Article June 27, 1908 Issue

While our critic in her book sets herself the task of discriminating...

Miss E. M. Ramsay—Edinburgh, Scotland.

The Scottish Review

While our critic in her book sets herself the task of discriminating between the truth and error of Christian Science, she admits that she does not understand what Mrs. Eddy teaches on the subject of mortal mind, though she declares that the whole position as to the theory of Christian Science healing depends upon "this theory of mortal mind." "We have tried to understand it," she declares, "but have failed." "We arrive at no intelligible conception of mortal mind." "In the end we are driven to the conclusion that the psychology of Christian Science in regard to mortal mind is unintelligible nonsense." Such an admission surely permits us reasonably to ask, May she not be in this matter a blind leader of the blind? No one at this date pretends to deny that Christian Science effects some cures, but the critics of this science, including this author and her reviewer, are not willing to admit that the healing is accomplished by the divine Mind, preferring to attribute it to the power of suggestion, a form of treatment which is being practised to-day by many.

The reviewer under discussion gives his testimony to the evil effects of suggestion on the human character and body. The remedy for this evil must surely be found in something which shall make men more and more independent of suggestions of every kind. Where, then, shall we find this strong antidote? No one has ever walked this earth so little affected by suggestion as our great Master. "Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come." "Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?" No one ever walked the earth who did such mighty works as he did. What was the secret of his power? The Gospels give again and again the answer to this momentous query. "The meek shall inherit the earth." "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do." Our Lord said of himself, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." That which he taught in its fulness had been dimly perceived all through the history of the Hebrew race. It was not only prophet and priest who turned to God for guidance and for healing, but the soldier, the statesman,—people in all walks of life had found it possible to inquire of the Lord and to receive definite guidance. God was known to Israel as the healer of disease as well as the healer of sin.

The men and women of the nineteenth century, reading these records of the distant past, found them largely at variance with their own experience. Many a one, brought up in a Christian household and accustomed as a child to pray at his mother's knee, as year after year passed without bringing any practical knowledge of the divine, or any definite answer to prayer, has decided to give up the apparently useless practice of praying to an unknown God. It remained for Mrs. Eddy to solve the riddle which had perplexed the centuries, by Bible, by explaining the spiritual or metaphysical teaching of the Bible, the true nature of God and man, the inseparability of Mind and idea, which was the key-note of our Lord's teaching and the basis of the effectual prayer which he himself employed and inculcated on his followers. "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" explains the nature of God as divine Principle, "with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning;" as Life, Truth, Love, absolute good, and so gives a rational and scientific basis from which the student can proceed to work out his salvation with the logical certainty that he will eventually attain to the ideal held up by St. Paul, when he urged his followers: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." It is for this simple and practical method, whereby we may learn how to know and do the will of the Father, that Christian Scientists are most deeply grateful to Mrs. Eddy. The only way in which to become independent of all human influences and suggestions is to learn how to depend wholly upon God. "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

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