It is sometimes asked why all cases of disease are not quickly healed in Christian Science, assuming, of course, the sincere efforts of the practitioner to accomplish this result. Why it should ever be otherwise is a matter of much questioning and speculation. Demonstration has abundantly proved that the character of the disease, whether slight or serious, organic or functional, incurable, so called, or not, has but little to do with the healing in Christian Science. It is not, therefore, the character of the disease that ever prevents the cure, for all kinds and classes of diseases have been overcome and completely healed by the application of the divine Principle of healing, and the most simple ailments are sometimes the most difficult to reach. This being admitted, it is well for all sincere workers in Christian Science to consider what causes the delays or failures. Is it the fault of the practitioner or of the patient, and if the fault of either, what is the fault? It may be that there are some engaged in the practice of this Science who are not fitted for the work through lack of understanding, but even those who are looked upon as best fitted for the work sometimes meet with failures for which it is difficult to account.
In the Christian Science text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, our Leader fixes a high standard for the successful practitioner. In the chapters on the practice and teaching of Christian Science (pp. 362, 443) are many impressive admonitions to the teacher and practitioner to be honest, sincere, and Christianly loving in purpose and motive, accompanied by the oft-repeated statement that without these there can be no success in healing the sick. These two chapters, and our whole text-book, indeed, are full of instructions to labor for the bringing out of like purposes and motives in the minds of those seeking help. It is needless to say that the power of divine healing cannot be successfully invoked by the insincere, dishonest, or unchristian; neither can good results be attained without the understanding, in some measure at least, of the Principle of such healing. Nor can the doubter of himself, as the instrument of healing, or of God's power and willingness to heal, be successful as a practitioner. Without faith and trust in God, faith that He will heal, and that He has made man a fit instrument through which to bring the healing about, failures are inevitable. It must be realized that divine power will heal, and further that such healing comes from the knowledge and understanding of the allness of God, the nothingness of evil, the perfection of man as a spiritual being, the omnipotence of Love, and the falsity of the belief that man is imperfect, that he is material, and that mortal mind has power over him.
Mrs. Eddy has said, "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick" (Science and Health, p. 476). It is, then, the power to see man as perfect and immortal that insures successful healing in all cases. But it is still necessary to inquire what the attitude and conduct of the patient has to do with the success of the effort to afford him relief. Jesus' spiritual vision was so clear, his reliance upon God so absolute and implicit, and his own motives, fraught with Love divine, so pure, that the thought or attitude of the sufferer, if only he sought help, was easily overcome and the healing made certain. Nevertheless it is obvious from Jesus' own sayings that he looked upon the faith of the seeker after health as of consequence. He said of the centurion, "Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." And to the centurion he said, "Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour." When they brought him the man sick of the palsy, "Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. ... Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house." To the woman who touched the hem of his garment, expecting thereby to be healed, he said, "Be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour." He touched the eyes of the blind men, saying, "According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened." To the woman who in her humility and faith asked only the crumbs from the table, he said, "O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour."
