Article November 22, 1913 Issue

In a recent issue the Rev. Robert Gordon gives four reasons...

Willis D. McKinstry

The Topeka (Kan.) Daily Capital

In a recent issue the Rev. Robert Gordon gives four reasons why he is not a Christian Scientist. If Christian Science is what our critic thinks it is, he should not be censured for sounding the alarm. But these very reasons, as published in the Capital, show, even to the casual reader of Christian Science, that he has viewed its teachings "through a glass, darkly;" and not having a demonstrable knowledge of Christian Science, he is not qualified to criticize its teachings. He says, "Christian Science is a perversion of the plain Scriptures," but the plain Scriptures say, "God is a Spirit." In Genesis we read, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness;" again, "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Jesus' words are plain and clear, that "they that worship him [God] must worship him in spirit and in truth."

Christian Science teaches that the spiritual interpretation of the Scriptures is the true interpretation; it gives mankind a demonstrable knowledge of spiritual law whereby every man may "prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another." This ability to demonstrate the teachings of Christ Jesus not only proves the Scriptures true, but confirms the Christianity of Christian Science. "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Our Lord and Master surely had a definite understanding of the meaning and force of this statement; hence, as mortals continue in his word, possessing that mind which was in Christ Jesus, they must necessarily receive the same results from knowing the truth as did the Master.

Our critic says, "Christian Science is opposed to all true science." We do not quite understand what is meant by this statement, but presume it means that Christian Science is opposed to all physical science. The first religious tenet of Christian Science reads, "As adherents of Truth, we take the inspired Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternal Life" (Science and Health, p. 497). "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life," said Jesus. The life and works of the Master, from his birth to the ascension, were apart from physical science. The turning of water into wine, the feeding of the multitude, the stilling of the tempest, and the finding of the tribute money, all contradict the reality and continuity of physical law. Admitting Jesus' works to be in accord with the will of the Father, one readily sees that Mrs. Eddy had divine authority for defining Christian Science "as the law of God, the law of good, interpreting and demonstrating the divine Principle and rule of universal harmony" (Rudimental Divine Science, p. 1). Webster defines science as knowledge of principles and causes; hence, God being the cause of all real existence, "true science" is ascertained truth or facts regarding God, His attributes and His laws. He is the source of all being; all knowledge and wisdom emanate from Him; thus Christian Science declares God, divine Mind, to be the basis of "all true science."

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