The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-06

wash away this symbol of a reliance upon
aught besides God. and only when this had
been done was sight restored.
Dr.. Shutter alludes to the fact that Jesus
rebuked as a wicked and adulterous genera
ton those who asked him to give them
sign. would answer that Jesus him
self had once before met and mas
tered similar temptation when
he refused to cast himself down from pin
nacle of the temple, to show the public how
God would protect him from harm. His rea-
son in both cases was doubtless the same
He said: ut is written, Thou shalt not tempt
Ii. e., test] the Lord thy God" There was
enough work for him to do in helping SHINING
and suffering humanity without wasting his
time In giving useles exhibitions. To help
those who were in need was his only motive
in his healing work. Thus, as Luke tells US.
''he went about doing good" When, how
ever, the healing work had been done. he
never hesitated to refer to it as the evidence
of his mission from God. It is, in fact. the
only evidence he offered to- convince people
that he was Gods messenger, the Messiah.
To the followers of John the Baptist, in proof
of his messahshfD, he said: $50 your way,
and tell John what things ye have seen and
heard; how that tip blind see, the lame
walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf~hear,
the, dead are raised and blessed Is he, who
soever shall not be offended in me-" AT an
other time. when the Jews tried to kill him,
he said to them: ''The works which the
Father hath given me to- finish. the same
works that do bear witness of me, that the
| Father hath sent me- This must have re-
ferred to his healing works, which alone
would be likely to convince those whom he
addressed. To this passage it will not be re-
piled. that Jesus referred to his spiritual
work of moral regeneration; for Of this DR..
Shutter says "In this work his success dur
| ing his lifetime was comparatively small.
] After his death, in "a little upper chamber
only 120 followers could be mustered. What
slight showing for his life work.
The only test of fellowship which Jesus
gave to show who are his worthy followers
is found in Mark xvi. II. 10, and In John
XIV, 12 DR.. Shutters theory concerning
these two passages Is not tenable.
In John XIV, IL. Jesus said: He that be-
lieveth on me, the works that do shall ne
do also; and greater works than these shall
he 90, because I go unto my Father. by
the works alluded to in the first half OF this
sentence, Jesus must have meant those heal
ing works to which he would naturally be I'M
derstood to refer and which, as have shown,
he had previously used to prove himself God's
messenger. The greater works may per-
haps, as DR.. Shutter suggests. refer to the
spiritual work of moral regeneration, of turn
ing men from their sins. In line with this
thought Mrs. Eddy says in our text book: 1T
is easier to cure the most malignant disease
that it is to cure sin.
In Mark xvi. II. 10. Jesus said: These
signs shall follow them that believe: In my
name shall they cast out devils; they shall
speak with new tongues; they shall take up
serpents; and If they drink any deadly thing,
it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands
on the sick and they shall recover" 1t was
only sometimes that Jesus touched those
whom he healed. Hence physical touch can
not be an essential part OF the healing prac-
ticed and taught by him. In this passage
therefore, to clay hands on the sick, must
have q symbolic meaning. Plainly, to clay
hands on means to 'extend the loving hand
Of helpfulness.'' DR.. Shutter attempts to
discredit this whole passage by quoting the
marginal note that the revisers have put
beside it, namely: 1.-THE two Oldest manu-
scripts and some other authorities omit from
verse to the end Some other authorities
have different ending to the gospel" An
swering, let me say: In the first place, this
passage still stands and is recognized as enti-
tied to a place In this gospel Secondly, the
great majority Of manuscripts which do con-
tain this passage. although not so old as the
two manuscripts which omit 1t. are. never
theless, copies Of many other and different
manuscripts which are older than the two
now emitting It, The agreement Of this great
majority of manuscripts. coming as they do
from separate and distinct sources.
all Of these sources being older than the two
manuscripts which now omit the passage,
gives the great weight of authority in favor of
the authenticity Of the passage as it now
stands in the gospel In line with this pas
sage remember that jesus command,
preach the gospel" was always accompa-
MED by his other command, Heal the sick"
But our evidence in support of the efficacy
Of the Christ healing Of Jesus, of his apostles.
and of Christian Science is not limited to
quotations from the Bible. There is scarcely
a village in this country where there are not
instances OF healing by Christian Science.
Any honest and earnest seeker for the facts
cannot fail to find conclusive evidence of the
truth Of this statement. This Is not ALL. Most
Of those who first turn to Christian Science
for help are those who have tried all other
methods, have failed to find relief, and have
been by the so-called laws CT matter con-
demned to hopeless suffering, or even to
death. In spite Of this, q large majority Of
these cases are healed through Christian
Science and the percentage Of failures Is
astonishingly small In Christian Science the
sinner is reformed the infidel reclaimed, the
helpless invalid Is restored to health, the
deaf hear, the lame walk, and sight is re-
stored; and all this is done, not through
the mental suggestions Of hypnotism, not
through the human will; not through the in
fuence of the human mind, but through the
infinite power Of almighty God. who, in the
words OF the psalmist, "forgiveth all thine
iniquities, who healeth all thy Diseases who
redeemeth thy life from destruction, who
crowneth thee with loving kindness and
tender mercies.''
Here let me correct a msapprehension
widely prevalent that Christian Science is
only q theory or method OF healing sickness.
Perhaps the desire to be healed of sickness is
what generally leads people to that which
offers hope, where all else has failed; but
after being physically healed, the patient finds
himself new man In many other respects.
Instead Of being irritable. selfish. dishonest.
sensual, he has become cheerful, self forget