Answer to Rev. Mr. Packard's Third Sermon

We are pleased to see that our brother in his tirade against Christian Science has to go outside the Bible in his attempted support of drugging and taking medicine, and it is amusing to see how he has "bottled" himself up. While it is well known that the Apocryphal writers, on account of their "doubtful and spurious views," were shut out of the "sacred canons of Scripture" (see Webster's definition of Apocryphal). Christian Science is based upon the Scriptures, whose sacred pages are filled with instances of the power of Mind over matter, and of Truth over error, all teaching the grand lesson of entire dependence upon God alone for health and all things needful, and emphatically denouncing human means and methods. Jesus, our great example, in speaking to the hypocritical Pharisees of that day, said, "Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue, and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God." Can a drug destroy fear or sin, which is the foundation of all disease? "But perfect Love casteth out fear." "By sin came death and all our woes." Christian Science deals with cause instead of effect. Remove the fear and evil thought, then the effects of sin will disappear, and this is scientific. Job found in his dire afflictions the worthlessness of drugging, and said, "But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value." "In vain shalt thou use many medicines" (Jeremiah, 46 : II). How many to-day there are all over our land who are in the same condition as the woman spoken of in Mark, 5 : 26: "And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse." And yet our brother, in his denial of Christian healing, would perpetuate these very conditions, holding the people in bondage; but hear Isaiah, 28 : 16 : "Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation : he that believeth shall not make haste. Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plumment : and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it."

We are pleased, indeed, to have our brother enlighten the public in regard to the thorough and efficient educational system established by the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science. The Massachusetts Metaphysical college, chartered by the state in 1881, and the institutes for instruction in Christian Science, established by its normal graduates in all the leading cities of our land, present a thorough and practical system of education that certainly commends itself to all investigators. It is without a precedent in history, considering its practicability and utility, and every one who is competent to judge, will declare that the value of such education cannot be estimated in dollars and cents. Methinks a well-informed orthodox minister, who is also paid by the people for his preaching and praying, would have had to pay almost as much for theological training. "One of the forms of worship in Thibet is to carry a praying machine through the streets, and stop at the doors to earn a penny by grinding out a prayer; whereas civilization pays for prayers by the clergy, in lofty edifices. Is the difference very great after all?" (Science and Health). But the sick are not healed, but consigned to the doctors. To such do not the Scriptures apply in Matthew, 23 : 23? "And have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith : these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also."

The Christian Scientists, instead of paying out their money for doctor's bills, drugs, tonics, and stimulants, use it in building churches and extending this grand and noble cause of Truth and Love, which is breaking out everywhere like springs in the desert.