Article July 18, 1908 Issue

One of the tenets of the Christian Science Church is as...

A. W. Mainland

Winnipeg (Man.) Free Press

One of the tenets of the Christian Science Church is as follows: "And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure" (Science and Health, p. 497). Christian Science teaches that mankind will enjoy perfect health in proportion as they approach this ideal. While it may seem to some like chasing a "will o' the wisp" to try to obtain health in this way, Christian Scientists are obtaining results that are very satisfactory to themselves and many others, when compared with the results secured in their previous experiences. Jesus said, "The laborer is worthy of his hire," and this truism governs the whole of human society, including the minister of the gospel. There does not seem to be any good reason why the Christian Scientists alone should be held up to criticism because they accept a small fee from those who are willing to give it.

The statement that in Christian Science the "diseases healed are mostly confined to those of a nervous and hysterical character," has no foundation in fact. All kinds of diseases, including organic and surgical cases, are being healed by it to-day. Even if Christian Scientists were healing only nervous diseases, should they not be encouraged rather than belittled for their efforts in this direction, since the suffering from nervous diseases is often quite as severe to the patient as the suffering that comes from other diseases? Had our critic quoted Mrs. Eddy correctly in the matter of surgical cases she would not have said, "All its professors stop at surgery, Mrs. Eddy declaring that further revelation on the subject is necessary." Science and Health, p. 402, says, "Christian Science is always the most skilful surgeon, but surgery is the branch of its healing which will be last acknowledged."

The practice of Christian Science is as yet in its infancy, and no one claims to be more than a beginner in it, but sufficient results have been attained thus far to encourage those who are devoted to it to persist, hoping for greater results as they gain a higher understanding of it. It is not customary to demand that beginners in any science should be perfect in their early work, and the fact that Christian Scientists have not yet become perfect in applying Christian Science is not a sufficient reason for either condemning or discarding it, since splendid results have already been obtained. The difficulty with the critics of Christian Science seems to be that they have been so busy criticising their own grotesque misconceptions of it that they have not had time as yet to find out what it really teaches or what it is accomplishing.

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