Article September 27, 1913 Issue

"A generous dose of Christian Science would be good for...

Herbert M. Beck—Fort Smith, Ark.

Southwest American

"A generous dose of Christian Science would be good for even the most rigid opponents of that faith," you say in an interesting editorial in the Southwest American; and you refer to the "mental healing industry" this morning in an article showing that bad temper injures the system with poisonous secretions,—as much so as if the poisons were taken into the body in any other way. It would be interesting to hear something more about the effect of the mental attitude upon the material conditions of sickness and health. It may be that popular methods of healing and sanitation are in more or less the attitude of one pouring antiseptics over a broken sewer rather than repairing the break and preventing the wrongful course of that which is offensive and poisonous. But the question is, Why "opponents" of Christian Science, "rigid" or otherwise? and the phrase "mental healing industry,"—does it imply that it is being conducted as are such industries as manufacturing, merchandizing, and the like, solely for personal gain? Then it does not refer to Christian Science. If Christian Science were doing evil in the world, the efforts to oppose it and discredit it could be understood and explained. But Christian Science does not do evil; it does good; and its ministrations are being received around the world, and perhaps by the thinking classes rather than by the sentimentalists or the impassioned.

Perhaps the position of the Christian Scientist can be better understood by the critical individual if he will first remember that Christian Science is not a more or less ingenious something invented or created by mortals, but a discovery of a something that exists and has existed since before the world was, that is, one universal cause operating over all and in all, in one universal effect. This universal cause is that which universally makes good, and therefore it is God. To deny that there is such a cause is to deny the omnipotence and omnipresence of God. The universal effect is spiritual creation; and universal harmony follows its infinite ramifications and expression, in every walk and all walks of life or forms of thought. Unenlightened people have beat upon tom-toms for music, perhaps counted stone hatchets, built homes for themselves, while a little leaven continued to leaven the whole lump, and "the morning stars sang together" for generations and ages before supersensuous laws were discovered to have always been in positive and changeless control of these simple activities, which men have later chosen to denominate as the science of music, mathematics, architecture, chemistry, and astronomy. Can it be said, in the light of all this, that a science of good should not be discovered? or that being discovered, it should not be Christian Science, since it is the mission of the Christ, the one and only Saviour, to bring all good to mankind?

The proud may rage, the mighty fall, the timorous wound himself, and the jealous accomplish his own undoing, but the Word of God, the Word of good, shall stand forever, and the stately Science of the eternal Christ "pauses not, but moves before them [that truly love God], a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night, leading to divine heights" (Science and Health, p. 566).

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