Article February 26, 1910 Issue

I have just laid down a newspaper where I read the...

W. E. Fell

Bradford (Eng.) Telegraph

I have just laid down a newspaper where I read the following words, written by a non-conforming minister, the Rev. L. G. Morony: "We have not the time to be tearing down some other man's religion. It is not a Christian act to attack the belief of another. I would not join in this movement were it against the Jews. If there is nothing in the belief of the Christian Scientist, it will come to nothing; and if it is true only in part, that part which is true will remain. I do not believe in encouraging an attack on any denomination, and will not join in this one." The broadness of this reverend gentleman's view is certainly justified by the teaching of the Master himself. On more than one occasion Jesus deprecated, I may say condemned, the tendency to attack the religious beliefs of others. "Judge not," said he, "that ye be not judged." There was only one legitimate basis for judgment, he declared; it was not creeds, dogmas, nor doctrines, but "fruits." "By their fruits ye shall know them." Whatever may have been the opinion in the past, when people were less well informed as to what Christian Science is doing for humanity, there can be no doubt that today its beneficent results on the human being are universally acknowledged. On one occasion his disciples approached our Lord and told him they had forbidden a man to cast out devils in his (Christ's) name, "because he followeth not us." Did our Lord commend this officious zeal? By no means. Jesus said: "Forbid him not; for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part." Christian Science names no other name than God and His Christ when casting out sin and sickness.

Let our religion be constructive. Let us give those who wait upon our words, our example, and our works something that will satisfy, something in the nature of that which Jesus gave to his followers, a gospel that heals both sin and sickness, a gospel that preaches a kingdom of heaven "at hand," here and now. Let there be the widest religious freedom, for only in such an atmosphere can the flowers of truth unfold in sweetness, beauty, and innocence. There should be no difficulty whatever in understanding the Science of Christianity. There will be no difficulty when people cease to try to force things spiritual to the tribunal of a so-called material law. Mrs. Eddy says, "If there is any mystery in Christian healing, it is the mystery which godliness always presents to the ungodly" (Science and Health, p. 145). Mrs. Eddy's reasoning is consistent throughout; the rationale of her teaching is unescapable.

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