Article May 13, 1911 Issue

Christian Scientists regard the work of Jesus and the...

Olcott Haskell

Fresno (Cal.) Republican

Christian Scientists regard the work of Jesus and the early Christians as divinely natural. It was not accomplished through breaking the divine law, but through fulfilling this law, which forever holds God's universe in harmony. The mathematician does not put a "mild and meaningless interpretation" upon erroneous statements when he rejects them from his work as unreal; and a review of Jesus' life and teachings will show that he maintained a like attitude of repudiation toward evil. He rejected it as having no real part in the man of God's creating, and through this recognition he destroyed sickness and sin, while at the same time he explained to his disciples how they might follow his example, saying, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

The very nature of Jesus' method was such that material medicine would have been useless to those carrying out his instructions; nor is there any record that his disciples ever resorted to material means for the cure of the sick. The Bible in some cases refers to oil, wine, and other remedies as symbols of healing, yet it records the case of King Asa, how "in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians .... and died." The Bible also cites other instances where the use of material remedies was of no benefit. There is not the slightest record to show that Luke, who is referred to as having previously been a physician, ever sought to employ other than spiritual means after learning the way illustrated by Jesus.

The terms "repentance," "regeneration," "atonement," "forgiveness," etc., are by no means foreign either to the teachings of Christian Science or to the experience of its followers, although the theological dogmas which men have attached to these terms are not retained. One of the tenets accepted by Christian Scientists is expressed in these words from their text-book, "We acknowledge God's forgiveness of sin in the destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding that casts out evil as unreal. But the belief in sin is punished so long as the belief lasts" (Science and Health, p. 497). Certainly any man in whose life this "destruction of sin" is being accomplished need not fear to be judged by the test which jesus gave to his disciples when he said, "Ye shall know them by their fruits."

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