WHEN Jesus healed the sick of "all manner of sickness and all manner of disease," there is no record that he used any material means; and we may say that this claim is universally admitted, notwithstanding the captious critic of Christian Science who occasionally comes to the fore with his assertion that the Master did make use of clay and spittle in the case of the man who was born blind. It is also generally admitted that Jesus' reference to the works which he had done, and the "even greater works" which his followers were to do after him, did not contemplate a different system from that which he had employed. While it is true that in some places, where the heart of the people was hardened against him, he did not perform many mighty works, it is also true that his system was unfailingly efficacious whenever it was called into use.
The work of Christ Jesus, and that of the early Christians as well, proved beyond question that drugs or material remedies of any kind were not necessary factors in the healing of disease and other physical infirmities, and that positive results were obtained without them. In the later centuries, however, mankind, practically ignoring the work of Jesus,, have drifted into the belief that medicine and surgery are necessary to their health and well-being; and until the discovery of Christian Science by Mrs. Eddy this belief remained unchallenged, and the healing method of Jesus and his immediate followers was relegated to the past. During the decades which have elapsed since the discovery of Christian Science, the interest of humanity in spiritual healing has, however, been gradually aroused, and it is again being realized, by a rapidly increasing number, that not only are material remedies unnecessary, but their use is at variance with the system employed by the most successful healer the world has ever known.
The testimonies of healing which are published in our periodicals show that thousands who have had the courage to put aside their fear of bringing bodily harm upon themselves if they ventured to do without medicine,—and it does take courage to launch out into what seems an unknown sea, to put one's trust in an unseen power rather than in that which is close at hand,—these believers in the unchanging power of the God who is "the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever," have been healed by the Christ-method. And just to the extent that mankind lose or are able to overcome this fear, they will be healed of their diseases as surely as were those who put their trust in the great Nazarene, and were willing to be healed by him.
