The
Healing Power
This
power, which from the beginning of the world has been associated with
the goodness of God, has placed those endowed with it above the
masses; like people chosen by God to administer to the suffering of
the human race. So the sick, who are always ready to worship the
person who cures them, are very loathe to believe such dishonesty.
This gives those who have this power a superiority over the sick,
which they willingly acknowledge to them. In this way, religious
sects sprang up, established by cures; the person claiming that the
power was from God. This gave it a religious sanctity and gave these
persons power over the sick. Finally, the healing power fell into the
hands of the priests.
Now
the power to heal and the right to dictate are two things. The
healing is, of itself, a peculiar gift to the world - like any wisdom
not reduced to practice. So those who healed were honest, but as soon
as their interest came in, there came the deception; and as the
deception began to show itself, the power ceased. This was the way at
the time of Christ. Those who healed had become so corrupt that they
were a pest in society - the priests being the worst. A quarrel arose
between these two classes, and each gave the power to God; so that at
the time of Jesus, the thinking classes looked upon both as humbugs.
