Article January 22, 1910 Issue

Statistics show that in some localities more than one...

Alfred Farlow

Winnipeg (Man.) Free Press News Bulletin

Statistics show that in some localities more than one hundred, out of every thousand persons born, die in childhood, and this occurs among classes who do not believe in Christian Science and who have nothing whatever to do with it. It may be natural, but it is nevertheless unfair, to demand perfection of a new remedy, while old remedies are accepted though conceded to be fallible. It is stated that the founder of homeopathy was obliged to flee for his life when he lost his first patient. Nevertheless in these days a homeopathist may lose as many patients as an allopathist and without public censure, but this state of affairs does not justify an unreasonable discrimination against the practice of Christian Science. However much or little the general public may know about Christian Science, the fact remains that Christian Science heals, that it is quite as efficacious in the treatment of children as in the treatment of adults, and that the lives of many children have been saved by Christian Science after other remedies had failed. Thus the comparative results of the practice of Christian Science justify the choice of this remedy for the sick.

The Dominion law provides that "parents, or guardians, or heads of families shall provide necessaries for any child under the age of sixteen years," and that "he shall not omit such provision without lawful excuse." The law does not undertake to state what constitutes "necessaries," but is broad, liberal, and sensible, and leaves the question open to the equitable decision of the court in respect to any particular case. Therefore, it becomes the duty of the court to use extreme care when it undertakes to decide as to "necessaries" in any given case. Since the use of medicine in the treatment of the sick has in times past been regarded among the "necessaries" of life, it is natural that when a new remedy is adopted, in lieu of drugs, it should be regarded with skepticism and doubt by those who know little or nothing about the efficacy of the new remedy; but ignorance is no excuse for prejudice, and it therefore becomes the duty of the doubter to make thorough investigation of the results of Christian Science practice. Though it may not be necessary to consider the question of comparative value, it is certainly within the bounds of reason and justice that the result of Christian Science practice in general should be considered, in order that the doubt may be removed and that it may be noted that while drugs have been dispensed with there has been adopted a reasonable substitute therefor, and that thus the "necessities" of the child have been provided for, although in a manner differing from that which is generally accepted. Such action is not only within the bounds of justice, but within the jurisdiction of the law. Even if drugs were used the question might arise in the courts as to whether the right drug is being administered, and it is well known that doctors disagree.

These are the facts needed by the members of a jury in the decision of a case, and if perchance they may not be well informed on the subject, they are utterly incapable of arriving at an unbiased decision without a knowledge of what Christian Science accomplishes. If, on the contrary, they are told by the court that "witchcraft has been practised," they cannot be expected to form an unbiased opinion, if indeed they have any respect whatever for the instruction which is to be given to them. If the members of a jury are erroneously instructed by the court that Christian Science consists of the "beating of tom-toms," it cannot arrive at a proper decision unless it disbelieves the instruction given. If the members of a jury are taught, contrary to Scriptural instruction, that prayers are not effectual in the treatment of the sick, they cannot be expected to remain unbiased, unless they utterly disregard their instruction. If perchance a Christian Scientist should fail to make clear to a jury or a judge how the sick are healed in Christian Science, he would not fall short of the failure of a medical doctor who cannot give a specific and definite explanation of the smallest change in nature.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Statistics show that in some localities more than one...

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access