Article June 25, 1910 Issue

Christian Science is, as its title indicates, the Science of...

John L. Rendall—Keokuk, Ia.

Gate City

Christian Science is, as its title indicates, the Science of Christianity, and it is both Christian and scientific,—Christian, because it accepts and emphasizes the teachings of Jesus Christ, and scientific because it is "an orderly arrangement of ascertained truths" regarding the Christian religion and with reference to God, to man, and to the universe. There is not one statement contained in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, but is consistent with the Bible and with right reason. The attempt upon the part of this critic to prove that Christian Science is pantheistic indicates considerable misconception of the nature and character of both pantheism and Christian Science. The statement as given in Science and Health, "God is All-in-all" (p. 113), is correlative with the statement in Isaiah xlv. 5, "I am the Lord, and there is none else;" and with verse 22, "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else."

The Christian Science teaching is that "God is Spirit." This coincides with Scripture. God's creation is therefore spiritual, perfect, complete, indestructible, and this is also according to the Scriptures. God being Spirit is infinite, for Spirit is infinite, therefore He cannot be "personal" in the anthropomorphic definition of person, but he is the one infinite personality which governs and controls the universe and man. Our critic says, "Mrs. Eddy denies that God is almighty, for she says that He cannot produce matter." This criticism is untenable, even in the light of natural science teachings. Professor Ostwald of the University of Leipsic states: "Matter is a thing of thought which we have constructed for ourselves rather imperfectly to represent what is permanent in the change of phenomena." The difficulty is all in the view-point. Christian Scientists do not deny the reality of God's creation, but they consistently affirm that all reality is spiritual, perfect, complete. This coincides with St. Paul's statement. "The things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

Our critic quotes from the Apochryphal Bible in support of his contention that God created and intended the use of medicines. This is not the accepted canon of Scripture, but following his lead I also will quote from the wisdom of Solomon: "For it was neither herb nor mollifying plaster that restored them; but thy word, O Lord, which healeth all things." The experience of King Asa as recorded in 2 Chronicles is also quite significant: "And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians. And Asa slept with his fathers."

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