Editorial August 4, 1973 Issue

Speaking in the New Tongue

Naomi Price

Christ Jesus prophesied that people who believed in him would "speak with new tongues"^{ Mark 16:17;} as well as heal the sick—and they do. There is no mystery about this phenomenon. In explanation Mrs. Eddy writes: " 'The new tongue' is the spiritual meaning as opposed to the material. It is the language of Soul instead of the senses; it translates matter into its original language, which is Mind, and gives the spiritual instead of the material signification."^{ Christian Healing, p. 7;}

Jesus' prophecy that Christians would speak with new tongues was first fulfilled after he ascended above the physical sense of identity. On the Day of Pentecost, the Bible relates, there was suddenly great illumination "like as of fire" where the disciples were gathered together, and they were so inspired that "they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Then a multitude of people of mixed nationalities gathered to hear the disciples and were amazed to understand them each in his own language—though apparently some did not grasp the meaning of what was said, because they mocked and said, "These men are full of new wine."^{ Acts 2:3, 4, 13;}

Since that time of sudden spiritual development, glossolalia (speaking in tongues) has been considered of special importance to certain groups of fundamentalist followers of Jesus. It is associated in their belief with the saving experience of baptism and with an accession of spiritual power, which sometimes may be used in healing disease. It is at the present time enjoying popularity in the charismatic movement, or neo-Pentecostalism—a movement that arouses in some people criticism and disbelief while others note that emotional arousal to speak in strange, often incomprehensible language is not solely a phenomenon of Christianity but of the occult, certain Eastern sects, and people under the influence of drugs. Still others, who accept the Bible and interpret it with inspiration, recognize the logic in Christ Jesus' statement that acceptance of his teaching would lead to the use of "new tongues."

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