The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-03-05

mand to preach the gospel to every
creature" 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 SER
penis: and ii 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 tray
cling in a distant land. and a would
be Convert says to us. Are you a
Christian?" And upon receiving an
affirmative reply, suppose he next
says: 'Oh, how glad l am that you
came! / see by your Bible that signs
are to follow the true believers. Now
l am possessed by veritabie devil.
! am victim OF the opium habit.
DO, beg Of you. through your heau-
tiful religion. east this devil OUT"
What would We say? Let me tell you
what my answer would have been.
| before studying Christian Science:
let us not consider that Rible pas
| sage just now, my frined. Have you
heard Of that wonderful new santa
rum, famed for it's treatment of the
drug and liquor habit? Now you
| should go there and take that treat
| ment. And while YOU are there, I'll
pray for you!" II is well to remem-
Der at this point, however, that the
sufferer has not asked for sanitnrium
| treatment, but. taking Jesus at his
Lal 90 -.
followers to cast out his ''devil'
through the understanding OF spiritual
power. Suppose he then says: MY
old mother Is very III. see by your
book that a Christian, understanding
the great power taught by Jesus. can
| cause her TO recover. IL this true
DO you mean to tell me that Christi
anity In as vital n force as that? Does
Christianity preach God SO power
full, SO available. that He comes into
your daily life and not only reforms
your manners, but heals your sick
body? What wonderful religion!
How much better than anything
have! Come, l pray you. and
heal herr" What would we now say?
Would we suggest change Of doc
TORS. or recommend a new diet or
climate-or would we undertake to
put our faith to the test? And il by
chance we say to this hungerins
| thought: 'Ah, my dear sir. that was
not meant for our time! The days OF
healing are past,"--do not be sur
prised il he closes the Bible and
hands 1t back with this statement:
very well! have a religion to die
by that Is older than yours!"
Christians Must Heal the Sick.
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 tenth chapter Of Mat
thew, and pointing to the first verse,
said. Read that" The visitor read:
And when ne had called unto him his
twelve disciples, he gave them power
against unclaan spirits. To cast them
| out. and to healsall 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 mem" he pleaded. But the
attendants smiled. shook their heads
and murmured that 1t was sad case.
Let each one of us who dare to
| name the name OF Christianity,
solemnly ask himself this question !:
Am I trying to be one OF those men ?
Had been approached rs was this
visitor, could / have said to the un-
fortunate one. why friend. believe
In Christian healing! l am trying to
be one of Jesus disciples--'one OF
those men--and the power that
banished the devils In the days OF the
Master can free YOU now" II we are
unable honestly to face the situation
thus. let us go forth resolved to sit
at the feet of the Christ and meekly
learn of that power the possession OF
which alone entities us to the sacred
name Of Christian.
The Power impaired by Jesus.
What was the power which Jesus
impaired first to the twelve and later
to the seventy disciples? 1t could not
have been Il mysterious magnetic cur
rent flowing from the personality OF
Jesus to those about him. as some
would aver. for, as has been stated
IoSo"o IHoIotcu lIAt OI himself ne cOulQ
do nothing, and that II was the Father
dwelling In him that did the works
Again, in the weil-known passage from
the fourteenth chapter OF John, he
states that his mighty works shall be
done by those who believe on him, OF
in other words. those who understand
his great mission and the divine Prin
jciple thereof. Thus we see that thu
power given by Jesus to his follower.
was spiritual understanding, just a,
a teacher in school gives his pupil,
power TO solve problems In arithmeti.
when he shows them the rule ard prin
ciple basing arithmetic. But appar
emily no definite rule was left b,
Jesus whereby this vital teaching wa
discernible. Here let US offer III
psalms Of Thanksgiving! In this won
tderful volume. Science and Health, hal
been revealed that treasure which /,
the unenlightened sense remained los
In the pages Of the Bible for centuries
And today a Christian Ia without ex
cuse. who when asked to heal the sicl
and cast out demons. turns his bacl
and says. u am not one OF those men.