Article September 17, 1904 Issue

Mrs. Eddy does not claim that she has discovered something...

David B. Ogden

Portland (Ore.) Journal

Mrs. Eddy does not claim that she has discovered something which Jesus the Christ did not know and teach, but rather that she has perceived the Principle of his teaching, which had been more or less obscured in the centuries succeeding his life work. The application of truth made by Jesus and his disciples, which healed the sick in connection with preaching the gospel, is the demand laid upon all followers, and Christian Scientists are finding the way thereto in the teaching contained in Mrs. Eddy's book.

It has become fairly well known that Christian Science does not deny the individuality of man, nor his embodiment, nor the reality of the universe. The discernment that man and the universe exist mentally, as the creation of an all-knowing divine Mind, gives satisfactory explanation as to why man is eternal and indestructible, for it lifts his existence above the supposed laws of the temporal and perishing material structure. There is a sun in the heavens, but the material senses misconstrue its movements. In like manner, according to the teaching of Christian Science, there is a man who really exists, but the same material senses mistake his existence and nature. An enlightened understanding of this basic teaching of Christian Science reconciles all the questions of mind and matter, life and death, over which there has been such widespread discussion, and does not depart from Jesus's statement. "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing."

A critic says that Christian Science teaches, "Free the mind of the belief in sin and you will be sinless. This is a task that all would like to perform, but it is utterly impossible." Is it not the mission of the Christian Church to aid man in this very work of erasing sin from his mind and life? If a man's mind could be set entirely free from believing in, loving, or fearing sin, could he be a sinner? Should there be condemnation for a teaching which encourages its adherents to make every possible effort in this direction, when the Founder of Christianity said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect"? And would Jesus have required anything utterly impossible from his followers?

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