Article April 6, 1907 Issue

Our critic has never manifested much love for Christian Science,...

Charles K. Skinner

Detroit (Mich.) News

Our critic has never manifested much love for Christian Science, and his statements regarding it have always had a ring of sarcasm mingled with his misunderstanding of the subject. He, however, spoke better than he knew at the Congregational church last Sunday, when he said, "Christian Science is an example of pure atavism." The mistake made by the doctor is that he has endeavored to measure the spiritual universe and the teachings of Christian Science concerning it by his experiences along material research. The opponents of this religion usually fall into this error. As well expect to produce the strains of Beethoven from a kettle-drum as to harmonize the teachings of the spiritual with the results from matter.

According to Century and Standard dictionaries, "atavism" means recurrence or reversion to past conditions. Mrs. Eddy has never taught that Christian Science is a new religion on the contrary, she has always said that it is a return to the teachings and practice of Jesus Christ, and the proofs of this statement are its fruits. The doctor's statement that he "did not know whether or not there is a future existence," shows the lack of acquaintance with the spiritual teaching of the Bible, and this also prevents his understanding Christian Science. Whether or not we believe in any truth does not alter the facts concerning that truth, and the only safe position for the critic to take is to have proved his criticism by a previous demonstration.

If "Christian Science is an epidemic of backsliding," as the doctor says, and we can backslide into the fundamentals of true, demonstrable religion, producing the "signs" that prove its authenticity, let us have more of this kind of backsliding. The world will never reach the true sense of life and harmony until it reverts to the Christ-teaching and practice.

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