Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-10-08
THE "HEaLING" DISPUTE.

The Ministerial Association OF Salt
Lake City, at its session on Monday,
continued the discussion that has arts
en- over the subject Of divine healing,
introduced two weeks ago by Rev. A. G.
Andrews Of Murray. II will be remem-
bered by readers Of the News that
Rev. W. H. Bagby took issue with Mr..
Andrews and argued that The heal
ings and other miracles wrought In old
Testament times were designed to
prove to a people and an age that need
ed IT, the presence and the power Of
God Also that 1.-THE healings and
other powers wrought by Jesus and His
Apostles after Him, were for a specific
purpose. via, TO substantlate the truth
OF the claims they made We pub
lished his reply" to Mr. Andrews in
full.
In answer TO these assertions by Mr..
Bagby, We showed that III his position
was correct" such manifestations sure-
ly ought to be exhibited now to sub
stantiate and confirm the claims made
by modern ministers. We did not for
moment admit that he was correct
IN his assumptions as TO the purpose
and object Of those divine manifesto
lions We simply took him on his own
ground But now comes Mr.. Bagby
with the following attempt at rejoin-
der We publish II verbatim. as sent
TO US by Mr.. Bagby through a reporter.
'Self-refuting' so says the editor OF
the 'News' In his structures on my re-
ply 70 Mr.. Andrews paper on Divine
Healing" 1t Is one thing 10 make an
assertion, quite another to furnish ar
guments that readily support II. For
the benefit Of "the casual reader" to
whom the News" editors structures
may appear somewhat plausible" |
submit work OF reply.
He argues the present need OF mira
cles that prove the presence and power
or God on the ground OF their need in
the past He assumes that the world
needs miracles now as much as II did
IN Old Testament times. Is this true?
Has the world made no intellectual and
spiritual progress In three thousand
years. Is not the world better able 20
get along without the kindergarten
methods OF the past than ever before
IN It's history? Has no growth marked
the passage OF the centuries? Did the
revelation OF God In Christ Jesus rep
resent no Improvement upon his mani
festation IN the thunderings and light
nings Of SinaiY Does not the suprem-
acy of Jesus Christ as the only begot-
ten Son OF God conclusively prove the
fulness and iinality OF the message de-
lirered through him? Would God have
spoken through his highest messenger
until his final message was ready for
delivery? Did the infinite have TO am
ticipate his own time? Eye are the
light of the world" IT (the GOSPEL OF
Christ as preached by Paul Is the pow
er Of God unto salvation to every one
that belieyeth,' These two sentences
suggest the means by which men are TO
be turned from darkness to liCht aud
from the power Of Satan 10 God. The
highest proof Of the inspiration Of the
Bible Is its power 10 ift and eniighten
fallen and benighted race. The un-
answerablo argument In favor OF the
divinity OF Christianity is the consistent
Christian life In the power OF these
In the present Is found the conclusive
proof OF the genulneness Of the mira
cles Of the past The miracles OF the
past fully attested In the present are
miracles enough for the present. The
proof of a miracle is greater than the
miracle. The power 81 the Bible Is the
proof Of It's miracles therefore the pow
or Of the gospel Is greater than mira
cies The Church lost nothing when
che received the power Of a completed
gospel In exchange for miracles. on
the contrary she made vast gain.
AS to the eNegcsis Of Cor ~, S-i2.
The word tteleios) rendered perfect o.
ours in that form but twice here and
In the second chapter and sixth verse
Of the same eplstle At the latter plaro
II Is rendered In the revised version.
'fullgrOvn" speak wisdom
among them that are fulgrown." How
this harmonlzes with, "When that
which Is perfect Qullgrowthl Is come
that which Is IN nart shall be done
away" That this a. the thought that
was In the mind OF the APOSTLE n
made certain By the illustration which
follows. when ! was n child / snake
as n child, ! felt M a child. I thought
as q child now that I ON become
man, ] have put away childish things.
III the time when these things are 10
cease is pointed IN the 18th verse which
reads, For now We see IN mirror
darkly but then face to face: now !
know In part but then shall ! know
tully even as also I was fully known,
Il follows that the Church WI not reach
ful growth IN time, ana Paul o. forced
10 make a statement that IS altoccth-
or gratuitoHs. on course an these
things win end with time. WHY make
such a statement Paurs affirmation IS
that miracles will cease with tho
Church's attainment Of full growth.
but only eternity WIN bring fullness OF
knowledge
As Il Is with human life 80 Il b.
with the lie Of the Church. First I'm.
fancy. then the fun growth OF man
hood, then the knowledge and wisdom
Of old age. Manhood puts away the
things Of childhood fulncsa Of knowl-
edge comes with fu'ness Of years "A
Is TO this fulness OF knowledge that
comes with the dawn OF eternity. and
not 70 the cessation OF miracles thai
Paul refers when he says. Then shall
] know fully even a. ] was also fully
known a lhrrcr knowledge than that
which came By revelation Is 20 come
with tie resurrection. The 18TH verse
Of the 18th chapter OF J Corinthians
does not TX the date Of the cessation OF
miracles IN TIE Church but OF the ed
vent Of the fitness OF knowledge. The
New Testament observation and ex-
perience all witness that miracles
passed away With the infancy Of the
Church. There Is no better proof Of
the passage Of real miracles than mod.
ern miracles themselves. Cheap and
tisishy travesues on the miracles Of the
Master
II vii W observed ,isHt sr iiarny.
with a fnesse not uncommon IN thco.
logical disputants. attributes 10 the