Article March 8, 1913 Issue

Our clerical critic tells in his sermon what he thinks of...

H. Cornell Wilson—Lyons, N. Y.

Wayne Democratic Press

Our clerical critic tells in his sermon what he thinks of Christian Science. Instead of telling what Christian Science teaches, a duty no one would really expect him to be able to fulfil, and for which task he proves by every word on the subject he has uttered that he is totally unfit, he, from some mistaken motive or other, undertakes to lay before his hearers what amounts to a complete misrepresentation of Christian Science. The gentleman, by reason of his position, is entitled to be thought sincere. This alone frees him from a charge of malicious intent.

When he says Christian Science "has no Christ," he probably does not know that the subject of Christ is referred to in the Christian Science text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, upward of two hundred and fifty times. He must have overlooked one of the tenets, or important points of Christian Science, on page 497, which reads: "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." By saying that Christian Science "denies the inspiration of the Bible," he shows his need of reading the first tenet subscribed to by members of the Christian Science church, "As adherents of Truth, we take the inspired Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternal Life" (Science and Health, p. 497).

With respect to other charges made in the same sermon, all equally far from the facts, I need only point out that each individual may satisfy himself as to what the teaching of Christian Science is by reading its text-book. This is usually available at any public library, or may always be read, along with other Christian Science literature, by applying to any Christian Scientist; and there are a number in Lyons. In assuming to elucidate what Christian Science teaches on the subject of Mind, our critic has entirely missed the spiritual thought which Christian Science conveys. It is recorded that Jesus, in talking to a none too courageous though prominent ruler, once said, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Then is put down the very material conclusion, which seemed inevitable to Nicodemus, namely, "How can a man be born when he is old?" to which Jesus replied, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." This particular Scripture reference is cited to show how prone men have ever been to jump to conclusions formed from very material premises, in the face of an obvious intent to convey a spiritual meaning. The "mind of Christ" is that Mind which was in Christ Jesus. This, Paul advises that we have, and this is the Mind which Christian Science says is God, than which there is no other. This has no relationship to the "carnal mind," which "is death," but it is the spiritual Mind which we are admonished to have, and which Jesus said "is life." Just as Jesus, and some of his followers, including Paul, used the words Life, Spirit, Soul, Mind, and Love as synonyms for God, so Mrs. Eddy has used the term Mind to indicate God, which gives man an enlarged and incorporeal sense of "Him whom to know aright is Life eternal" (Science and Health, Pref., p. vii).

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