Article September 23, 1905 Issue

Jesus found it difficult to make his teachings understood,...

Chas. D. Reynolds

Lancaster (N. H.) Gazette

Jesus found it difficult to make his teachings understood, and because they were misunderstood they excited the most violent opposition. Then as now, the issue lay between materialism and spirituality. Historic Christianity has not kept its eye single, but has tried to reconcile those two; it has compromised the issue and lost the power to carry out that part of the Gospel which relates to Christian healing. "Ye cannot serve God and mammon" is specific language, and Christian Science may be pardoned if it does not claim to teach the wisdom of this world. Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world." Paul declares, "The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God" and "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh." It is the glory of Christian Science that it does not teach human philosophy and theories based upon human evidences; rather does it certify with Paul that the Gospel which it preaches "is not after man" but came "by the revelation of Jesus Christ."

Christian Science has no secret or hidden meaning, except the mystery which the material thought always attaches to spiritual things. The great apostle, who was once a persecutor of Christians, when his eyes had been opened wrote, "We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery."

"The natural man [spiritually unawakened] receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Christian propriety discountenances any suggestion that Christianity is occult.

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