Editorial October 3, 1908 Issue

NO MODIFICATIONS OF CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

Archibald McLellan

The wise saying of a century, that "imitation is the sincerest flattery," is often cited, and when the New York Evening Sun says editorially that "indirect testimony to the extraordinary success of Mrs. Eddy's propaganda may be found in the innumerable imitations and modifications of Christian Science which have appeared under other titles in the last few years," we think there can be but little questioning of the fairness of this judgment, except to call attention to the fact that while, strictly speaking, there have been and can be no modifications of Christian Science, we frankly admit there have been a number of imitations. Like many others who have essayed to criticize Christian Science, or to compare it with other systems which may be grouped under the general term "psychotherapy," the writer of the article referred to has failed to grasp the great and vital differences which exist between the genuine Christian healing taught by Mrs. Eddy and these other systems.

Nothing can have a clearer bearing on this point than the statement by Mrs. Eddy in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (Pref., p. xi.): "The physical healing of Christian Science results now, as in Jesus' time, from the operation of divine Principle, before which sin and disease lose their reality in human consciousness and disappear as naturally and as necessarily as darkness gives place to light and sin to reformation. Now, as then, these mighty works are not supernatural, but supremely natural. They are the sign of Immanuel, or 'God with us,'—a divine influence ever present in human consciousness and repeating itself, coming now as was promised aforetime,

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