Article November 2, 1912 Issue

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST

KENNETH B. ELLIMAN.

THE name of the Christian Science church is a puzzle to many who do not understand its meaning. The present writer well remembers his first sight of the name, which happened to be one of the Christian Science churches of New York city. As he walked past the building, he pondered over it: " 'Church of Christ, Scientist'! Jesus a scientist! How could that be, when in Jesus' time there was practically no science such as we know?" his thought, naturally enough, reverting to the physics, astronomy, biology, etc., he had just been studying in college, and he finally concluded that the members of this strange church must be believers in hypnotism, who were trying to back up their belief by claiming that Jesus was some sort of a scientific hypnotist. Naturally his heart revolted from such a thought.

It so happened, however, that he was in desperate need of healing, and physical and mental suffering led him, very diffidently, to seek out a Christian Science practitioner. Of the wonderful healing and other benefits which he received as a result of his visit, it is not the object of the present article to tell, but during the more than ten years since that day he has come to see something of the meaning of this name, and to understand why the adjective "Scientist" in the title applies to the word "church," and why it was adopted to distinguish it from other Christian churches. Indeed, in the early days of the movement that part of the name was enclosed in parentheses, thus: "Church of Christ (Scientist)," appearing in this form in the Christian Science Journals published from 1885 to 1892.

In the light of the teachings of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," the distinction between the personality of Jesus and the Christ-idea becomes plain, had Mrs. Eddy's statement that "Jesus of Nazareth was the most scientific man that ever trod the globe" (Science and Health, p. 313), no longer shocks, but seems perfectly natural. For is not science exact, demonstrable knowledge? And did not Jesus have and demonstrate the most exact knowledge of divine law? Jesus claimed no mind or power apart from God, whereas hypnotism rests on the belief in a mind apart from God, located in brain and nerves and having power in itself. This belief, being contrary to the truth of being, is unscientific,—mere superstition.

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