Article April 30, 1910 Issue

Christian Scientists have no disposition to test their...

George Shaw Cook

Utica (Ill.) Gazette

Christian Scientists have no disposition to test their faith in the power of God by intentionally swallowing poison to see whether it would have a fatal effect. They find plenty of opportunities in ordinary experiences to test the efficacy of their system of healing without seeking extraordinary means of doing so. Nor does this argue against their Christianity any more than against their sanity, for it is recorded of Christ Jesus that under certain circumstances he refused to cast himself down from the pinnacle, and quoting from the Scriptures said, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."

As to our critic's statement that the Sermon on the Mount is with Mrs. Eddy quite a subordinate matter, I beg to say that he is mistaken. Thoughtful students of Mrs. Eddy's writings know that frequent reference is made by her to the Sermon on the Mount and the Ten Commandments and that she urges upon her followers the necessity of living in harmony with the precepts laid down therein. On one occasion she said that "the Sermon on the Mount, read each Sunday without comment and obeyed throughout the week, would be enough for Christian practice" (Messages to The Mother Church, p. 47).

Our critic's statement that the Bible is secondary to Science and Health in the Christian Science church is also erroneous. The fact is that in all Christian Science church services the Bible takes precedence, and the reading from Science and Health is explanatory, confirmatory, and correlative.

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