The St. Joseph observer. [volume] (St. Joseph, Mo.) 1906-1932, 1916-04-29
PROOF
Written Tor the Christian Science Monitor

been seeking proof of God, some
sign that would satisfy them as to
the existence and power of Supreme
Being, In the early days of monothe-
ism the proof demanded was almost
always material manifestation,
something that could be seen and han.
died, such as Gideon's fleece. With
the coming of Christ Jesus the mighty
proof of the presence and power of
God which he afforded by his works,
dissipated doubt on this matter to an
extent and with a thoroughness never
before equaled or approached.
This method of proof was continued
by Jesus disciples and for three cen
turtles the appeal to works as a proof
of words was general and effective.
Then came a change; Christianity be.
came state religion. 1t lost many
of its high ideals. 1t compromised
with paganism at every point, adopted
many pagan customs and frankly low
cred its standards Gradually it as
sumed an aspect entirely different
from the original Instead of being
a religion of individual responsibility,
in which it was recognized of every
man that ito his own master he
standeth or falleth." it reverted to the
purely pagan view of an initiated
priesthood and an ignorant people
By this time it had lost all proof of
God of the nature to which Jesus
made appeal Men, however, contin-
ued to demand proof, and to meet
this demand there arose the great ap-
peal to the intellect. Augustine. An
selm Bishop Butler, William Paley, to
mention only few, fought valiantly
along this line. Augustine's "De Civil
tate Del" Anselm's Cur Deus Homo"
Bishop Buffers Analogy" and Pa
ley's Evidences" are perhaps the
most perfect models of reasoning
which the world possesses They rep
resent sincere effort to open mems
eyes to something which the authors
themselves thought they saw: but to
the vast majority of readers they fall
far short of proof. The insistent de-
mand of men throughout all ages has
been for practical proof and not in
tellectual conviction, the righteous de-
mand for that which Job meant when
he said that in his flesh he should
see God. The heart of man. in spite
= of all suppression, has always de-
manded that he be taken care Of
now.
To the people who crowded around
Jesus on the hillsides of Galilee, to
the great multitudes from Decapolis,
q and from Jerusalem, and from Judea,
and from beyond Jordan" who
had them healed, to these people was
more proof afforded in that one mo-
{ ment of the presence and power of
God than is contrived in the whole of
}. the great intellectual apologize which
= has been built up since.
Almost exactly fifty years ago,
namely, early in the year 1866, Mary
Baker Eddy made that wonderful dis.
covery which enabled her to restore
to humanity that proof of God to
S which Jesus and his disciples made
and Health with Key to the Scrip
lures" the textbook of Christian Sci
= ence, Mrs. Eddy has written: I'm the
year 1866, discovered the Christ Sci
Y ence or divine laws of Life, Truth
: and Love, and named my discovery
Christian Science. God had beer
graciously preparing me during many
III years for the reception of this fina
,y revelation of the absolute divine Prin
!, ciple of scientific mental healing.
- Elsewhere Mrs. Eddy has described
how the revelation came to her; hov
she was completely and instantaneous
- ly healed of the results of an acciden
,r which her physician had pronounced
~ fatal by reading the account of Jesus
healing of the man sick of the palsy
how she recognized that the powe
that had healeu her was dlSlne, Du
o3 that she felt she must know how tn
. healing was accomplished, must. i
II fact, discover a positive rule; ho'
she withdrew herself from society an
for three years studied the Bible an
read little else. II knew" Mrs Edd
Iiy writes on page 109 of Science an
HaaItb "tha princiDlo of all harunl
- ious Mind-action to be Cod and th6
cures were produced in primitiy
Christian healing by holy, upliftin
Nd faith; but | must know the ScienC
of this healing and | won my wa
to absolute conclusions through q
vine revelation, reason, and demo
- stration."
The absolute conclusions to whic