Article May 25, 1907 Issue

Yesterday [March 26] at St. Nicholas church, in this...

John E. G. Sanford—Bristol, England.

The Western Press

Yesterday [March 26] at St. Nicholas church, in this city, the Rev. J. Gamble delivered an address on "The Church and Christian Science," upon which I beg leave to make some comment. First, I would like to say that it is a matter for rejoicing among Christian Scientists that thoughtful men in the Church are beginning to discover that they have some good reasons for the faith that is in them: and next, I wish to thank Mr. Gamble for the temperate tone of his address. When he stated that Christian Scientists believe that only the pure in heart can see God, he at least gave us credit for the acceptance of a fundamental Christian truth. ...

In stating that Christian Science regards all disease as the result of sin, he was saying what is strictly correct, but he failed to explain what Christian Science includes under that term. In the first chapter of Genesis we read that "God created man in his own image. ... male and female created he them;" also that "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Now Christian Science regards all disease as the result of humanity's failure to realize God's standard of perfection, and such failure as disobedience to divine law, and therefore sin. ...

Our critic was also at issue with Christian Science because, as he said, it teaches us "to concentrate on spirit, and ignore matter." Truly, this is the "hard saying," which few can hear (understand); but history is only repeating itself once more, for in the sixth chapter of St. John's Gospel we find our Master saying, "Doth this offend you? ... It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life," and we are told that from that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Christian Scientists believe that they are following his teaching, and that, in seeking to realize a spiritual condition of mind, and ignoring all discordant material conditons, they are walking, to some extent, with him and are proving by their fruits that they understand somewhat at least of the great truth he came to teach mankind. ...

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