A correspondent maintains that the supreme test of any...

E. M. Ramsay—Lerwick, Shetland Islands

The Shetland Times

A correspondent maintains that the supreme test of any system of religion lies in its agreement with the Scriptures or its departure therefrom. So far we are in complete accord with him; when, however, he goes on to say that he has shown in former letters that Christian Science contradicts and opposes to some extent the testimony of the Scriptures, and that Christian Scientists when confronted with facts become evasive and have nothing to say, we do not admit the charge for a moment.

Much as we love and reverence the Old Testament, it is plain that we must turn to the words and works of Jesus in order to gain the clearest knowledge of God. In this connection let me remind your readers of a striking statement made by our Lord himself—"Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." These words were said on a remarkable occasion. John had sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus, "Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?" To this question the Saviour replied by telling the messengers to return to their master and tell him that the blind, the lame, the lepers, the deaf, were being healed and the dead restored to life, and the poor (the beggars, that is, those hungering and thirsting after righteousness) "have the gospel preached to them." He pointed to these works as the proof of his Messiahship.

On what basis were these healing works wrought? They were wrought through the recognition that the real man is not born of woman; that is, that the reality of his being is spiritual, made in the image and likeness of God, and that man is therefore as invisible to the material senses as is his creator. A careful study of the New Testament will show that our Lord constantly taught that man's welfare depends much less on what he eats, drinks, and wears, than on what he thinks; that we must improve our thinking if we would become healthier, happier, and more successful. "The meek shall inherit the earth," the psalmist said.

In the Old Testament we read of cause of healing through prayer, but they were single acts, performed by men of exceptional faith, who were evidently unable to teach others how to do the same works. Our Lord, on the other hand, not only performed a great many healing acts himself, but he taught his disciples to do the same and enjoined on all his followers the necessity of healing the sick. It is this same healing which is being performed today by Christian Scientists all over the world. It now lies with our critic to prove that better healing can be done by prayer based on the reality of matter, than that which is being accomplished through the recognition of the unreality of matter.

This unreality of matter seems at first puzzling to many, and even unscriptural, because they think it means that we do not believe in the reality of beasts, fishes, flowers, trees, hills, and so forth. To this we reply that we accept the statement made in the first chapter of Genesis, that God made all things, but we are convinced that these too are in reality perfect, and therefore spiritual. The following little illustration may help to make our position clearer. We all recognize that the Arabic figure 7 is only a symbol. This same idea may be represented by the Roman numeral VII, by the English word seven, by the Latin word septem, and by a great many figures and words employed by other nations in ancient and modern days. The words and figures which we now employ to designate seven may in the course of years give place to others, but the idea seven will remain unchanged and indestructible, because it is a mental or spiritual fact. In the same way the real individuality of a man is as superior to his bodily presence as the real individuality of seven is superior to its symbol.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit