Protecting the Children

Alfred Farlow

To the Editor of The Boston Herald:—

In reply to a letter in your issue of March 24, charging Christian Scientists with hazarding the lives of children I desire to say this is the most unkindly thrust of all. The thousands of Christian Science mothers who are bringing up their children under the influence of this faith have already had the experience of depending upon other remedies before taking up this Science, and it is reasonable to suppose that they have chosen the method which has proved them most efficacious.

The courage of these mothers which enables them to trust their children to spiritual means and to refrain from dividing the power with material remedies is builded upon actual experience. They would be foolish, indeed, to rely upon a mere theory, and for no other purpose than to be true to a fanatical religious belief. If the dependence upon such a belief had not already brought satisfactory results, what inducement would there be to hold to it?

As a reason for his remonstrance, our critic refers to the recent publications of a list of children said to have died under Christian Science treatment. It has been already proved to the people of Boston that the large majority of cases attributed to the failures of Christian Scientists were unjustly so charged.

During a period when epidemics are prevalent in our city, and in view of the fact that hundreds have passed away in one week—two hundred of these being from so-called contagious diseases—what is there of real testimony in favor of a proposition that Christian Scientists be forced to resort to the remedies under which these have fallen?

Neither the cry of danger, nor even the prospective possibility of death on the battlefield of Christian Science, could claim the right to a hearing from us, in view of the fact that millions of our neighbors are already dead, notwithstanding that they have been regular in their curative habits. If our friend desires to compel our submission to a method of therapeutics differing from ours, we ask him to present a reasonable certainty, not a recognized uncertainty, as a basis of our confidence.

It should be remembered that there are thousands of Christian Scientists in and around Boston, and yet out of about three hundred cases of death from pneumonia during the past three weeks, only two were under Christian Science. In view of the whole situation, what is there to disprove the supposition that there might have been many more added to this long list of fatalities but for the good work of the Christian Scientists?

If it were in my power to force every individual in this world to leave his chosen religion and medicine, I would not do it. I would accord to him the same liberty which I claim for myself. I appreciate the earnest effort of our honest physicians, and all they have accomplished for the human race; and I shall be glad when there is no longer need for me to name the words physician and medicine in writing on this subject of Christian Science.

We claim the right to use that which we know to be genuine, even though our neighbors have not yet discovered its merits. Our earnest desire is to be allowed to live peaceably in harmony with the pure teachings of this Science, and faithfully to serve those who voluntarily call for our help. Christian Science may seem ethereal and unsubstantial to those who are used to material remedies, and we have great charity for those who honestly think that the Christian Scientist is not doing, but simply neglecting to do, for his patient; yet even this does not affect the fact, that the power to heal is present in the operation of this Science, though hidden from the physical senses, and "Who is so great a God as our God?"—Alfred Farlow

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What Christian Science Teaches

April 12, 1900

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