Editorial September 18, 1909 Issue

"DECEIVE NOT WITH THY LIPS"

Archibald McLellan

From time to time Christian Scientists have been charged by critics of this denomination with being double-minded; that is, it is claimed that in their statements concerning themselves and their affairs, they make certain mental reservations in order that these statements shall coincide with an individual concept of what they term "absolute" Christian Science, rather than with the phenomena of sense perception with which they are dealing. In other words, they are accused of attempting to cover their sins and shortcomings by palliating a direct denial with the mental reservation that, since the image and likeness of God never sinned—never knew and could not know of the matter under discussion—therefore they cannot have sinned, notwithstanding the obvious facts in the case would seem to justify the critic's belief that they are, in polite parlance, endeavoring to "explain away a lie."

It can be safely said, in refutation of this criticism, that no true Christian Scientist will knowingly lay himself open to such a charge, for he fully understands that to make the perfection of Christ, of man in the image and likeness of God, a cloak for deception of any kind, whether it be the blackest of sins or the "white lies" of conventionality, is to commit an enormity; it is what a poet of a century ago aptly termed stealing "the livery of the court of heaven to serve the devil in."

Even if individuals calling themselves Christian Scientists should be guilty of such an offense, it would be committed in the face of the teachings of their text-book, and in the face of the words and works of the great Master, who said, "Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's." Here as elsewhere there is no mistaking the clear-cut dividing line between right and wrong.

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