Article September 24, 1910 Issue

Inasmuch as there is hardly an individual in any community...

George A. Law

New Haven (Conn.) Leader

Inasmuch as there is hardly an individual in any community who has not at least one friend that has experienced the benefits of Christian Science and become a "believer," it is indeed a surprise that a clergyman, whose duty it is to bring to suffering humanity the salvation taught and practised by our Master, should make the statements of our critic. That Christian Scientists are "fools" is too extravagant a claim to be taken seriously, for it is too well known that not only are Christian Scientists to be found in all walks of life, but it is also known that many Christian Scientists are among the most respected and successful of those engaged with large affairs in all professions and all lines of business. The utterances of our critic may be easily recognized as due to the common error of failing to separate the conduct of individuals from the teachings of Christian Science, so that he does not apprehend what Christian Science really is. In other words, Christian Science is being judged by the experiences and conduct of its individual representation rather than from its teaching.

Christianity is based upon the life and teachings of Jesus. Would it then be fair and just to judge Christianity by another's endeavor to live in accord with these teachings, attendant as it is with failures and human misconceptions? It is the experience of Christian Scientists that when one begins to understand its teaching he is sure to find that it is not only very different from what he at first supposed it to be, but often the direct opposite. Is it not, then, at once seen to be unfair to find fault with Christian Science because some one has failed to apprehend its true teachings and therefore engages in practices inconsistent with such teachings? Christian Science is founded on the Scripture and the life and explicit teachings of our Master. By his life and works he proved his teachings to be practical. His command to preach the gospel and heal the sick is taken as applying to all time, and the success which has attended the endeavor to live in accord with this command has repeatedly proven that this is practical at this day and age.

Christian Science is based upon the Scriptural authority that "God is a Spirit," and that "God created man in his own image." A study of the text-book of Christian Science from this standpoint, the standpoint of the writer, eliminates prejudice and bias from the thought, and not only reveals the fact that Christian Science has nothing in common with Hinduism, but also that its teachings are intelligible and consistent with its premises. It will also be found that it is scientific, being grounded in demonstrable truth.

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