Article April 20, 1912 Issue

Christian Science is no creed or religious belief; it is not...

George A. Law

New Haven (Conn.) Register

Christian Science is no creed or religious belief; it is not human opinion, but deals with revealed truth, demonstrable truth, as found in Scripture, and this fact is proven by the results attained when Christian Science is put to the practical test of healing sickness and sin. "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, the text-book of Christian Science, is not, never was intended to be, and cannot be used as a substitute for the Bible. However, it is an aid to the study of the Bible, and is used in the same manner as are the numerous Bible commentaries with which clergymen for the most part are familiar. It is the common experience of those who study the Bible with the aid of the Christian Science text-book, that its pages become illumined with a new light, and the understanding of much that heretofore seemed to be obscure is attained.

A sufficient denial of the claim that Mrs. Eddy is considered as Christ or a second Christ is found in the second tenet of the Christian Science church, which is as follows: "We acknowledge and adore one supreme and infinite God. We acknowledge His Son, one Christ; the Holy Ghost or divine Comforter; and man in God's image and likeness." Relative to this same subject, Mrs. Eddy had something to say which was originally published Feb. 1, 1895, in the New York World, from which is quoted the following: "There was, is, and never can be but one God, one Christ, one Jesus of Nazareth. ... But to think or speak of me in any manner as a Christ is sacrilegious. Such a statement would not only be false, but the absolute antipode of Christian Science, and would savor more of heathenism than of my doctrines." Also the following from a statement by Mrs. Eddy, published April 11, 1899, in the Boston Journal: "All Christian Scientists deeply recognize the oneness of Jesus—that he stands alone in word and deed, the visible discoverer, founder, demonstrator, and great teacher of Christianity, whose sandals none may unloose."

It is recorded in Scripture that Jesus commanded his disciples to go into all the world and "preach the gospel" and "heal the sick." As a professed follower of the Master, is our critic striving to fulfil both demands of such a discipleship, or is he disregarding the second one? If he is not healing the sick, why not; and, moreover, why does he find fault with those who are endeavoring to comply, at least in some measure, with both of Jesus' injunction? Another pertinent inquirty might be as to where in the life and teachings of Jesus does our critic find anything which licenses any attempt by misrepresentation to criticize those who are striving to emulate Jesus by both preaching the gospel and healing the sick? Jesus said, "By their fruits ye shall know them."

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