Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-05-19

Imagine his lsurprise when the ma
tives straightway flung themselves at
his feet. called him a god. and pro-
ceeded to worship him! Try as he
might, he could not persuade the
simple folk that his instantaneous calcu-
lation was the result of an understanding
of the principle of mathematics and was
in no sense miraculous.
To the bewildered and heartsick chill
dren Of men came Saviour. Under
standing the great Principle Of being. ne
solved their problems. bringing instan-
taneous answers in health and reforma-
ton and regeneration. He plainly said
that of himself he did not the works,
and that If they would but understand
his mission and his Principle, they too
could solve the problems as did he. But
they called him a wonder-worker. wor-
shipped his personality, and crucified
him!
And the human mind has continued its
misa pprehension down through the CEN
turtles, with the result that we still see
thousands processing Christianity and
worshiping the personality Of Jesus, but
following him in practical demonstration
Of divine power-not at all!
Do you know that Jesus once pointed
out very simple method of discovering
a true Christian? The directions are to
bes found in the 18th chapter Of Mark.
and follow Immediately the well-known
command to preach the gospel to every
creatur His words are:
And 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. 1t
shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands
on the sick, and they shall recover"
| Christians, are we measuring up to this
standard? Suppose we are travelling in
distant land, and would-be convert
says to us, Are you Christian" And
upon receiving an affirmative reply, sup
pose he next says: ooh, how glad / am
that you came! see by your Bible that
signs are to follow the true believers.
Now am possessed by a veritable devil.
am victim of the opium habit. Do, 1
beg Of you. through your beautiful relig-
ion. cast this devil OUT" What would we
|
sanitarium famed for it's treatment Of
the drug habit, or what would we do?
Suppose, he then says: my old mother
is very Ill. I see by your book that,
Christian, understanding the great power
| taught by Jesus, can cause her to re-
cover. Come, ] pray you, and heal herr"
What would we now say? Would we
suggest a change of doctors, or recon-
mend a new diet or climate-or would we
undertake to put our faith to the test?
And if by chance we say to this hunger
ing thought: "Ah, my dear sir, that
was not meant for our time! The days
of healing are past,''-do not be surprised
If he closes the Bible and hands it back
with this statement: Every well! I have
a religion to die by that is older than
yours"
A visitor at an insane asylum was once
attracted to a man who behind the bars
of his room was seen porting over the
pages Of a small Testament. Seeing the
visitor, the patient beckoned him to come
nearer. He had opened the book to the
10th chapter of Matthew. and pointing
to the first verse, said, Read that" The
visitor read:
"And when he had called unto him his
twelve disciples, he gave them power
against unclean spirits. to cast them out
and to heal all manner of sickness and
all manner of disease"
When he had finished the reading. the
inmate caught at his hand Send me
one of those men! Send me one OF those
men,. he pleaded. But the doctors
smiled, shook their heads. and muir
INJURED that it was sad case.
| Let each one Of us who dares to name
the name of Christianity. solemnly ask
himself this question: Am / trying to be
one of those men? Had I been APP
preached as was this visitor, could have
said to the unfortunate one. why.
friend, I believe in Christian healing! l
am trying to be one Of Jesus disciples.
-'one Of those men, and the power that
banished devils in the days of the Mas
ter can free you now" If we are I'M
able honestly to face the situation thus,
let US 90 forth resolved to sit at the feet
of the Christ and meekly learn OF that
| power the possession of which alone en-
titles us to the sacred name OF Christian
What was the power which Jesus i'm
parted first to the twelve and later to
the seventy disciples? 1t could not have
been a mysterious magnetic current now
ing from the personality Of Jesus to
those about him, as some would aver, Ter.
as has been stated. Jesus insisted that
of himself he could do nothing, and that
1t was the Father dwelling in him that
did the works. Again, in the well-known,
passage from the 14th chapter OF John,
he states that his mighty works shall be
done by those who believe on him, or in
other words, those who understand his
great mission and the divine Principle
thereof, Thus we see that the power
given by Jesus to his followers was
spiritual understanding. just as teacher
in school gives his pupils, power to solve
problems in arithmetic when he shows
them the rule and principle basng arith-
metic. But apparently no definite rule was
left by Jesus whereby this vital teaching
| was discernible Here let US offer up
psalms Of thanksgiving! In this wonder
full volume. Science and Health. has been
revealed that treasure which to the un-
| enlightened sense remained lost In the
pages OF the Bible for centuries. And
| today Christian is without excuse who,
when asked to heal the sick and cast out
demons, turns his back and says, IT am