Article May 4, 1912 Issue

That Christian Scientists are "deaf to the world's cry of...

Jno. M. Dean—Martin, Tenn.

Baptist Builder

That Christian Scientists are "deaf to the world's cry of pain and poverty" is an anomalous charge in view of the fact that the whole trend of their teaching is toward the alleviation and ultimate abolition of these very things, and its adherents are constantly going about doing good, in accordance with the command of the Master to "heal" as well as to "preach." Indeed, the principal objection to Christian Science from the orthodox point of view lies in its insistence on the power of God to heal the very things which some of its critics accuse it of ignoring. It is true that Christian Scientists administer no medicines in the ordinary sense of the word, relying solely upon the power of the "great Physician," who should not even be spoken of in the same breath with pills and potions. They build no hospitals and neither did Jesus, yet he healed the sick everywhere he went; and in this connection it should be remembered that every Christian Science church is a house of healing and every Christian Scientist is in some degree a representative of this healing. Yet let it be fully understood that they are not opposed to hospitals and other charitable institutions, and cheerfully pay taxes for the support of such of these as are under the care of the state or municipality. They fully realize that these things will and should exist just as long as there is a demand for them, and that this demand will last until humanity has learned the lesson of implicit trust in an all-wise, all-powerful, and ever-present God who is Love. To deprive mankind of that form of healing in which it believes, before it is ready to take a more advanced step, would be sheer folly, and no Christian Scientist would sanction such an attempt. In the mean time, however, let none of our friends reach the rash conclusion that Christian Scientists are indifferent to human suffering merely because they do not accept the popular notion that the administration of material potions within four walls called a "hospital" is the best way to reach humanity's need. In John, Jesus speaks of the devil as "a liar, and the father of it," thus virtually characterizing disease as a lying claim of human belief when he spoke of the sick woman "whom Satan hath bound." This recognition of the nothingness of evil, instead of rendering him callous to the woman's condition, actually brought about her healing, and this is the Christian Science method.

A philosopher has said in substance that the noblest charity is to show a man that he does not need charity; and this Christian Science has done in thousands of cases. This work is not accomplished, however, by superficially ignoring the human demand for food, clothing, and shelter, and while Christian Scientists hesitate to advertise either their individual or collective works of charity, it may be stated that this work is far beyond computation both in time and money, and certainly no honest inquirer has ever been refused the ministrations of any true practitioner of Christian Science healing because of the poverty of the patient, while it is no exaggeration to say that thousands of such cases are treated daily "without money and without price." That these practitioners accept payment for their work from such as are able to make payment, is merely in accordance with the customary recognition of the Master's truism, "The laborer is worthy of his hire." This declaration applies to every walk of life, and no reasonable person will, in this day and time, criticize ministers of the gospel, for instance, for accepting compensation for preaching, even when not accompanied by healing. Under the circumstances it should also be permissible to state that Mrs. Eddy was a liberal contributor to a vast number of calls for help, not only in a local and individual way, but in times of great public calamities.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

That Christian Scientists are "deaf to the world's cry of...

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access