Article May 31, 1913 Issue

In the editorial in a recent issue, referring to an editorial...

George Shaw Cook

Peoria (Ill.) Star

In the editorial in a recent issue, referring to an editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association, considerable argument is devoted to the exploitations of the service and value of the medical profession to suffering humanity, especially in times of public disaster, and incidentally an effort is made to show the utter uselessness of all other healing methods. Christian Science comes in for its share of attention, and from the view-point of the writer it would appear that all physicians are unselfish humanitarians, working for the good of mankind without thought of personal gain or advancement, and that Christian Scientists are self-absorbed egotists, with visionary ideals which are of little or no practical value in time of need. Christian Scientists are always ready to accord the better class of physicians the credit that is justly due them, recognizing the honest efforts of such physicians to alleviate suffering and to better human conditions, even though these efforts are along lines differing radically from their own. It would seem that physicians should be as willing to acknowledge the good which Christian Science is doing, and it is but fair to say that many of them do recognize and freely admit this.

It is perhaps not strange that those whose thought has been trained along materialistic lines should find it difficult to understand the Christian Scientist's point of view or his method of relieving distress and ministering to the needs of mankind, but to assume that Christian Scientists are doing nothing, through lack either of ability or willingness, in times of public calamity, indicates an ignorance on the subject which seems hardly justifiable in view of the amount of information at all times available in regard to their work. In the recent instances Christian Scientists have not been idle or indifferent to the call for help. There are many Christian Scientists near the scenes of these disasters who have been assisted by friends in other parts of the country in their endeavor to help those in need. Money, food, and clothing have been supplied; comfort, encouragement, healing, have been freely given. Collections have been taken in many Christian Science churches for the benefit of the different relief funds, and many private contributions have been made by individual Christian Scientists. It may not be out of place to mention here that The Mother Church contributed twenty-five hundred dollars to the Red Cross fund for those in need in the middle West.

Christian Scientists are working in what they believe to be the best way for the amelioration of human ills, and they are grateful that they are able, through the understanding of God which has been given to the world by Mrs. Eddy in Christian Science, not only to heal disease in its many phases, including those called incurable, but to reclaim the sinner and bring comfort to the sorrowing. Christian Scientists believe these results are in the highest degree practical, and that Christian Science, in the period of nearly half a century it has been before the public, has demonstrated its right to the respect and consideration of all fair-minded people.

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