Christian Science is not a new theory, but the revival of that divine law established by Jesus during his career on earth, and which was adhered to for three hundred years subsequent thereto; but after that time religion became entangled with politics, and the higher law, which included healing the sick, was excluded from religious worship.
We are frequently accosted with the assertion that Jesus endowed the twelve disciples exclusively with the power to heal; but a close search of the Scriptures proves this to be an erroneous idea. After sending out the twelve, Jesus sent out seventy, and his prayers were also for all those who believed "through their word."
Paul, who was not a disciple, but a violent persecutor of the Christian religion, did some wonderful healing after his conversion. In speaking to the many that "believed on him," Jesus said, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed," just as he said, "Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?" but they who "do the will of my Father which is in heaven." He also said in the last chapter of Mark, "These signs shall follow them that believe ... They shall cast out devils [evils] ... They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." One of his commands, "heal the sick," demands the same obedience as the other, "preach the gospel." We see many instances where the sick were healed and other miracles performed in the Old Testament through divine Power; even beginning at Genesis, where Abimelech and his wife and maidservant were healed, and through the Psalms and Proverbs, where God promises to heal all our diseases and forgive all our iniquities. Abraham, Elijah, Elisha, and others also possessed sufficient understanding of the divine law to heal. Read Hebrews, 11: 32-34. We are told in James, "The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up... Pray one for another, that ye may be healed," the latter clause showing that any one may exercise the healing art for another. But the higher mission of Christian Science is to teach "the wicked to forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts."
