Article January 25, 1908 Issue

No one realizes another's right to his own opinion on any...

Charles K. Skinner

Battle Creek (Mich) Daily Moon

No one realizes another's right to his own opinion on any subject better than does the Christian Scientist, and if an individual chooses to exploit his misapprehension of Christian Science before an audience he will find this out for himself in time. The critic's mistake is that he is trying to understand Christian Science from the premise of matter. As its teachings begin from a standpoint diametrically opposite, he will continue to be confused until he changes his point of observation. Mrs. Eddy's statements in her text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," are not dealing with material man and universe, except to show the difference between the true and the false. The world has had its fill of belief in matter and its asserted laws all down the ages, but mankind has gained nothing from it except more and deeper experiences of sorrow, sickness, and pain.

Christian Science teaches that God did not create man for any such experiences, but that he was to have dominion over all his environments. It was not a matter man, however, that was given this birthright, but man created in the image and likeness of God. Christian Science teaches that this birthright can be realized here and now, if we but live according to the laws of God which the Master summed up in these two: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me;" and "Love thy neighbor as thyself." Christian Science does not teach that there "is no suffering, no pain, no human ailments." On the contrary, it frankly admits there is far too much of this misery in human experience, and Christian Scientists are striving to alleviate it all they can. Christian Science does teach, however, that none of these discordant conditions are creations of God, nor are they real to Him or to the spiritual man to whom the birthright of dominion was given. If trusting God, who is the only source of life and health, is a "brand of faith that interferes with preservation of life," it may well be asked, In what or whom can we trust more securely? To the Christian Scientist, God is omnipotent, and as he accepts the First Commandment, there is to him no dividing of God's power with inert drugs.

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