7rcTIX1xP

A Series of Lessons in Mystic Christianity994
Gospels were only those which were most widely known among the people.
The greater-wonders were deemed too sacred for common gossip.
When the Master and His followers reached Cana, which, by the way, had
been the scene of his first “miracle”—the changing of the water into wine
at the wedding feast—one of the most striking of His earlier manifestations
of occult power occurred. An influential citizen of Capernaum, a town a
score of miles distant, who met Him and besought His aid and power in
the interest of his young son, who lay dying at his home. The man besought
Jesus to hasten to Capernaum to heal the youth ere he die. Jesus smiled
kindly upon him and bade him return to his son, for the youth was even
now restored to health and strength and life. His hearers were astounded
at the reply and the doubters smiled knowingly, foreseeing a defeat for the
young Master when the news of the youth’s death should become known.
Those of His followers who were faint of heart and weak of faith felt most
uncomfortable and began to whisper the “if” of doubt. But Jesus continued
His working with a calm air of certainty, without further remarks. It was the
seventh hour of the day when the words were spoken.
The father hastened homeward to see whether the Master had succeeded
or failed. A day or two passed with no word from Capernaum. The scoffers of
the wedding feast repeated their sneers and revilings—the word “charlatan”
was again heard passing from lip to lip. Then came news from the distant
village, and upon its arrival the voice of scorn was stilled, and the hearts of
the faint again beat freely. The word came that when the father had reached
his house he was greeted by the household with cries of joy and news that
at the seventh hour the fever had abated and the crisis had been passed.
And yet the “miracle” above recorded was no greater than many occultists
have performed in all times—no greater than the many similar cures that
have been performed by the modern healers of the many metaphysical
cults. It was simply an application of the subtle forces of nature called into
operation by mental concentration. It was an instance of what in modern
phrase is called “absent treatment” along metaphysical lines. In saying this