It has recently been truly said that as to the healing works of Christian Science the burden of proof does not belong to Christian Science, but to its opponents.
It has come to pass that most of the opponents of Christian Science no longer care to assume that burden. They are more apt to admit the healing than to deny it. There are some who yet cling, with more or less tenacity, to the position—formerly quite generally held—that the Christian Science method of healing does relieve certain kinds of nervous troubles, etc., but that it is of no avail in organic or the varied phases of acute diseases. This class, however, is rapidly growing less.
While the majority, as above indicated, admit the healing, many of them are not yet ready to assent to the manner and cause of the healing. They yet dispute that there is any divine element therein. They yet doubt that the divine Mind—God—is the true healing power—the real Healer.
They are willing, nevertheless, to account for the results they can no longer dispute, on the ground that disease can be cured by the action of one human mind over another human mind, or by the power of the human mind over matter.
We respectfully maintain that here also the burden of proof is upon them.
The Christian Science premise is that only the divine Mind can heal—the human mind never. The Christian Science text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," and the other writings of the Rev. Mary Baker Eddy, attribute all power, in heaven and in earth, to God. Every premise of such writings is based on Scripture. No honest reader can deduce aught else therefrom. Is not, then, the burden of proof upon the opponents of this system to show that the healing is unscriptural? If it is not unscriptural, it is of God, and any reasoning to the contrary is fallacious.
The teaching of Scripture that true healing is of God not of man, is clear, nay, it is overwhelming. We could refer to it in support of this statement almost with out limit, but shall content ourselves with a comparatively few references, confining ourselves to the New Testament.
The tenth chapter of Matthew is authority for the claim that the power to heal possessed by Jesus was given to his twelve disciples:—
"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." To these he gave the famous commission: "And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give."
In the twenty-eighth chapter of Matthew we read Jesus' other great commission, delivered to his disciples after his resurrection:—
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and to, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."
No one reading this language can fail to observe its unreservedness. All nations were to be taught, and so taught that the very teaching should lead to their baptism in Spirit; all things whatsoever Jesus had commanded his disciples to teach they should teach—nothing was to be omitted, nothing forgotten; and Jesus was to remain alway with his disciples, even unto the end of the world—that is, unto the final destruction of all evil.
This quotation of Scripture from the Founder of Christianity, surely, among Christians, should be enough of itself to throw the burden of proof upon the opponents of Scriptural healing; but these brief quotations are but an index to all his teaching as well as his own works. They are forerunners to the teaching and works of his disciples, and to their disciples. His commands or commissions have not been reversed by any biblical record. Is not, therefore, the burden of proof upon the opponents of Christian healing to show that they have been reversed at all? If they have never been reversed then they stand good to-day, and according to Jesus' own words are to remain good until the end of the world.
In view of the healing Christian Science is actually accomplishing, and is destined to accomplish, we confidently yet humbly say to the friends who oppose, that by every fair method of reasoning, the burden of proof is upon them to show that all the claims and achievements of Christian Science are not in line with Scripture and the words and works of the Master and his disciples, or of early Christianity.
Surely the sceptical, not the believers, are on the defensive.
