The Monticellonian., 1916-06-08


would be a true answer, so far as it
goes. In goes far enough to silence,
at least, any unfriendiy critics who are
Christian believers. But there has
grown to be a large number OF men
and women who are really religious
minded but have become more or less
skeptical in respect to Christianity,
largely because they have found them
selves unable to accept certain dog
mas. Such people can say that the
answer | have just stated is not an
answer for them. Yet ! wish to call
their attention, as we'll as the atten-
tion of Christian believers, to the
great significance and value of the
fact of multitudes being healed in
this age by mental process which is
identical with the process of healing
which it is claimed by Christianity
was also successfully followed by Je-
sus and the early Christians.
If the fact of such healing at this
time stands now fully and unanswera-
bly, supported by the evidence, then
any longer the improbability of the
same works when attributed to Jesus
and his early followers. And, on the
other hand, when the Christian De
lever asserts that he accepts the
truth of the records in the Bible and
in profane history which state that
such works were accomplished by Je-
sus and his early followers, such
Christian believer is thereby silenced
from affirming the improbability of
similar works now. unless he repud-
iates the plain promise of Jesus when
he said. He that belieyth on me, the
works that | do shall he do also The
Christian Scientist says to the skeptic:
IL the fact stands that certain healing
works are being done now uneer
Gods eternal and unchanging govern
ment, you cannot be heard to say that
like works could not have been done
at former time Likewise, the Chris
tian Scientist says to the modern
Christian: If you believe certain
healing works were done at a former
time under Gods government. you can
not be heard to say that like works
may not be done now. To the skeptic
we say: What is true now always
was true, for truth never changes nor
perishes. To the Christian we say:
What the Christ truth stood for in the
first. second. and third centuries OF
the Christian era. when the Christian
healing was accomplished. it surely
stands for in this twentieth century;
for truth is of God, and, like God, is
the same yesterday. and today, and
forever and with whom is no varia-
bleness. neither shadow of turning"
Delaying for few minutes the fur
ther consideration of the questions in
respect to the process or modus oper-
and employed in the Christian SCIENCE
wish to say at this point that for
time | was amazed when | heard some
good and sincere Christians opposing
the Christian Science works of heal
ing. | said to myself, Is it possible
that they can overlook the fact that
THESE ItdllIS WI kS dlt HItSIlIlS OlC
of the strongest weapons from the
hands of infidelity? But investigat-
ed further and found the responsible
cause Of such opposition is in the fact
that for fifteen centuries the Chris
tian world had not been healing the
sick, and had found itself unable to
heal the sick, according to the Christ
way therefor | found that great and
good men, like those pioneers of
early Methodism, the two Wesleys.
for example, had earnestly sought to
rediseover the lost Christian way OF
healing sickness. but had failed, not
withstanding their anxiety to recover
the means by which they could real
ize the promises of Jesus and obey
his commandment in full: Preach the
gospel" heal the sick" | could not
doubt their most earnest desire 70
come up to the standard which Jesus
had established for his followers IN
his words: If ye love me. keep my
commandments The inability TO
heal the sick for fifteen centuries un-
covers the reason for the incredulity
of some Christian people about any
one else healing the sick according to
the way therefor, which was promised.
exemplifed. and commanded to his
followers by Jesus. | saw the explain
alton for the Willingness at times of
good and sincere Christians to accept
as an excuse for their non-obedience
to the command, Heal the sick the
really unscriptural and illogical dog
ma which was invented and first heard
of in the fourth Christian century,
namely, The days Of the miracles
have passed
History clearly shows that the
Christians continued successfully to
heal the sick, that is. according to
the Christ example therefor during all
of the first. all of the second, and
all of the third centuries of our CHRIS
tian era. Then began the decadence,
and soon came the practical disuse,
of the Christ way of healing. Into
Christianity about that time the pa
gan dogma had been introduced that
sickness and death were OF deific orig
in A moment or two further along
| shall show why one who believes
that dogma cannot heal the sick as
Jesus taught But before that let me
show how that false and disastrous
dogma got its entrance into the be-
lief of Christendom.
Around the beginning of the fourth
century there was a general influx
e.,,,, into OH IF q