Article July 30, 1910 Issue

The editorial in regard to mental healing presents some...

Olcott Haskell—San Francisco, Cal.

Post and Globe

The editorial in regard to mental healing presents some of the problems which must of necessity arise under any method of treating the sick, and leads to the question as to how Christian Scientists meet such problems.

We agree with the statement that ignorant attempts to go beyond what one is able to prove are not helpful and must result in disappointing experiences which it were better to avoid. Mrs. Eddy clearly teaches this where she says in her book, Science and Health (p. 401): "Until the advancing age admits the efficacy and supremacy of Mind, it is better for Christian Scientists to leave surgery and the adjustment of broken bones and dislocations to the fingers of a surgeon, while the mental healer confines himself chiefly to mental reconstruction and to the prevention of inflammation." Elsewhere (p. 443) she advises that, "if patients ... think they can be benefited by certain ordinary physical methods of medical treatment, then the Mind-physician should give up such cases;" and that invalids should be left "free to resort to whatever other systems they fancy will afford relief."

Christian Scientists employ competent nurses. They are also taught to observe the rules of sanitation and quarantine, and to be careful not to expose their neighbors to anything these neighbors would consider harmful. They do not seek to force their treatment upon any one, even in their own families. The teachings of Christian Science are such as would prevent rash or ill-considered action, so that, if such action ever occurs, it is a result of not following the rules established—and no system is held responsible for those who disregard its precepts.

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