Article April 15, 1905 Issue

What is a Religion?

Willard S. Mattox

Waterbury (Conn.) American

Christian Scientsts will read with much appreciation, your account of the meeting of Baptist ministers, at which Christian Science was discussed "from the standpoint of orthodox Christianity." It is gratifying to learn of the acknowledgment, on the part of these ministers, that Christian Science really does cure. It is pleasant also to note that the spirit manifested in the discussion was in the main kindly and courteous. It is agreeble evidence that Jesus' attitude, "I judge no man," is being taken as a model by his professed followers.

In denying that Christian Science is a religion, after admitting that it heals, our good friends of the clergy are occupying an untenable position which sooner or later they will have to vacate. They accept as proved, an effect, but deny its cause, for the healing done by Christian Science is but an effect of a cause, and that cause is its theology. It will be remembered the Jesus' cures were admitted by the exponents of the established religion of his day, because these cures were undoubted, but they denied that there was any religion in it. He said, "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not."

What is religion? I suppose it will be generally accepted by all Christians that living as nearly as possible the Christlife is true religion. Then it becomes proper to ask, Of what does the Christ-life consist? Jesus said he came to do the will of Him that sent him, and in accordance with this will he both saved sinners and healed the sick. It cannot be contested that any system which does all it can to do the will of God, as Jesus explained it, is a religion in every sense, for it stimulates its followers to grow up to the Christ-life. If it was the will of God (and Jesus said it was) to reclaim sinners and heal the sick nineteen hundred years ago, it must be the will of God to do those same things to-day.

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