Editorial February 1, 1900 Issue

The Real and the Unreal

Editor

It is sometimes charged that Christian Science rejects the Bible doctrine of sin, sickness, and death. This charge will bear serious and candid consideration. If this charge were so formulated that it would read: "Christian Science conception or interpretation of the Bible held by many on the subject of sin, sickness, and death," it would hit the mark, and we should assent to it. The difference between the two formulas is as wide as can well be imagined. It raises the question as to the correctness of Biblical interpretation.

The gravamen of the charge that the Christian Science teaching as to sin, sickness, and death is anti-biblical, is that these three things, from the standpoint of the objectors, are real and potent, while Christian Science maintains that they are unreal and impotent. Here is the apparent difference, the solution of which rests upon the sense in which the words real and unreal, potent and impotent are used.

As a matter of ordinary reasoning it may be said that the Christian Science text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," divides sharply between the real and the unreal. The more one studies and the better one understands the distinction made by its author, Mrs. Mary Baker G. Eddy, the clearer becomes the distinction. Indeed, one cannot intelligently read the text-book until one has grasped a measurably clear idea of what the author means by the words real or unreal as applied to sin, sickness, and death.

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