Editorial December 22, 1906 Issue

NOT A RELIGIOUS FAD

Archibald McLellan

Some of those who criticise Christian Science do so under the impression that it is not Scriptural, and that its adherents do not study the Bible; but this is a great mistake, as there are no people who,as a class, give so much time and attention to earnest, systematic Bible study as do Christian Scientists. A sample of the criticisms to which we refer is the following extract from the remarks of one of the speakers at the Baptist State convention recently held at Saginaw, Mich. We copy from The Detroit Journal as follows:—

"Rev. J. E. Smith of Kalamazoo, in his sermon last night, said: 'The young man of to-day is eager to learn and is picking up information from every source. Because orthodox religion is not presented to him in a more attractive form, he turns to the teachings of Christian Science, etc., which are making great inroads on the Church. Their literature, skilfully written, often read in secret, catches the youthful imagination. To counteract these influences and project the young man, he should be made to read the masterpieces of literature and not read about them; study the Bible, not about it; study Christ and not about him. To be a Christian is to know Christ and not just to know about him. The saving of young men from the religious fads is the Church's great problem.'"

The first of the six tenets of Christian Science, written by Mrs. Eddy and published in her book Science and Health (p. 497), is as follows: "As adherents of Truth, we take the inspired Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternal Life," and that this is no idle statement of faith is proved by the prominence given to the Bible in the public services of the Church. At these services fully two thirds of the time is given to the reading of the Scriptures, the Lesson-Sermon alone being more than half made up of Bible references, and this Lesson-Sermon is not only read at the Sunday services, but it is studied every day during the week by the members of the Church. Moreover there are very few Christian Scientists who do not, in addition to the study of these Lessons, pursue a systematic daily study of the Scriptures.

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