| The existence of God can be proved in two ways - | | | | told me that the obstruction has relieved itself and that |
| by practical demonstration and by deduction. These | | | | she had taken a definite turn for the better, and since |
| two methods are employed because they are | | | | that time she has recovered completely. Could I feel |
| acceptable to science. In science, fact can be | | | | otherwise than that God's intervention had saved her |
| established by practical demonstration and knowledge | | | | life?" |
| can be arrived at by deduction. | | | | So runs the letter of a successful practicing physician. |
| Let us begin with the method of practical | | | | If you will like many more testimonies of people's |
| demonstration. | | | | experiences of the effect of the power of God in their |
| We are told that the earth has a magnetic field. We | | | | lives then I recommend that you read this book. |
| cannot see, hear or touch this magnetic field. However, | | | | On innumerable occasions in my own affairs, I have |
| science is able to show proof of its existence in this | | | | had to put my faith in God when I came to the limit of |
| way. When a bar magnet is suspended so that it can | | | | my abilities or resources. On every single one of those |
| swing freely on a horizontal plane, it will always come | | | | occasions I achieved the goal I desired or attained the |
| to rest with its north pole pointing approximately | | | | objective I sought. On all those occasions I |
| towards the geographic north. So, although we cannot | | | | experienced the effect of the power of God. |
| see, hear or touch the earth's magnetic field, science is | | | | The fact that God produces observable effects in the |
| able to prove its existence by demonstrating its effect | | | | lives of human beings is incontrovertible proof that God |
| on a freely suspended bar magnet. This, therefore, | | | | exists. |
| means that a thing that is not observable does in | | | | Let us now employ deduction to again prove that God |
| actual fact exist if it produces observable effects on | | | | really exists. |
| some other thing. | | | | For law and order to exist, an authority must be |
| God is not observable. We cannot see, hear or touch | | | | present to establish and maintain it. In the absence of |
| Him. However, God produces observable effects in | | | | authority, anarchy usually reigns. Recent events in |
| the lives of human beings. When we put our faith in | | | | Bagdad, capital of Iraq, will help illustrate my point. |
| Him, we experience the effect of His power. | | | | When the government of Saddam Hussein collapsed |
| Countless cases and instances abound of people who, | | | | under the onslaught of American and coalition forces, |
| when they were in difficulty, put their faith in God and | | | | all hell broke loose. Looters spearheaded the chaos |
| experienced the positive effect of His power. Below is | | | | that ensued. Violence and disorderly conduct took |
| one of the many testimonies and incidents recounted in | | | | center stage. Woman dared not step out onto the |
| the book, The Power of Positive Thinking, by Norman | | | | streets without the company of their men folk. Life and |
| Vincent Peale (World's Work Ltd, Publishers). (To keep | | | | property were clearly insecure and you could see it |
| this article from being lengthy, I have chosen this rather | | | | glaringly demonstrated - no authority, no law and order. |
| brief testimony which can be found on pages 195 and | | | | Now, it is a scientific fact that natural laws exist. These |
| 196). | | | | are laws that apply at all times and in all places and |
| Another efficient woman physician wrote me of her | | | | which may be regarded as universal laws. Some |
| own development in combining the therapy of medicine | | | | examples of such laws are: the law of Gravity, |
| and faith. | | | | Newton's Laws of Motion and the Law of Demand |
| "I became interested in your straight forward religious | | | | and Supply. |
| philosophy. I had been working at top speed and | | | | We also know from observation and experience that |
| getting tense, irritable, and at times beset with old fears | | | | there is order in the universe. The sequence of the |
| and guilts, in fact in need of a release from morbid | | | | seasons never changes. We always go to bed at |
| tension. At a low moment early one morning I picked | | | | night rest assured that day will unfailingly follow night. |
| up your book and began to read it. This was the | | | | And when it is dawn, we arise knowing that the sun |
| prescription that I needed. Here was God, the great | | | | will invariably rise in the east and later set in the west |
| Physician, with faith in Him as an antibiotic to kill the | | | | at dusk. |
| germs of fear and render useless the virus of guilt. | | | | Every living thing reproduces its own kind. A corn plant |
| "I began to practice the good Christian principles | | | | will sprout from a corn seed. A dog will give birth to |
| outlined in your book. Gradually there came a release | | | | puppies and a pregnant human will deliver a baby |
| of tension and I felt relaxed and happier and I slept well. | | | | human. Even then, if the white spouse of a white |
| I quit taking vitamin and pep pills. Then, she adds, and | | | | gentleman gives birth to a dark skinned baby, she will |
| this is what I want to emphasize, "I began to feel that I | | | | most certainly face accusations of unfaithfulness. |
| wanted to share this new experience with my patients, | | | | White parents produce white babies and black parents |
| those who came to me with neuroses. I was surprised | | | | produce black babies. That is the natural and |
| to find how many had read your book and others. The | | | | unchangeable order of things. It is the order which |
| patient and I seemed to have a common ground to | | | | exists in the universe that enables scientists to |
| work on. It has been an enriching experience. To talk | | | | calculate precisely when and where the next eclipse |
| about a faith in God has become a natural and easy | | | | will occur. |
| thing to do. | | | | The fact that universal law and order exist means that |
| "As a doctor", she adds, "I have seen a number of | | | | a universal authority exists. God - or whatever name |
| miraculous recoveries due to Divine aid being given. In | | | | you choose to call this Almighty Power - is the |
| the past few weeks I have had an additional | | | | universal authority responsible for the establishment |
| experience. My sister had to undergo a serious | | | | and maintenance of universal law and order. To |
| operation about three weeks ago. Following the | | | | accept universal law and order and reject universal |
| operation she developed intestinal obstruction. On her | | | | authority simply does not make sense. The former |
| fifth day she was very critically ill, and as I left the | | | | cannot be present without the later. |
| hospital at noon I realized that she must take a turn for | | | | I think it is time we all face up to the fact that God, the |
| the better very soon or her hope of recovery would | | | | Universal Authority, exists. It is time to acknowledge His |
| be slim. I was very worried, so I drove slowly around | | | | authority over us and to make doing His will our first |
| for about twenty minutes praying for a relief of this | | | | priority. This is the only way to go if we are to |
| obstruction. (Everything that could be done medically | | | | experience the full and joyous life that the Almighty |
| was being taken care of). I had not been home more | | | | intended for us. |
| than ten minutes when the phone rang, and her nurse | | | | |