Those who are so earnestly maintaining that modern medical and surgical skill is eclipsing the healing works of Jesus, and that these greater works are in fulfilment of his teaching, should look more carefully into that teaching. They should compare his teaching with his works. Thus only can they get a correct understanding of what would constitute the greater works of which he spoke, and which he said those who believed on him should do. Let us see what he taught. Perhaps no better epitome of what he taught in reference to healing can be found than in his commission to the disciples whom he sent forth to heal. He thus commanded them: "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils."
1. Heal the sick. Our modern exegetists claim that medicine, as now understood and administered, is healing the sick in greater ways and larger measure than Jesus healed the sick. We should have no objection to yielding this palm to modern medical achievement could we consistently do so. We have no desire to take from the medical profession one laurel which properly belongs to it. But since this profession make no such claim as that which is now being made for them by the members of another profession, we do not feel called upon even to attempt to prove the correctness of the contention. Should we attempt it, however, in the face of well-known and age-established facts, we should fail. We say enough in refutation of the contention when we merely quote from the best class of physicians themselves, as we have recently done. When we mention the additional fact that the medical system is based on the idea that it is more relievative than curative, we have disproved the claim of our clerical advocates, so far as this part of the commission is concerned.
2. Raise the dead. We do not understand modern physicians claim that drugs or medicines will raise the dead. We are not aware that modern surgical skill so claims. If they did so claim they would not be able to prove it. Therefore our clerical advocates' case fails as to that part of the commission.
