Article November 26, 1910 Issue

TREATMENT IN CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

CLARENCE W. CHADWICK.

Nothing is more important in human experience than to gain a right concept of God. Millions of human beings are believing in God, without knowing in whom they believe, and Christian Science has come to correct such misconceptions, to free men from their misapprehension of divinity. That it is succeeding in its holy mission is evidenced by the fact that unnumbered thousands, representing all the nations of the earth, are testifying to the healing and redemptive influence of Christian Science treatment. What is this treatment, the results of which the worldly-wise have tried in vain to account for upon the basis of sense testimony? What is it that enables people to discard all material means, sometimes against the wishes of family and friends, and to derive benefits through Christian Science that neither prayers nor medicines had conferred upon them? What is it that oftentimes brings speedy relief from so-called incurable diseases, corrects and destroys the most degrading of human vices, and inspires men and women to live purer lives? These phenomena confront Christian people today, and well may they query, What does it all mean?

Before attempting to answer the question, What is treatment in Christian Science? it must be conceded by all honest opponents and critics of this Science, that only those who have made a careful study of Christian Science and who have made practical application of its treatment according to prescribed rules governing such treatment, are in a position to give any reliable information upon the subject. One who believes in and is familiar with counterfeits cannot be expected to define what is pure or genuine. One who has faith in matter cannot explain the modus of spiritual law; the supersensible or the metaphysical is beyond his reach. Spiritual things or ideas must be spiritually understood.

It is practically a self-evident proposition that the only scientific or proper kind of treatment must necessarily involve the exercise of right thoughts or ideas. The supposed application or exercise of any thought or idea of God or man that is not right or true is not treatment. The very first thing, then, to be considered in scientific treatment is one's concept of God. If this concept fall short of being true or accurate, all must admit that any so-called treatment into which this erroneous concept enters, would not be in harmony with the divine idea. To illustrate: if a given person's concept of God involved the supposition that God is in any way responsible for sin and disease, or that He permits them to exist for some wise purpose, this individual would be in no position to ask God to heal the ravages of either sin or disease, because he would be asking contrary to His will, or not in His name.

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