Article August 23, 1913 Issue

The pastor of a local church proposed the question, by...

H. Cornell Wilson

Watertown (N. Y.) Standard

The pastor of a local church proposed the question, by way of introduction to his sermon, "Is Christian Science Christian?" His answer to the question, as reported in the Standard, leaves the reader in no doubt whatever as to his views on the subject. As the opinion expressed is a personal one, and fails to represent the mature judgment of a very considerable population in other countries as well as here, I will ask your permission to state briefly wherein Christian Science differs from this gentleman's mistaken concept of it. Before doing this, however, I would like to cite brief extracts from opinions by other ministers approving of Christian Science.

One who has spent thirty-four years in the ministry, and has been well and favorably known in a prominent denomination, writes: "I have been kindly and divinely led into the borderland of a fuller sense of Life, Truth, and Love. To me Mrs. Eddy's message is the renaissance of Christianity, a return to the simplicity of Jesus' teaching and work, and through this rebirth I have gained and understanding of God which has illumined the teaching of Scripture and interpreted the vital truth of primitive Christianity." A pastor representing the same denomination as our critic, is reported as saying in a recent public statement: "There is so much good in the teachings of Christian Science that much might well be adopted by other religions The works of Christian healing are as clearly a part of the commission of Christianity as is the preaching." These at any rate consider that Christian Science is Christian. There are also many others engaged in active religious work, as carried on by other denominations, who either through experience or careful investigation have changed their prejudiced views of Christian Science, having discovered it to be what it is, namely, the scientific Christianity proclaimed in the life and practise of Jesus the Christ.

To misunderstand the purpose of Christian Science often brings about a misinterpretation of its results. For instance, it may not be generally known that the physical healing associated with Christian Science, and fully credited by our critic, is incidental to, a result of, the spiritual regeneration that is the object of all its effort. Christian Science is not a system of mental healing, as the term is ordinarily applied; it is essentially and primarily a religion. On this point Mrs. Eddy says (Science and Health, p. 150) : "The mission of Christian Science now, as in the time of its earlier demonstration, is not primarily one of physical healing. Now, as then, signs and wonders are wrought in the metaphysical healing of physical disease; but these signs are only to demonstrate its divine origin, to attest the reality of the higher mission of the Christ-power to take away the sins of the world."

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