Article March 1, 1952 Issue

HEAL THE SICK

RALPH B. SCHOLFIELD

It is clear that if we were to erase from the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles all the cases of physical, mental, and moral healing that are recorded, these books would lose a large proportion of their vitality, beauty, and inspiration. There would still remain, of course, much that is beautiful, spiritual, and of profound interest; but the practical evidence of Christianity would be lacking. This may well give rise to the question, "Can anything substitute the practice of physical, mental, and moral healing in the life of one who would be a witness to the truth and power of Christianity?" Or, in other words, is it the duty and prerogative of every Christian to go into all the world preaching the gospel and healing the sick? These were the definite instructions given by Jesus both to his immediate apostles and to the seventy disciples, and they form the most vital requirement of Christianity as taught and practiced by Mary Baker Eddy in Christian Science.

In her Manual of The Mother Church our revered Leader has a By-Law entitled "Healing Better than Teaching," which contains these words (Art. XXX, Sect. 7): "Healing the sick and the sinner with Truth demonstrates what we affirm of Christian Science, and nothing can substitute this demonstration. I recommend that each member of this Church shall strive to demonstrate by his or her practice, that Christian Science heals the sick quickly and wholly, thus proving this Science to be all that we claim for it."

The association of physical healing with Christianity has not yet been generally accepted, and it has been one of Mrs. Eddy's great achievements to show that the two are inseparable. Throughout her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," she explains that Christianity is the only true method of healing and that this spiritual healing is the only way in which to learn the full import and power of Christianity.

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