Article July 16, 1910 Issue

Christian Science is in no way allied to faith-cure or...

C. R. Munro

Belleville (Ont.) Intelligencer

Christian Science is in no way allied to faith-cure or any other method which makes use of the power of the human mind as a healing agency. Christian Science heals through a right understanding of God, Spirit, and of man's relationship to God' the knowledge that man is made in the image and likeness of God, Spirit, and that the real man reflects the perfection of his Maker. In this healing the human or carnal mind has absolutely no part, and the belief that the human mind has power to heal by its influence on other human minds is the very opposite of Christian Science teaching and practice. Speaking of the belief in the human mind or will to heal, Mrs. Eddy says, in the Christian Science text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 446): "The exercise of will brings on a hypnotic state, detrimental to health and integrity of thought. This must therefore be watched and guarded against."

The statement that Christian Science leaves Jesus out of its creed is an extraordinary one, in view of the fact that Christian Scientists not only believe in Jesus the Christ, as do other Christians, but they go a great deal farther, for they believe that his teachings are meant for us now quite as much as for the age in which he lived; and in consequence, that his commands to do the works he did, and that he said should be done by all those who believed on—or understood—him, are as binding now as when they were uttered centuries ago. Christian Scientists, therefore, not only rely on God to save from sin, but from sickness as well. The true test of whether a person believes on Jesus is shown in the extent to which he is willing to follow him and to rely upon his teachings in all emergencies; and by this test Christian Scientists are willing to be judged.

The statement that Christian Science teaches that there is no matter does not fully express Mrs. Eddy's position on this subject. Christian Science does not teach that the universe and man do not exist, but that these are not what they seem to our material senses; that in our present imperfect state we do not see things as they actually are. Paul said: "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." It is not the creation itself, but the false material concept of creation which Christian Science declares is unreal. It teaches that the spiritual and not the material is real and substantial, that man's existence is dependent not upon the material, but upon Spirit, God, in whom "we live, and move, and have our being." Likewise, pain and sickness are declared in Christian Science to be unreal, in the sense that they are not created by God, therefore are not eternal; or, in other words, not real, as the word is understood in Christian Science. Whatever is created by God is real and eternal, and can never be destroyed. Jesus proved the unreality of sickness and sin and all forms of evil by destroying them, and Christian Science is likewise proving daily the unreality of sin and sickness by destroying them.

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