Article May 31, 1913 Issue

For something approaching half a century, Christian Science...

Frederick Dixon—Ipswich, England.

The Evening Star

For something approaching half a century, Christian Science has been spreading round the globe, and it may safely be said that it has completed the circumvallation. It has done this because it teachings, as set forth in the Christian Science text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, have appealed to all nationalities and to all types of mind. The writer of a recent article intimates that, if accepted by poor people, its effects would be dangerous. As a matter of fact, there are some Christian Science churches composed very largely of poor people, and it is equally certain that the standard of health, intelligence, and morality among these people has become much higher in consequence of their acceptance of its teachings.

It seems to be forgotten that when a person passes away under Christian Science treatment it is impossible that a certificate should be given, and an inquest therefore follows. The very fact, however, that there are so few of these inquests is perhaps one of the strongest proofs of the efficiency of Christian Science treatment. It must be remembered that practically every person who dies does so because a doctor has failed to heal him, and if one may be permitted to say so, doctors not infrequently declare that they could have saved cases which had not been saved by their neighbors. There must be very few of us who have not heard such statements. The fact is that such statements are extremely dangerous to make. Every day the medical profession itself admits more and more the enormous power of thought as a factor in disease. Supposing, therefore, that medical treatment has been ignored, is it even possible to say that the stimulus which the patient has received mentally through some understanding of divine Principle has not more than counterbalanced the absence of medical treatment?

That Christian Science has spread so rapidly and so far as it has, is due to the fact of the marvelous healing of all sorts of diseases which is being effected by it. Its ranks have very largely been recruited from those who have themselves been healed, or who have seen those dear to them, or known to them, healed, frequently after they had been given up as incurable by doctors. It is no part of the business of Christian Science to attack the medical profession, and this is never done; but it is legitimate to point out that, if criticism were let loose, it would be perfectly easy to gather from the inquests on people who have died under medical treatment, facts which would very much more than counterbalance anything which could ever be stated about the failure of Christian Science.

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For something approaching half a century, Christian Science...

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