Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-07

just consideration, or to be set aside
as condolences Christian Science,
indorsed as 1t is by the demonstration
of it's claims through the healing of
disease, Is pressing this issue upon
Christendom The worlds religious
teachers and leaders are being COM
PEELED either to defend the practice of
material medicine as in harmony with
Christianity or to admit that Jesus
method of healing the sick is the only
one that conforms to his teaching.
Christians must acknowledge that
the injunction of Jesus regarding heal
ing remains a perpetual command to
his followers, or that his remarkable
healing work had no relation to his
no less remarkable teaching. III either
case they are in a dilemma, for in the
first instance they condemn themselves
If they do not obey, while in the Sec
ond they forfeit the very found9ticn OF
Christian belief Jesus said, "Ba'ieVe
me for the very works sake; imply
| ing plainly the direct relationship be-
tween his works and his words. How
ever Christians may view this question
IL is certain that the office or position
of a Christian has not today the same
significance or breadth of meaning
which Jesus attached to it; nor can II
have this compass unless ChrlstlanltS
is seen to meet as much of the worju
need as it did once. The modern ac'
ceptation of Christianity includes toe
much worldliness, too much material
ism and not enough spirituality, els;
there were more concern to learn OF
Christ Jesus the way to health ano
holiness, the kingdom of heaven. He
said, 81 am the way"
The common tendency evidently has
been to regard the Masters miracles
as the exhibitions of a wonder-Work'
er, sort of spectacular performance
instead of the natural and legitimate
result of his understanding of Truth as
applied to special cases. Such be-
| lief centers Jesus healing work II
himself as a superhuman personality
although he distinctly disclaimed tha'
the power proceeded from hlmself, de-
claring, 'I can of mine own self DC
nothing; 1.-The Father that dwelleth IT
me. he doeth the works"
| The defense of the practice or ma
terial medicine as being divinely au-
thorized and sustained, and in keeping
with Jesus teaching, is manifestly al
attempt to excuse Christians from
their obedience to Jesus command u
"heal the sick,"-a command that Is
positive, definite, and unqualif1ed. ono
need only to examine the teachings ol
Jesus and that cf materia medica re-
garding the cause of disease and suf-
fering, to discover that no similarity
whatever exists between them. In MS
treatment Of sickness Jesus rested bis
case entirely with God; while materia
medica ignores God altogether ano
rests it's case with matter. holding the
| issue as wholly within material law
To aver that any or all of the various
medical and surgical systems are the
Legitimate successors of Jesus spiritual
system is to ignore the logcal Inference
of his own words. Such a condition
of thought would seek to engulf the
spiritualzing truths of Christianity II
the densest materialism, from whence
no ray of light could tighten the path
way of mortals Spiritward.
Espouse MaterIaIity
The particularly sad phase of this
question is that so many Christian
ministers. whose office it is to guide
their people in the way of truth, have
espoused the claims of materia medica
| I'm opposition to the appeal of Chris
tian Science for the revival OF primi'
tive Christian healing. What a pitaifu
outlook for those unfortunates wht
have travelled through all the by-wayi
of material methods, who have spen
their all in the search for health, anc
have found 1t not, and who are lef
stranded in despair with nothing t
look for but death! What a parod.
of Jesus Christianity to tell them tha
these material systems are all the!
can now look to in place of the Christ