Article July 31, 1902 Issue

Criticisms of Christian Science

Alfred Farlow

Boston Times

Ages ago the psalmist said, "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?" This question is very applicable to these latter days. There is such a variety of religious opinions that one finds it sometimes difficult to determine which class of individuals are heathen and which are Christian, but the strangest thing which we witness is the studied and persistent effort on the part of some religionists to denounce Christian Science, though we are thankful to note that such practice is confined to a very few. We note that the broad-minded, charitable, and Christian clergymen, though they may express themselves as not believing in Christian Science, are not engaged in the practice of misrepresenting it and calling its adherents hard names.

We shall not attempt to conceal the fact that the universal acceptance of Christian Science does mean the gradual revolution of all human affairs, though we cannot see wherein a single individual can possibly be damaged thereby. To illustrate: the use of medicine may become less, the demand for the service of physicians, may decrease, and the necessity for preachers may diminish, since Christian Science is likely to improve the health and morals of mankind so that people will be too healthy to need physicians and too good to need preaching; but when this time arrives the Christian Scientists as well as the rest of mankind will be out of employment, and gratefully so, and we will all fare alike. Meanwhile the present outlook can be considered a sufficient warning to druggists, undertakers, doctors, preachers, and Christian Scientist practitioners, and they can all be prepared for the calamity (!) when there is nothing to do but to enter into the joy of the Lord. The druggists and undertakers will have abundant opportunity to close out their stocks; for centuries may pass before the practice of Christian Science becomes universal. Successive generations may need to preach the gospel before the entire world has reached perfection, and so long as we are all provided for, why not follow the Scriptural declaration "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." So much for the business side of this question.

We are led to ask, in the language of Jesus, "Why, what evil hath he done?" The effects of Christian Science upon its adherents especially, and the world in general, so far, has manifested no alarming evils. Indeed, it is quite generally conceded that Christian Scientists are made better morally and physically, and that their influence over the world at large is quite happy. St. John declared, "Love not in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." Jesus declared, "By their fruits ye shall know them."

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