Article June 15, 1899 Issue

Editorial in the Boston Herald

Ed.

The gathering on Sunday in this city of Christian Scientists from all over the world was a notable event as indicating the existence in an age of scepticism of an exalted belief in the possibilities of spiritual faith. No doubt, by the great majority of people, the Christian Scientists are looked upon as fanatics, but this is obviously a term of reproach which agitators and reformers of all classes, good and bad, have had to endure. We imagine one would not have to go back a long way in the religious history of Europe and the United States—that is, more than two or three generations—to find a large number of persons who had cherished beliefs in no way vitally distinguishable from those now entertained by the religionists who associate themselves under the modern name of Christian Scientists. Certainly the belief that, through faith and prayer, cures to physical ailments can be brought about, is a conviction which a large number of people have entertained from the days of Christ's presence on the earth down to the present time.

The manner in which a miracle is to be worked—that is, through whose instrumentality—is a matter of minor importance when compared with the miracle itself. And if any Christian had convinced himself that a modern miracle was impossible, it would probably be difficult for him to give a satisfactory explanation why miracles were limited to the early days of Christianity, or to specify the time at which an end was put to the ability to bring about these supernatural changes. The Roman Catholic Church holds to a continuance of this divine power, and most Protestant denominations profess a belief in divine interposition in the affairs of men and of nations. The difference between the above and the Christian Scientist doctrine appears to be that the latter is a more literal interpretation of Biblical assertions.

That the practice of this faith makes it run counter to modern methods and experiences is not at all strange; in fact, it is this which gives to the movement, in the eyes of those who are associated in it, the greater part of its attractiveness. Whenever, during the last nineteen centuries, the trend of human thought and feeling has been toward what would be termed materialism, there have inevitably sprung up, in opposition to this tendency, efforts to exalt the spiritual side of life. These movements, both in their professions and practices, have frequently been extravagant, and sometimes absolutely absurd, and yet they have probably been essentially beneficial as preventives of the decay of religious vitality. A religious movement started in this way as a protest has for a time, perhaps for one or two generations, a wonderful amount of life and vigor, which, apart from excesses and crudities, influence contemporaneous religious thought and practice. Then, by degrees, the impetus originally inspired by some leader or group of leaders dies away, the religious denomination is classified with others, and, except in technical points of creed, is hardly distinguishable from them. Having thus ceased to fulfil its spiritual functions, some other movement or agitation has to be started in its place, and it is one of these historically numerous uprisings that we are witnessing in the Christian Science effort.

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