How Christian Science Heals

W. D. McCrackan

Elmira (N. Y.) Telegram

Mr. Editor.

The writer of an exceedingly suggestive article in your issue of February 22, entitled "Faith, Nature, and Health," discusses the modus operandi of healing the sick. In this connection he makes special references to Christian Science which I desire to review briefly. This task will be the more agreeable because Oregon Richmond has expressed his opinions with quiet conviction, as far as possible removed from the manner of stormy denunciation which was once quite common. Indeed, he asks why the medical profession should ridicule the work of Christian Scientists and others. He gives it as his opinion that it is not now a debatable proposition that the Christian Scientist, among others, is "frequently instrumental in the restoration to health of persons who have been declared to be incurable by members of the medical profession." Especially striking is his statement that: "No honest physician can yet say 'I cure disease.' He stands just where the priests of Æsculapius stood thousands of years ago. He is powerless except to 'assist nature.' "

'According to this writer, then, the healing power resides in nature, and the vis medicatrix natura heals the sick. Here is a point which needs to be carefully examined. It is certain that all Christian Scientists will agree with him if this vis or power is understood to be the underlying Cause governing the universe including man; namely. omnipotent Mind or God. This is, indeed, the teaching of Christian Science, and herein is a point of agreement.

But if the vis he mentions as healing the sick, is supposed to be a material agency of some sort, a property resident in matter, or if he attributes power to matter itself, then Christian Science will repudiate this notion, for matter can never be said to be the cause of action or to produce results, since back of every material manifestation stands law, and law implies and requires Mind as its Cause. On this point, Mrs. Eddy has stated:—

"Mind is the grand creator, and there can be no power except that which is derived thereform. If Mind was first chronologically, is first potentially, and must be first eternally, then give to Mind the glory, honor, dominion, and power everlastingly due unto its holy name" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 143).

"The world would collapse without Mind, without the intelligence which holds the winds in its grasp" (p. 209).

It is the understanding of God (Good) as the infinite and omnipotent First Cause which heals the sick in Christian Science and when this understanding is applied to specific cases, it is not necessary to speculate about the effect of Omnipotence upon "the unit-cell of the living form—the creative cell," "life-cell" or whatever we may choose to call various subdivisions of matter.

While it may happen that "Belief in the supernatural authority of him who claims to heal by divine appointment acts as a most potential excitant," such an "excitant" is not requisite to the Christian Science treatment, and, in point of fact, is not desirable, if it assumes a purely personal aspect.

Mrs. Eddy has written on this aspect of the question:—

"Sometimes it is said: 'Rest assured that whatever effect Christian Scientists may have on the sick, this effect comes through rousing within them a belief that these healers have a wonderful power, derived from the Holy Ghost, in the removal of disease.' Is it likely that church-members have more faith in some Christian Scientist whom they have perhaps never seen, and against whom they have been warned, than they have in their own accredited and orthodox pastors, whom they have seen, and been taught to love and trust?

"Let any clergyman try to cure his friends by their faith in himself. Will that faith heal them? Yet Scientists will take the same cases, and cures will follow. Is this the result of their faith in the Scientist, rather than in their pastor? I have healed infidels whose only objection to this method was, that I as a Christian Scientist believed in the Holy Spirit, while they, the patients, did not" (Science and Health, p. 358).

Whatever cures Oregon Richmond may have witnessed in Barcelona or in Bombay, unless they were effected by the understanding of the Omnipotence of God (Good), the First Cause, over evil of every sort, they cannot be reckoned as examples of spiritual healing such as Christian Science makes possible. I have no desire to criticise any method of alleviating suffering to which mankind may resort. I only take the privilege of differentiating Christian Science practice from any other method with which it may be confounded, and of pointing out the spiritual understanding which is demanded by Christian Science.

W. D. McCrackan.
In Elmira (N. Y.) Telegram.

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