Article August 8, 1908 Issue

The writer must confess to no small degree of surprise at...

The Humboldt Standard

The writer must confess to no small degree of surprise at having read in a recent issue of the Californian of this city a brief article in which Christian Scientists are referred to as the subjects of a "delusion, or illusion, or craze;" and especially this statement of that editor's opinion: "We believe about fifty per cent of the Christian Scientists are mentally unsound." Knowing the editor to be a man of culture, we must assume that so unkind and harsh a judgment must be due to an unfortunate ignorance of the real facts. However, what is here stated is said not by the way of controversy, for ordinarily religious topics are not discussed in these columns; but we sincerely believe no such statement should ever be uttered of any religious sect, however humble, whose members are so evidently striving to worship God as they believe He would have His children worship Him. Humboldt County has some hundreds of members of this sect. They are universally known as honest, sincere, conscientious, charitable, and exemplary citizens. Their "offense," as near as we are able to judge, consists in the fact that they believe in a God so absolutely omnipotent that He is able to heal not only of sin but also of disease.

The writer is not a member of this or any other church, but we implicitly believe in giving every religious denomination absolutely fair play. Weigh all by the same standard. The article in question cites a case in which a Frederick Brown of New York is said to have died under Christian Science treatment. Now to be perfectly fair the critic should also have stated just how many died on that particular day while under allopathic treatment, how many under homeopathic treatment, or electric, or osteopathic, or the Lord knows what school. The writer is informed that these Christian Scientists, just like the other denominations, lay much stress on Scriptural passages, thus: "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give;" and "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these;" and similar passages. In other words, they claim that healing was practised in the early years of the Christian Church, and is meant for all ages; it is a part of their religious faith.

If the value of the physicians were to be measured—as our critic would fain have us believe—by the number who die under their hands—by their failures—we would contend against such an absurdity as strongly as we do in this case. ... The various contending schools of medicine are not judged so harshly. That honorable profession can call over the roll of thousands of noble self-sacrificing men. And though they do their best, yet disease constantly baffles their skill, for medical science is built on experiment necessarily. It is represented by many schools, and these often differ radically on the interpretation of even received facts; for instance, the merit of vaccination is strenuously denounced by medical men of eminent authority. And yet, no matter what "school" we adhere to, none of us would for a moment tolerate a law proscribing all the other "schools." We hold our individual freedom too dear.

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