There is a Great Physician Still

The Alliance from its inception taught the message of Christ, our Healer. The truth of physical healing was more than a dogma, it was a factor in the growth of the movement. Dr. George Pardington in his book, Twenty Five Wonderful Years, describes the place healing had in those early years of the Alliance. ” During the past twenty five years, in answer to the prayer of faith, literally thousands of persons a have been raised from beds of sickness or healed of incurable diseases by the direct power of God. It is well within the truth to say that of the many Christians from evangelical churches who have been members of the Alliance, perhaps the majority have
come into the movement through a definite experience of physical healing…”

In 1899 the new Alliance branch in Youngstown, Ohio, reported to The Christian and Missionary Alliance “that God is in our midst and blessing us with spiritual life is evident by the everyday life, telling of a living, breathing love born of the Holy Spirit and healing our sick to the amazement of unbelievers. This has been a great aid in strengthening our membership, if not increasing our membership.”

The ministries of those raised up from the gates of death in answer to prayer continued to bless the church. William G. Weston was healed of incurable heart disease and afterwards was able to carry a heavy schedule of evangelistic campaigns for some forty years. H.P.Rankin, who was healed of Sarcoma cancer of the left cheek, pastored and held evangelistic meetings for a generation after his healing. James Harvey was another testimony to the fact that God still heals the sick in answer to prayer. He was terminally ill with cancer of the stomach when God healed him after being anointed with oil according to James 5.

“During the past twenty five years, in answer to the prayer of faith, literally thousands of persons a have been raised from beds of sickness or healed of incurable diseases by the direct power of God.”
–Dr. George Pardington

In 1942, David Fant compiled a book of some twenty-five testimonies of Alliance pastors, missionaries and evangelists then living who had experienced remarkable healing in answer to prayer.
From many mission fields around the world accounts of healing are still reported. The Eternal Christ who commissioned his Church to heal the sick continues to confirm His Word with signs following.

The above eye-witness testimonies are sufficient to establish the wholesome results of preaching the fullness of Christ as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer and Coming King. A.B. Simpson and his associates emphasized divine healing as the privilege of the believer. they kept the teaching in perspective and consequently avoided the abuses that were common to many who taught this doctrine. These men of God refused to be ensnared by an unhealthy preoccupation with the supernatural.

But in humility, they obeyed the instructions of James 5:14-16. A sane and Scriptural practice of the ministry of healing continues to this day in the churches of The Christian and Missionary Alliance. Simpson’s beautiful hymn “The Branch of Healing” puts it well,

“there is a Great Physician still,
whose hand has all its ancient skill.”

Source of Information: There is a Great Physician Still