The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-06

Scarcely a public declaration has
been made on the subject of the new
psychological system of treating the
sick called the Emmanuel Move
of Christian Science. and the practice
Of Christian Scientists. Chief among
these are the following: that Christian
Scientists attempt the cure of organic
diseases; that Christian Scientists, ex-
cept In the treatment of surgical and
contagious cases, discard the employ
ment of physicians; that Christian
Scientists believe that God is good and
the only creator and made nothing I'M
like himself and that therefore dis
ease is unreal; that Christian Sci
ence as compared with the Emmanuel
Movement is neither Christian nor
scientific; that Christian Scientists
accept a fee for their service. 1t is
certainly right and fair that Christian
Science be understood as it is and
that, since strangers TO Christian Sci
ence have attempted and failed to
draw clear line of demarkation be-
tween Christian Science and other
systems of treating the sick which
differ therefrom, and have therefore
left the subject in a confused state
this distinction be drawn by Chris
tian Scientist.
1t will be our endeavor to show that
the foundation of Christian Science,
its teaching concerning God and His
creation, is Christian and scientific,
and therefore that it's conclusions are
Christian, for, whatever else may be
said of it, Christian Science is consis-
tent, and it honors God beyond COM
parison. If critics find no fault with
the good things it teaches about God,
they should not complain when it logi-
cally and consistently reaches the con-
Clusion therefrom that the devil. evil,
is neither personal nor real Mrs. Ed
dy does not believe in the asserted
power of evil, and she has taught ner
students how to overcome it's decep-
lions by being awake to it's subtlety,
and by knowing that God is the only
power.
Revival Of Christian Healing.
Rev. Frank L. Phalen, of New Bed
ford, Mass, In an address delivered
in that city on october 4, 1908. gave
the following very sensible reasons
for the revival of Christian healing.
He said: Until a comparatively re-
cent date, the church lost sight Of the
fact that the Founder of Christianity
was not only reyeaier and proclaim
er of the truth, but also a healer of
the Ills of humanity, both physical and
mental. Jesus not orly preached the
truth, but he healed the sick. The
first teachers of Christianity followed
the double practice Of preaching and
healing. Jesus nea,ei physical and
mental maladies, not merely because
he understood and brought to hear SUI
pernatural power, but rather because
he saw and laid hold of those latent
powers in humanity which others had
failed to see and utilize. The healing
power of Jesus is not something that
came into the world with Him and de-
parted with Him II is n permanent
possibility to all those who have suf-
ficient insight and faith and sagacity
to grasp and utilize the same power"
A careful study of the Scriptures
discloses the fact that healing the sick
was by no means the result for which
the Master primarily labored; it was
rather a consequence of the spiritual
regeneration which was effected by
the Gospel he preached. Christian
Science accords with our Lords teach
ing, when he said, Whether is it
easier to say thy sins be forgiven thee
or to say, rise up and walk" and when
he declared to another whom he had
healed, "Sin no more lest worse
thing come upon thee" He thus
taught unquestionably that disease is
the result of sin. He did not on these
occasions mention any particular sin
or enter into comprehensive defipi-
ton of sin, but the Scriptures. as
whole warrant the definition of sin
which is taught in Christian Science,
namely. that it includes not only the
willful wrongs of mortals but all of
their ignorant mistakes and blunder-
ings. John said: "All unrighteousness
(all unright-wis-ness. all unright-wise-
ness) is SIM" that is all erroneous be-
liefs and conceptions which are held
as wisdom. all mistakes which are re-
garded as "wiseness" are included I'M
Ger the name sin. and it is quite evil
dent that unrighteous thought is the
basis of all evil conduct. for thought
is always prior to action. The Mas
ter held this opinion of the fundamen-
tally of sinful thought, as is indicated
by his declaration that those who look
upon sin to desire it are guilty of its
offense.
It is proper to say in this connec-
ton that the double practice of
preaching and healing was due to the
fact that it was impossible to benefit
an individual spiritually without i'm
proving his bodily condition. 1t would
be quite as impossible for one to I'M
derstand and live and talk according
to the Gospel of Truth without bene-
fitting oneself and others as it would
be for the sun to shine without dis
polling the darkness. Thus we note