FAITH'S SURE FOUNDATION

JOHN B. WILLIS

ONE cannot acquaint himself with the general drift of religious thought to-day without perceiving that it is undergoing a change which is destined to effect a complete overthrow of the sovereignty of belief. It is rapidly coming to be seen that however venerated and inspiring the statement of truth, apart from practical demonstration it is an entirely inadequate basis for Christian faith.

The patriarchal sense and system of the Jewish people led to that veneration of prophetic leadership which rendered its "Thus saith the Lord" a satisfying authority for both personal and communal guidance. Jesus shared this reverence of his people for "Moses and the prophets," but he made it very clear in his teaching and works that demonstration is the only final and convincing evidence that spiritual verity has been attained; and he taught, moreover, that this true basis of faith was to be reached and continuously maintained by all his followers. The loyalty of the apostles to this teaching placed the brightest jewels in the crown of the early Church, but as it became identified with political power and worldly rule, the old dependence upon historic statement, the authority of approved interpretations of the Scriptures and of ecclesiastical traditions, was resumed.

It would be hard to compass even in thought the greatness of the good which Christianity would have accomplished in all the intervening centuries, had the practical demonstration of the healing truth of Jesus' ministry been adhered to, but we can readily understand how significant is the re-establishment, through Christian Science, of the basis of faith for which Jesus and his immediate disciples stood. At a time when it would seem that the drift of religious thought into uncertainty, indifference, and ultimate agnosticism would otherwise have been unstayed and inevitable, Christian Science came to affirm the possibility and establish the fact of the present demonstration of the Christ teaching. It has again proved to the world that "Christianity as Jesus taught it was not a creed, . . . . it was the demonstration of divine Love casting out error and healing the sick, not merely in the name of Christ, or Truth, but in demonstration of Truth, as must be the case in the cycles of divine light" (Science and Health, p. 135).

With the scientific basis of Christian faith recovered, and the healing works in attestation of the presence and power of Truth again seen, questions as to the date and authorship of the sacred writings, as to whether the incidents of given narratives were actual or assumed, as to the historic consistency or probability of the asserted facts of illustrative teaching, etc.—all these become relatively unimportant. One who is daily utilizing and thus verifying the fact that bodies attract each other directly as the mass and inversely as the square of the distance, would not be at all disturbed by any amount of "higher criticism" respecting the historical incidents of the enunciation of this law; and equally undisturbed by kindred criticism respecting the appearing of the great spiritual truths of the gospel, will he be who is daily demonstrating the effectiveness and reliability of these truths in the solution of life's problems.

Speaking of the repose of a faith which is grounded in demonstration, Mrs. Eddy says, "If there had never existed such a person as the Galilean Prophet, it would make no difference to me. I should still know that God's spiritual ideal is the only real man in His image and likeness" (Remark to Mr. Wiggin, Christian Science Sentinel, Dec. 1, 1906).

Belief in statements of truth which others have made may have a very important place in our spiritual education and advance, but it is only as we come to know the truth, and are thus able to verify it for ourselves, that we meet the requirements of Christian Science, and lay a foundation for faith which is indifferent to the surge and shock of error's wildest storm.

JOHN B. WILLIS.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit