Article March 26, 1910 Issue

To characterize any teaching as a substitute for the religion...

Howard C. Van Meter

Portland (Ore.) Oregonian

To characterize any teaching as a substitute for the religion of Jesus Christ is serious business. Were one able accurately to determine that any would be declared by Jesus Christ to be exactly what he would have it, in case he were on earth, one would then be able to say, after understanding thoroughly various teachings and methods of salvation differing therefrom, wherein they were wrong. I do not know of any individual on earth today who possesses the degree of knowledge calculated to enable him to do this or who with reason may so claim. All that any one can do in the way of profession is to endeavor, from a deep desire to know and manifest the truth, to gain through spiritual understanding such a knowledge of God as will afford him a basis for a satisfied existence, the purpose of which is to manifest God as the Nazarene did. Any one able to do this would be a follower of Jesus Christ and a believer in the method of salvation he taught and demonstrated.

As to what Mrs. Eddy has given to the world, and which is responsible in numberless instances for the healing of sin and disease and an increase in the hope of complete salvation, she says on page ix. of the preface of Science and Health: "Today, though rejoicing in some progress, she still finds herself a willing disciple at the heavenly gate, waiting for the Mind of Christ."

On the question of the reality or unreality of sin, the confusion of our critic is due to failure to recognize the standpoint taken by Christian Science. It may be suggested that any evidence of sin of any kind indicates a lack of obedience to God, who is good and whose design could never be anything other than good—since creation is for the purpose of manifesting Him. It may properly appear that because sin does not emanate from the Mind that is God, it is not deserving of recognition as real. From this standpoint, the attitude of the individual toward sin is to recognize its claims of bringing him any good or as being in accord with law, as false, untrue, and so unreal.

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