotism; that is to say, it is not control by means of human will-power, but the work of the divine will. Christian Science ascribes all might to God and acknowledges that He alone heals. And contrariwise it looks upon the use of human will-power as a great evil. The demands of Christian Science are not small; they are expressed in the words of the apostle, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." He who cannot sincerely pray, "Father, ... not my will, but thine, be done," will experience little joy from this teaching. Mrs. Eddy writes in the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 1), "The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God,—a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love."

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