Article September 5, 1908 Issue

In an address made at the meeting of the Bridgeport...

Rev. E. J. Craft,—Bridgeport, Conn.

The Standard

In an address made at the meeting of the Bridgeport assembly of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, held in the parish hall of St. Luke's church last night [Aug. 3], the Rev. E. J. Craft, rector of Christ church, made some very startling comments regarding the power of mind over both, and of the workings of the Christian Scientists.

He also said that there was one body of Christians who acted as if they could place their hand on God at any time they wanted Him, and who actually lived in personal intercourse with Him. These people were the Christian Scientists, and they really effected the most wonderful cures. He related several instances of their powers at healing of which he had been a witness. He said that while he was not altogether in accord with some of their doctrines, he was a believer in their power, and that he wished every member of the Episcopal Church was as good a Christian man and woman as the members of this body. He further said that the teachings of the Christian Scientists were and always had been the teachings of the Bible; that he had been taught the same doctrines since his boyhood, but never until the advent of the Christian Scientists had he seen those teachings put to practical use. He had read and studied at length into the teachings of the Christian Scientists, and had come to the conclusion that as a rule they were better Christians, and were living closer to the teachings of the Saviour, and closer to the presence of their creator, than the average Episcopalian, Methodist, Baptist, or any other body of Christians.

He then mentioned several cases of bodily disease which had been cured by the power of faith, through the teachings of the Christian Scientists, and predicted that the day was coming when all the different religious bodies would take up the same line of work. He said that the Saviour cured by faith; therefore why should not man, his chosen instrument for the furtherance of the work of Christianity, do likewise; that there was a great lack of faith in every religion, except with the Christian Scientists. He had never known a follower of this religion to worry, he had never heard a member of this faith say a mean thing about another person. In fact, the whole of Mr. Craft's speech could be summed up something like this: The Christian Scientists are good, and they are good because of their great faith. They live close to God, and are in daily personal contact with Him. They are simply following out the teachings of Christ Jesus, and the day is not far hence when all religious organizations are bound to see that they are in the right and try to follow in their footsteps.

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