Article July 15, 1911 Issue

It should be borne in mind that in studying Christian Science...

John M. Dean

in Memphis (Tenn.) News Scimitar

It should be borne in mind that in studying Christian Science we must remember Paul's injunction to compare "spiritual things with spiritual." For instance, the quotation given by our critic from page 393 of Science and Health, "Man is never sick," refers to the real, spiritual man, made in the image and likeness of God, according to the original account of creation, and not to the erring, mortal concept of man, or the man of flesh who "cannot please God." Will the gentleman assert that the image and likeness of God can be sick? Then if not, what is? Nothing but the untrue image or counterfeit of God's man. Christian Science does not deny that the so-called material senses are constantly striving to contradict spiritual truths, for the "flesh lusteth against the Spirit," but it does contend for the truth of being as against a lie that has become an overwhelming belief by constant repetition and practice throughout all the ages since Adam. It contends that in so far as man is mortal and discordant he has departed from his original state of Godlikeness, and that as God made all that was made and pronounced it "very good," He surely made nothing that could be dominated by evil.

Our critic should also remember that while Christian Science is always absolute in its statements concerning God, man, and the universe, it makes no claim that any one has yet succeeded in practising the ultimate of its teachings. Every science presents an infinite range of facts that are known to be true and yet have not been fully demonstrated. The beginner in mathematics knows that two times two are four, and that the same rule applied to the most stupendous problem will produce a correct result, and yet he can only demonstrate the larger problems as he works up to them. We know it is possible to climb the mountain-peak, but we have to take the first step and all the intermediate steps before we can take the last. Christian Science takes each of us just where it finds us—full of faults and imperfections—and it is only through earnest endeavor that we can ascend along the plane of infinite progression which is the key-note of salvation. Christ Jesus demonstrated the truth of being in all its perfection, but we cannot expect to begin where he left off. Then, if Christian Scientists fail to achieve perfection in their lives at one bound, no one need be surprised nor unduly critical.

A lie is never destroyed simply by characterizing it as such without giving reasons for the statement. So it is with sickness and sin. They are untrue because unreal, and unreal because God never made them. That they are a part of mortal experience and thus seem very real to one who is in bondage to them, no Christian Scientist will deny, but we prefer to "let God be true, but every [mortal] man a liar." That two and two make five is certainly untrue, but he who believes it to be true is grossly in error and needs to be set right by having the truth stated to him. In this way the error is destroyed and he will never again suffer from that belief.

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It should be borne in mind that in studying Christian Science...

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