Article June 11, 1904 Issue

Premise Precedes Conclusion

ALFRED FARLOW

Boston Times

As in every logical statement, premise must precede conclusion in the teaching of Christian Science.

Recently I have been much impressed with the peculiar manner in which critics undertake to state this Science, by emphasizing its conclusions, not even mentioning its Principle; thus indicating their mis-information on the subject. For example, one lately said, "The basic teaching of Christian Science is that there is no matter," when in fact this abstract statement is a rather remote conclusion which is neither understood nor acceptable to the individual unless he first has some knowledge of the premise upon which it is based. Moreover, such a conception is offensive to all thinking people, and, when presented as a first lesson in Science, it prejudices the student, and hinders his acceptance of the truth. Even a Christian Scientist would stumble over this lesson if he were not previously prepared for it.

The statement, "there is no matter," standing alone and independent of any qualification, seems to mean that everything that we see, — the entire creation, — is non-existent, while in truth Christian Science teaches that all things, from the least to the greatest, are real, though not what they seem to the peculiar sense of those who have not yet learned to perceive them as God made them and as they really are.

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