The following is a clipping taken from the Boston Evening Transcript, Nov. 7, and is of interest to all.
Extracts from an address in Park-street Church by Dr. James Bell, of Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, on Wednesday evening;:
Your president has kindly told you that I am not a volunteer. Not that I am unwilling, but I hear the Scriptures say, "Be not many teachers, lest ye receive greater judgment." The Holy Spirit calls out his own chosen teachers. But I have felt of late an inward call in addition to your request. There is no antagonism between the medical profession and Divine Healing. First, because there are so many incurable cases by human means. There are about 4,600,000 people in New England. Out of these 1500 die annually of cancer and no less than fifteen thousand of consumption. Do you not think any physician would welcome a power which would save these. It is not the M. D.'s but the D. D.'s who oppose this. I think I have never known a physician to publish an article against Divine Healing. In Christ's time it was the Scribes and Pharisees who opposed his miracles. I would rather be a Luke in company of apostles. In the homes of the poor where the influences cannot be favorable, what physician would not be rejoiced to take their sick ones to the Lord, whose power is greater than their hindrances? But really, the chief difficulty lies in the non-acceptance of the truth by the people themselves. It is a weakness of humanity to trust unreasonably in drugs, as an African in his fetich. To be faithful I must warn you of the dangers of drugs even in the hands of a physician. Opiates, stimulants, sedative tonics, injure brain and nerves. Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes well said that "If all drugs were cast into the sea it would be better for the people, but worse for the fishes." Another physician says that the mortality following the grip was largely due to the antipyrene. Dr. Watson of London, a writer most fascinating to medical men, once said, "Remember, after all, it is God who healeth our diseases and redeemeth our life from destruction." Why should newspapers and Christian people cry out against a father who intrusts his child to the Lord instead of to a doctor? Statistics show in typhoid fever much less mortality under good nursing than under medical treatment. If all could trust God there would be great gain in the health of the community. Will you ask, How can a physician who believes in his system, advocate Divine Healing and yet practice his profession? Well, as Paul says: "Yet I show unto you a more excellent way." Surely the maker of anything ought to be the best able to repair it. It gives me most satisfaction when any of my friends or patients take the Lord alone for their healer. Praying God to bless means is not trusting to Divine Healing. I have been permitted to see perfectly satisfactory evidence of Divine power in healing "incurable" diseases. This I give as medical testimony, "expert" testimony, if you please, that would be received in a court of justice.
