If through his faith one is not to an increasing extent finding liberation from his fears and enslaving beliefs of sin and physical infirmity, then he should frankly ask himself the question, "What is wrong with my faith?"
It is related in the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew that a certain man who had a lunatic child came to Jesus and knelt before him, and in that same hour Jesus cured the boy. The disciples, having failed to heal the child, inquired of Jesus, "Why could not we cast him out?" His answer was definite: "Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove: and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Then he added, "Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."
In this much-loved Bible narrative, so often identified only with the reference to faith as a grain of mustard seed, one may overlook the important words, "Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Mary Baker Eddy says in "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 339), referring to these words of Jesus', "The animus of his saying was: Silence appetites, passion, and all that wars against Spirit and spiritual power." Therefore, when the complete statement of the Master is considered, it is quite clear that while some degree of faith, be it ever so small, is a necessity, it is also equally clear that something more than faith is required in healing by spiritual power. Mrs. Eddy says in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 4): "It is often said, 'You must have a very strong will-power to heal,' or, 'It must require a great deal of faith to make your demonstrations.' When it is answered that there is no will-power required, and that something more than faith is necessary, we meet with an expression of incredulity."
