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To relieve the conscience of a quite uncalled-for-sense of failure and inconsistency would be a profound service to many sincere Christians who hold mental and spiritual integrity as of highest importance. If a radical doctrinal position is found to be untenable in practice it calls for proper modification or revision. If it is considered necessary to retain it in its verbal form for the sake of a Testimony, then an honourable place must be allowed for those who are prepared to subscribe to it with a reservation of their right of private judgment in its precise application to themselves. If it be true that trust in God as the Healer of His children automatically shuts them off from all the manifold and merciful means of healing which medical science now makes universally available, then the doctrine of Divine healing embodies a doubtful “privilege.” But our Heavenly Father is no such Tyrant when His own fell sick, and His children know how to gratefully give Him the glory when they are healed in any way that His providence sees fit. A saner doctrine of Divine healing, or at least a saner application and proclamation of the truth, would go a very long way towards solving most of our problems in the matter. We make our own problems because the Almighty does not always do what we, in our haste or our imperfect ideas, think He ought to do. And only a doctrinal position that experience makes tenable can retain the willing loyalty of those who profess it, and save them from the morally damaging denial in practice of that which they affirm they believe in theory. The practical denial of “Divine healing” in practice by multitudes who still profess to believe it as a tenet of their faith calls for honest examination and a more perfect expression of what we truly believe. It may well be that in the bald statement that Paul left Trophimus sick at Miletum we have one of those intentional assertions of the Bible intended to keep us from extremes. The apostle who manifested when in company with this friend and co-worker such outstanding miracles of healing also faced the mystery of sickness among his intimate associates. To such mysteries he had only one answer—“Now I know in part; but then shall I know even as I am known.” In those great believing words is the eternal triumph of faith, and hope and love. It still at times has to be said to the Lord, “he whom Thou lovest is sick.” The final answer here, and hereafter, will be provided by One who is the resurrection and the life. Those who have found the Living Christ to be here and now the Healer Divine have found a pearl of truth which none shall take away from them. But in enshrining their experience into a doctrine they need to be guided by the full revelation in all the Scriptures of truth, lest haply they say even of God, the thing that is not right. pages 29&30

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