Article April 4, 1908 Issue

It is easy to say that "Christian Science is false," but...

Frank W. Gale

Oakland (Cal.) Herald

It is easy to say that "Christian Science is false," but when the truth of its teachings is being demonstrated daily in healing the sick and reforming the sinner, as Christ Jesus said his disciples should do, it will require more than a mere assertion to convince thinking people that it is not the truth. The time-worn phrase, "It is not Christian and it is not science," is repeated, but this raises the question, "What is Christian and what is science?" It is safe to say that the teachings of Christ Jesus are Christian, and the foundation of his teaching is that "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." This statement is the basis of Christian Science, and all its teachings are consistent with it. One definition of science is: "Knowledge of principles and causes; ascertained truth or facts." What can be more scientific than the spiritual knowledge or understanding of God, the divine Principle or Cause of all that really exists? And this understanding is revealed in Christian Science.

The estimate that Christian Science "has about two per cent of the gospel in it, about three per cent of science, and ninety-five per cent is humbug" is interesting, but not conclusive. The fact that statistics in two States show that ninety per cent of those who applied to Christian Science for help were healed or permanently benefited, and that seventy per cent of this number had failed to receive help from materia medica, would indicate a different percentage of gospel and science than our critic's estimate. It may be said that healing proves nothing, as healing is accomplished by many agencies that are not Christian; but when the healing includes a spiritual enlightenment that reveals God's power and presence and man's true relation to Him, as Jesus taught, it is the same kind of proof that was offered by the Master when he said, "Go and shew John again those things which you do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me."

To say of Christian Science: "It is a fraud, and it will go down to the ages as such," is only repeating what the Pharisees said of Jesus, but the ages have proved to the contrary. It is difficult to see how Christian Science can be "an insult to the gospel" and "an insult to the Church of Christ," when it is preaching the one and doing the work of the other. Jesus said to his followers for all time, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." If those who profess to believe on Christ are not doing the works which were to follow such belief, what is there to prove that they really believe in the way that Jesus taught? On the other hand, if Christian Scientists are doing the works that the Master said should be done by his disciples, why should not the churches acknowledge the fact and go and do likewise? Many earnest Christians who have felt the lack of spirituality in their own churches have turned to Christian Science and there found the spiritual understanding that has brought peace and healing and has enabled them to comply with Jesus' command to "preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick."

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