To men in the sensible form, sensible tokens are necessary, to show us where is lodged the supersensible cause of known sensible effects. If Jesus had mentally healed without ever giving the slightest sensible sign, no one could ever have known that he was the healer. "Go thy way, thy son liveth," compared with the time when that son began his sudden recovery, was regarded as proof that the mental action of Jesus was the cause. Had Jesus made no promise to the father, and given no sort of sign of mental action for the child's healing, there would have been no proof that he was the cause. Hence, as a sign and proof of his interposition, he must always make some characteristic utterance, or give some other sign of his mental action. In exemplification of this, he at different times said: "I will; be thou clean;" "Arise, take up thy bed, and walk;" "Go and show yourself to the priests;" "Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise;" "Lazarus, come forth;" and other forms of expression. He touches the leper; takes the damsel by the hand; and contemptuosly puts wet dirt on a blind man's eyes. All these are simply signs of mental intervention.
The apostles necessarily observed the same law, and used, or allowed the use of, various signs of a similar character. Christian Science does the same. We must give some sign that we are mentally acting for our patients, it is only thus that we can establish our claim to be, under God, the active agency by which the healing is effected.
It is also written of the Apostles, that they preached "that men should repent.. and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them." After the resurrection, when the Eleven were assembled with Jesus, and he re-commissioned them to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, he plainly announces that certain signs shall follow them that believe (not the Apostles only, but every believer), in all the world, wherever the gospel is preached; and among the signs is this one, "they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
