Article April 30, 1910 Issue

In your issue of the 16th the Rev. Carlyle Summerbell...

Alfred Farlow

Fall River (Mass.) Daily Globe

In your issue of the 16th the Rev. Carlyle Summerbell makes rejoinder to my reply in the following words: "What I ventured to suggest was that Christian Science, while denying philosophically the existence of the body, gave paramount attention to the health of the body." He adds, "I judged this, not only from Christian Science literature, but from oral Christian Science testimonies, which I myself heard given in The Mother Church in Boston." The difficulty is that the clerical gentleman has overlooked the fact that gratitude of one who has been bodily healed through Christian Science is not so much a rejoicing because of a relief from pain, as it is because he has proven the power of God to overcome evil and discord. Jesus said, "Rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Christian Science points to the spiritual benefit as a means of bodily improvement. It opens the door of understanding to the recognition of man's eternal inseparability from his Maker.

It is of course not at all surprising if some who have been healed in Christian Science are more conscious of the bodily improvement than of their spiritual benefits, as in the time of Jesus. Such may be amenable to rebuke. Be this as it may, the fact still remains that the prime object of Christian Science is to "improve the spiritual condition of its beneficiaries," and we would add here that we agree with our critic that "this is the mission of all religious denominations." Furthermore, experience will convince those who seek the benefit of Christian Science that the best results, the most substantial results, accrue to those who are willing to part with their sins, which are in reality the foundation of their trouble. It is not the goodness in the individual that gets sick, but his materiality. Christian Science acts as a preventive as well as a cure to those who are willing so to purge themselves as to become immune from discord, the just penalty for wrong-doing. Paul said, "The sting of death is sin." The sting that ultimates in death is sin. The term sin in the text is used in its broad sense and applies to ignorant blunders as well as wilful wrong-doing. Christian Science does not teach that man has no body. It teaches that man is the image and likeness of God. It repudiates only the false material concept of man. Healing the body does not mean a restoration or an increase of materiality. The body is better and looks better after Christian Science treatment because, under the influence of a higher, more spiritual consciousness it has become somewhat transformed, is less material and more spiritual.

The gentleman declares, "Personally I believe that Christian Science has often proved itself of practical value, in nervous diseases, where the patient simply thinks himself sick," etc. "But," he adds, "has Christian Science ever cured a single case of organic disease?" Upon what ground does the gentleman assume that it has not cured organic disease? He gives no reason, although he offers Dr. Cabot of Boston as his witness. How does Dr. Cabot, or any one else, know that Christian Science has not cured organic diseases? B. O. Flower of Boston, Mass. (5 Park Square), recently published a book, entitled "Christian Science as a Religious Belief and a Therapeutic Agent," which contains affidavits and statements that prove beyond all question that organic diseases have been cured by Christian Science treatment, if the testimony of experienced physicians may be accepted as evidence; and it is proper to say here that, if the testimony of Dr. Cabot is worth anything on this subject, the testimony of other physicians of experience should be considered. Mr. Flower has proved by the testimony of eminent physicians that organic diseases have been cured by Christian Science.

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