Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-10-03
FAITH AS A CURATIVE.

I+ QlSIul' NthN'tH thNthtNsR ~ 49,
Ministerial Association on the subject
Of divine healing. both sides OF which
have been presented In the Deseret
News, has, Of course, created some
differences OF opinion among The laity.
A skeptical writer, in a recent pub
lication, cannot understand why min
listers, or anyone else who believes in
the divine inspiration Of the Holy
Scriptures, can disagree upon this sub
sect. IN connection with the accounts
Of healIngs given In the Bible, he quotes
that counsel Of the Apostle James
which Is so familiar to all the Latter
Jay Saints. namely:
rs any sick among your Let him
call for the Elders Of the Church; aud
let them pray over him, amounting him
with oil In the name Of the Lord: and
the prayer Of faith shall save the sick,
and the Lord shall raise him up; and
II he have committed sins they shall be
forgiven him." James v, n-l5.
After some arguments comparing re-
lgion with science, the failures Of doc
tors, the failures Of prayers and other
remarks which we need not reproduce,
the writer draws this conclusion from
what he terms the prescription" given
BY the Apostle In the ''plainest sort OF
plain English"
''rhe very Throne Of the Eternal is
pledged TO heal every man who follows
the Instruction laid down by James"
We refer to this bit Of reasoning be-
cause II Is similar to that frequently
INDUCED In BY people who do not be-
lleve In the doctrine of divine healing,
or who do not understand the position
taken by the Apostle James II should
be observed by the careful reader that
the Throne Of the Eternal" 10 not
pledged, In any way whsteyer, to heal
every sick person who prays or Is
prayed for that ne may be healed The
Apostle but echoes the teaching OF
Jesus Of Nazareth: 1.-THE prayer of
faith shall save the sick" Il is faith
that produces the effect desired. Faith
Is an absolutely essential quantity in
this so-ealled prescription"
The same Apostle. touching on this
principle says concerning prayer;
But let him ask in faith, nothing
,Waveripg' For he that wavereth Is
IKE wave Of the eea, driven with the
wing ard tossed. For let not that man
MINK hathe shall receive anything OF
the Lord" Jas. /, 81.
There are numerous cases Of heal
Ing BY the prayer OF faith" recorded
N ancientscripture. and alsoi in accounts
ot The lat,er-day work. besides thous-
ands upon thousands OF instances that
nave not been published or written.
There have also been occasions when
people afflicted with disease have been
prayed for and anointed with oil, and
'hey have not recovered. whyY Be-
cause they had not faith enough to be
ns1ed, or those who administered to
'hem had not sufficient faith. The
'oepuc may reply: We'll, why don't
'hey exercise fsith?" The answer is,
sometimes that appears to be impos-
hple. Faith does not come at human
WI This is perfectly understood by
persons who have been able to exer-
else that degree Of faith which brings
me sure results, but have also at other
times failed In their endeayors to OBJ
tain II to that extent
The accounts given OF the doings OF
'ne Apostles teen with instances Of
heaings by faith At the same time
y IS stated tina, their faith was not
Always available, for Paul advised
i'melhy wha, TO do for his stomach's
SAKE and bis often innrmities:" and the
sane Apostle stated that he lef, ''Tro-
phlmus sick at Miletum." Disease.
"n'eh Is the consequence Of broken
na'arai laws. has It's place in the Di-
VINE economy and lis Lessons to human
=" Death Is appointed unto all. and It
no' 70 Be nationally supposed thar
mo''als can arrest death at VIII. or
! disease to depart whenever
Wy choose. Yet the advice OF the