Article April 15, 1905 Issue

A Question of Justice

Alfred Farlow

Boston Times

A State Bill of Rights is intended to accord strictly with the Constitution of the United States, which vouchsafes to the individual "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Whatever else may be included under the name liberty, the right of choosing one's own religion and medicine is generally acknowledged as an essential provision. The State, therefore, has no right to dictate the sort of religion a man shall cherish or the sort of medicine he shall take, neither has it a right to interfere with a contract between two sane persons whereby it is provided that one shall give of his religion or medicine to the other.

But a question may arise regarding the ability of a contractor to keep his agreement, and this question is the basis for what is technically called regulation. There is a plausible reason for regulating the practice of medicine, since it involves a wise discrimination in the use of drugs. The practitioner should know the difference between the effects of calomel and arsenic. Furthermore, a surgeon must be thoroughly versed in anatomy, and before being allowed to enter upon the grave responsibilities of his office it is proper that he be required to know the difference between amputating the head and amputating the toe. But prayers necessitate no such regulation as the practice of medicine and surgery, for it is quite popularly conceded that they do no harm though it may be argued by skeptics that they do no good.

If, on any asserted grounds, the State should assume the responsibility of granting individual license to pray, it should at least observe the doctrine of equal right to all her citizens. All Christians pray for the sick; some accompany their prayers with drugs because their prayers are found inadequate, while Christian Scientists find their prayers preclude any necessity for drugs. There should be no discrimination against the prayers of Christian Scientists, on the basis that they are of a quality to insure an answer or that they heal sickness as well as sin. A prayer which destroys bodily ills is no more dangerous and no more in need of regulation than a prayer which overcomes sin only. Therefore, if a law exists which provides that Christian Scientists must be examined as to their qualifications to pray for others, this same law should be applied to all other praying people, and not only our good clergymen, but all laymen, should be required to obtain a State license before entertaining a desire or prayer that God shall guide, sustain, protect, and heal their neighbors.

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