Article September 19, 1903 Issue

Christian Science and Cheerfulness

Frank W. Gale

San Francisco Examiner

The theory elaborated in a recent issue of the Examiner to explain how Christian Science cures disease was quite ingenious, but to attribute the cures to "cheerfulness" alone is very much like saying that one would be healed if he took a certain kind of medicine, but not showing him where he could get the medicine. When a person is sick he is not usually very cheerful; and to tell him to be cheerful and he will get well, without giving him any basis for his cheerfulness, is useless.

While Christian Scientists are a cheerful and happy people, they were not so before they knew of Christian Science. Most of them were sick and miserable; but the understanding of God, as revealed in Christian Science, healed them and made them happy. Then, very naturally. they would be cheerful and keep well, because they had gained a knowledge of the truth, which our Master said "shall make you free."

Christian Scientists recognize the effects of fear upon the body, and understand the need of preventing it; but this is done, not by forcing one to laugh and be cheerful, but by removing the cause of fear through their knowledge of God and man's true relation to Him. As Christian Science is a demonstrable science. Christian Scientists do know how its cures are performed. They have no need to resort to "artificial vibration" for the healing of acute or chronic disease, for the understanding of the spiritual law of God is sufficient.

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