IN the fourth chapter of Luke's Gospel is a verse—the fortieth— of striking simplicity and significance. It reads: "Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them." It chronicles the remarkable power which Christ Jesus manifested on that occasion to heal the sick people who were brought to him, whatever their disease. Can we doubt that this example of the Master's ability to relieve human distress was typical of other instances in which he healed the sick and the sinning who were brought to him? It is important to recognize that Jesus could heal, and did heal, all manner of disease, leprosy being as readily cured by him as paralysis or blindness, and a hemorrhage as readily as a fever. Furthermore, it mattered not to the great demonstrator of spiritual power what men called the disease, or how long it had been in evidence.
Jesus obviously had a knowledge, an understanding, beyond others, which enabled him to heal, a knowledge, moreover, which could be applied at all times and in all cases. It must, therefore, have been scientific. This is fully recognized in Christian Science. Mrs. Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, plainly states in the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," that he used divine Science to heal disease and sin, and that of all men he was the most scientific. Thus, the Science which the Naz-arence practiced was the Science— Christian Science—which Mrs. Eddy discovered in 1866, and which she elucidates in Science and Health and her other books in language understandable by all. Not only does she inform us that Jesus understood and practiced divine Science, but also that in some degree it was known and demonstrated by others—the prophets—who preceded him.
The student of Christian Science, then, is convinced that there is available to-day for the use of all mankind the Science which is equal to the solution of any and every human problem. As Mrs. Eddy writes in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p.235), "This Science is ameliorative and regenerative, delivering mankind from all error through the light and love of Truth." It need not, then, be limited in its application. But, be it noted, the destruction of error can be accomplished only "through the light and love of Truth." If we would heal disease and sin—deliver mankind from any phase of error, indeed —we must be in possession of an understanding of Truth and endued with the love of Truth. In other words, we must have not only the knowledge of spiritual truth, but also the Christ-spirit which embraces those qualities of humility, purity, compassion, and love, so wonderfully manifested by Jesus.
