Article March 16, 1912 Issue

The article on Christian Science, printed in your issue...

Frederick Dixon

Dresden (Germany) Anseiger

The article on Christian Science, printed in your issue of the 12th inst., is remarkable for the extraordinary ignorance of the subject shown by the writer, not less than the dogmatism with which he expresses it. That this is no haphazard statement, I am sure you will have the fairness to let me show. First, then, will you permit me to say that the statement that Christian Scientists are forbidden by the by-laws of the church to read any other metaphysical books than those of Mrs. Eddy, is as complete a piece of imagination as is the corollary that they are not allowed to read beautiful literature. I have a considerable library myself, as have many of my friends—some of them very large libraries. The by-laws do, however, safeguard Christian Scientists against the pernicious influence of literature which claims to teach Christian Science but which is incorrect in statement and ignores the moral requirements of the gospel. The information afforded, therefore, by the writer of the article, is more likely to make Christian Scientists laugh than anything else.

Then, again, the writer states that Christian Scientists regard Science and Health as more important than the Bible. This is a piece of information which will be equally news to them. "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" is, of course, the "Christian Scientist's commentary on the Bible; and as Mrs. Eddy has stated, again and again, that the whole of Christian Science is taken from the Bible, the writer's contention is a little ridiculous.

Moreover, the writer declares that Mrs. Eddy was a hysterical person, with an unheard-of hunger for power and money. Now, I knew Mrs. Eddy personally, which I rather imagine your contributor did not. A less hysterical person I never met. She was the personification of calmness and quiet dignity, and, withal, one of the wisest guides and most inspiring leaders any movement ever possessed. Her hunger for power was exhibited in retiring for the last twenty-seven years of her leadership to her little house on the outskirts of Concord, and later to a somewhat larger one in the suburbs of Boston. Here, surrounded by a small household of devoted friends, she spent her days in the untiring effort to assist mankind.

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