Every Bible student is familiar with the story of Naaman the leper, and as with all Bible narratives, it is not difficult to give this story a modern application. It will be remembered that Naaman, having been told of some wonderful cures wrought by Elisha, the prophet of God, took "ten changes of raiment" and went "with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha." There was no evidence of humility in his attitude, as in a condescending manner he stood there, as if expecting the prophet to come out to him and perform some miracle. Indeed, when Elisha sent the simple message, "Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean," Naaman became very angry, and went away, saying, "Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel?" Afterward, however, being advised by his servants to consider the reasonableness of the counsel given, and realizing that he had exhausted every method known to the medical men of that day, he thought better of Elisha' s requirement and did as he was told, and "his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child."
Christian Scientists are constantly coming in contact with those who, like Naaman, seem to think they are honoring Christian Science in coming to it for help; they have put Naaman' s query into modern phrasing and asked, Are not scholastic theology and materia medica better than all the works of Christian Science? On page 456 of Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy tells us that "Science makes no concessions to persons or opinions," and in the Preface (p. x) she says, "The author has not compromised conscience to suit the general drift of thought." We read on the same page that "no intellectual proficiency is requisite in the learner, but sound morals are most desirable."
Pride of intellect has been a barrier to the acceptance of Truth by many a good man and woman, and this in spite of Paul's declarations that "the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God," and that the things of God must be "spiritually discerned." It will be remembered that even Nicodemus "came to Jesus by night," fair proof that he sought the cover of darkness for fear of the ridicule which a knowledge of his visit might bring upon him. Of the immediate followers of Jesus there were "not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty," and this was due solely to the fact that the so-called human intellect is "puffed up" and needs to be transformed before it will accept as true anything which has not emanated from its own plane of consciousness.
