HEALING BY FAITH.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 October 1921, Page 9

HEALING BY FAITH.

CHRISTIAN SCIWCE CLAIMS. "the work of katana. A FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH. An urgent request to the clergy study carefully the report of the beth Conference upon the .Christian faith, in relation to Spiritualism, theosophy, and particularly Christian science, was voiced by Bisbop Averill, Auckland, in his address to the Synod. “The conference generously recognised,” he said, “that all these revived cults werfe, firstly, the outcome of a mental revulsion from materialism, ana a desire to find a spiritual meaning and purpose in human life; and were, to some extent, at any rate, the direct outcome of the Churdi’s neglect to expound fully and clearly the great verities of the Christian faath; that they were touching the fringe of great scientific truths not yet clearly revealed or understood—-but-they had no shadow of doubt that they were, as cults, a contradiction to the Christian faith. It is well that all Christians should read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the following resolution upon the subject, a» many earnest people are deluded with the idea that they can uphold the Christian faith, and doctrines of Mrs. Eddy, at the same time. No man can serve two masters, and the Christ of Spiritualism, Christian science, and theosophy is not the Christ of the Bible or the Christian creed. CONFLICT OF IDEAS. <r iVe affirm our conviction,” says Resolution 55, “that the revelation of God in Christ Jesus is the supreme and suineient message given to all mankind, whereby we may attain to eternal life We recognise that modern movements of Jthought connected with Spiritualism, Christian science, and theosophy join with the Christian Church in protesting against a materialistic view of the universe, and at some points emphasise partially neglected aspects of truth. At the same time, we feel bound to call attention to the fact that both in the underlying philosophy, and in cults and practices which have arisen out of these movements, the teaching given or implied either ignores or explains away or contradicts the unique and central fact of human history, viz., the inearnation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Uhnst.” Resolution 59 says: “The conference finds that while Christian science fixes attention on the supremacy of spirit,, yet in the teaching given there is a direct tendency (a) to pantheistic doctrine and at the same time (b) to a false antithesis between spirit and matter, and f (c) to the denial of sin, and (d) to the denial of the reality of disease and Suffering. Such teaching therefore cannot be reconciled with the fundamental truths of the Christian faith and the teaching of Scripture on atonement, penitence, forgiveness, and fellowship in the sufferings of Christ.” It is hot sufficient for the Church to condemn a eurt merely, but. to accept its warning and reproof and endeavor to win back the followers of that cult to- their proper place in the fellowship of the Church. Each cult contains certain elements of truth, and it is for us to sift the wheat from the chaff in them and ascertain where the modern presentation of the Christian faith has failed to emphasise truths which to-day are being caricatured by over-emphasis in cults whichtare anti-Christian. “Here we are bound to acknowledge,” says the report, “that there has been a great deficiency in our Church’s faith and teaching. Not sufficiently have we emphasised our Lord’s revelation of the Fatherhood of God, of thp fullness of His Love, of His loving care of body as well as of soul, which invites us to cast all our care upon Him. The gospel lesson of ‘God-faith’ and the inward joy and peace of which the best Christian experience is the witness, have been allowed too often to lose their supremacy."

GIFTS OF HEALING RECOGNISED. The conference, largely as a result of the wonderful testimony brought before it, continued the bishop, was compelled to recognise that both in study and in practice there has been a notable development in the direction of healing with prayer, accompanied by the laying on of hands and of anointing, whereby the power of Christ to heal had been released. “We would urge, ’’ says the report, “the recognition of the ministry and gifts of healing in the church, and that these should be exercised under due Hceuse and authority.” Referring to the work of Ratana, the Maori healer, Bishop AverSl said: “Surely Ratana is on right lines in emphasising the need for putting away the evils of tohungaism and what is generally known as Maoriism, and returning to a simple and real faith in the revealed God if the power of Christ to heal is to be released. It cannot be denied that real faith, real trust, leading to real peace—and consequently the absence of worry and nerves—contribute largely to the physical welfare of humanity. We are fully conscious from the Bible records and from experience that it is often God’s will that sickness and suffering should not be removed in this world, and that God can and does overrule suffering and sorrow for good; but spiritual healing in no way contravenes this great truth. Spiritual and mental suffering may be healed while physical suffering remains.”— Auckland Herald. _