Editorial March 7, 1901 Issue

A Ridiculous Falsehood

Editor

The falsehood which has appeared in some newspapers, to the effect that in the contest over the provisions of the will of Miss Helen C. Brush, recently had in New York City before Surrogate Fitzgerald, to the effect that Christian Scientists in large numbers were attempting to mentally influence the Surrogate's mind, so as to produce a favorable decision, is so utterly ridiculous that it has fallen flat. It is too absurd to address itself for a moment to the mind of any sensible person. It seems unworthy of notice, and but for the persistency with which it has been published and the seeming readiness of certain minds to accept as true almost anything that is said against Christian Science, however absurd, we should not give it even a passing notice. As it is, we simply say that on behalf of the entire body of Christian Scientists everywhere, we deny that there is a vestige of truth in the statement. Christian Scientists resort to no such methods. All the teaching of Christian Science is the reverse of this. If any member of the body should be known to make such an attempt, in the presence of a Court or out of it, he would be regarded by his co-religionists as doing a wicked and forbidden thing.

The text-book of Christian Science, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," of which Rev. Mary Baker G. Eddy is the author, prohibits all such practices. On pages 285 and 286 we read the following:—

"From ordinary medical practice, the distance to Christian Science is full many a league in the line of light; but to go from the use of inanimate drugs, in healing, to the criminal misuse of mortal mind, is to drop from the platform of common manhood into the very mire of iniquity. To work against the free course of honesty and humility, is to push vainly against the current running Heavenward.... The mental trespasser necessarily incurs the divine penalty due to this crime." This is understood by all students of the text-book as forbidding any effort to mentally influence the mind of another without that other's consent, in any way or for any purpose whatever. Any one attempting to influence the mind of any Court, in any way whatever, would be regarded by every Christian Scientist as a mental malpractitioner or hypnotist, and not a Christian Scientist; and as such he would come within the prohibition above quoted and many other similar statements contained in the text-book.

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