Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-02-23

my u'ihh any ueauiy thlnE, 1t
snail not hurt them: they shall lay
hands on the sick, and they shall re-
cover"
Ihat these solemn commands were
no, simply for His Immediate followers
is shown in the 18th chapter of John,
where the Master says Neither pray
for these alone. but for them also
which shall believe Understand mel
through their word"
Christian Science teaches that 1t is
the duty of every Christian to-day to
seek TO do, likewise; that there is no
longer the excuse Of ignorance of the
way or want of knowledge of the
method, for 1t has been discovered.
The textbook OF Christian Science con-
tains it. The cultivated spiritual un-
derstanding Will do the work. for that
cultivated spiritual understanding will
register their nearness TO the mind OF
christ Proport ionately TO that APP
Proclamation to Him will they brinS
forth fruit good works. some thirty
fold. some sixty fold, some Il hundred"
Thus does Christian Science teach
the primitive truths of the Christian
religion and the healing follows. He
who Will read the history of the Chris
tan Church in It's earliest years viii
ma the healing was maintained until
the third or fourth centuries, when ii
gradually disappeared. Not until the
Christianity of that period began TO
walk hand in hand with the world did
the healing begin to disappear HUI
man thought and human policy ruled
out the pure and simple ideas which
relied upon Il spiritual God, and the
spirit being quenchcd the power to
heal was lost in the individual. 1t APP
pears that so long as the Christians
were prosecuted they maintained their
religion interrupted but when their
L..
Christianity throughout the Roman
Empire followed prosperity came, and
with 1t Christian healing soon ended.
There may have been isolated cases re-
corded here and there. but it was no
longer universal.
y distinguished historian once re-
marked that the Church has better
stood persecution than prosperity.
Christian Science calls attention TO this
fact; that since the time when the
healing was lost systems of theology
have been governed by systems of
medicine.
Jesus left no definite rule for healing
showing the exact nature of it's work.
but it has been discovered in this age
and given to the world, so that, to-
day, 1t may be learned and put to prac,
tiCe.
The assertion made by theologians
That miraculous healing was simply to
impress mems minds with the divine
mission of Christianity, and for no
other purpose, is rejected by Christian
Scientists. FOR that view would make
God partial, whereas God is impartial,
the same yesterday. to- day and for
ever, and no respecter of persons or
times. That view would set aside God
as Divine Prince and precludes Spirit
u1l Law, or the law which is Truth
and Love. This View OF theologians
gives God human characteristics and
strips Him of His divine nature.
Is Christian Science scientific? If
Science means knowledge exact and
true. then Christian Science is scien-
tiiic. for 1t is the knowledge obtained
from God or Divine Intelligence Jesus
is recognized by Christian Scientists as
the most scientific man who ever lived.
lie understood the truth relating to
the spiritual universe. He knew the
laws which governed that truth. He
placed the divine mind above the hui
man because of that simple, vet pro,
lound,law observed everywhere of the
higher governing the lower. the great
err governing the less. Jesus knew the
immortal mind should and must govern
the mortal mind. The proof to-day
that Christian Science is scientific is
seen in disease healed. sin destroyed
ana happiness attained, when all other
eXpedients nave failed
All disease, says Christian Science is
the product of sin or of some form Of
false thinking. Hate, malice, lust
envy. hypocrisy are the thought germs
of disease. II not arrested and de-
stroyed sooner or later they will make
any man sick. So will the beliefs OF
the carnal mind which give power TO
matter and its so-called laws.
There are many misconceptions in the
popular mind regarding Christian
science. one is in associating ii with
spilltualism. theosophy, mind cure.
ia!th cure, mesmerism and hypnotism
1t Is in no way connected with them
IL is scientific demonstrable Chris
tlaniiy and is to be judged by its
blessed fruits in healing sickness. dis
ease and sin.
Hypnotism is one mind acting upon
and over another mind. Christian
science acknowledges no such power as
rom God. Christian Science recog-
ni2es the divine mind alone.
II has been said Christian Scientists
do not pray 1t is true they do not in
dulge in superfluous and wordy PRAYER.
out they have learned the true mean
ing OF prayer. They have learned IN
pray without ceasing, which is laboring
constantly for our highest conception
OF good. Our Master taught but one
prayer which Christian Scientists daily
-, ~ i'".u prayer. This Jesus
knew covered all human needs. Chris
IAN science discovers that too many
CHRISTIANS pray and straightway lose
Slsht OF what they have PRAYER for
instead OF laboring in the direction of
,heir prayer. They pray and feel they
leaVe al! to God. forgetting that God
expects them to labor and TO pray
10 10 WORK out our salvation from sin
disease and death means the CO.,
"peiatioh oil true prayer and consistent
Worh; NO man in his senses would
stand before n black board and n,.a,
me principles of mathematics TO ,yort
out the prnblem fnl. hin, e, ~ IN