Article November 7, 1908 Issue

When Mrs. Eddy discovered Christian Science the first...

James Phelps

Milwaukee (Wis.) Journal

When Mrs. Eddy discovered Christian Science the first fact that forced itself upon her consciousness was that Christ had never left us. She grasped the tremendous import of the promise, "Lo, I am with you alway," and was lifted from what was supposed to be her death-bed to health. The confusion arising from a wrong sense of Jesus' words has contributed largely toward preventing theologians and their followers from appropriating the blessed promises of Scripture and exercising man's God-given dominion over the ills that beset humanity. Christian Science differentiates between Jesus, who appeared in the form of a babe in Bethlehem some nineteen hundred years ago, who grew to manhood in Nazareth, who preached in Galilee and was crucified on Calvary, and the Christ that existed before Abraham, that was one with the Father, and will remain till the end of time to comfort and heal the "poor in spirit."

I think our critic will admit that God is Spirit, Love; that He made man in His image and likeness; that all things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made, and that everything He made was very good. If he admits these premises, — and he must do so or deny the Bible, — how can he escape the conclusion that material existence is not a reality? or that sin and sickness were not made by God and pronounced by Him as "very good," and hence do not exist as realities, but only as negations — the supposititious opposite of good; even as darkness is the supposititious opposite of light? Christian Scientists recognize the fact that to the distorted consciousness of sick and sinning humanity, sickness, sin, and death are realities; hence the mission of Jesus the Christ to destroy the works of the devil ; hence, also, their efforts to carry on the good work and hasten the day when all shall know God, and the creations of God shall appear to every man, woman, and child as "very good;" and the claims of material sense (alias the carnal mind) be forever silenced. ...

There is a wide difference between Christian Science and hypnotism, for one is the exercise of one human mind, or will, over and upon another human mind and will, and may be used injuriously; while Science and Health teaches one to subjugate the human will and yield to the divine will, wherein is harmony, love, peace, health, and purity.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

When Mrs. Eddy discovered Christian Science the first...

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access