Editorial May 16, 1914 Issue

"Seeking his own in another's good"

Archibald McLellan

Even in the early days of Christian Science, Mrs. Eddy found there was need for means by which the many prevalent misconceptions of this Science might be destroyed, and that the most effective plan which could be adopted was of simply and correctly stating the truth about its teachings and its practice. With the end in view of gradually educating the public out of its mistaken beliefs in this regard, she established three distinct agencies through which they might be reached for this purpose.

The first of these agencies was a series of periodicals, commencing with The Christian Science Journal, which she personally published and edited. As the Christian Science movement grew in size and importance, she established other periodicals, which were intended to supplement the Journal in its mission of correctly setting forth a true concept of her teachings, thus supplanting error with truth. The next of these three agencies was the board of lectureship, which was shortly followed by the committee on publication. Of these latter agencies it is difficult to say too much in their praise. The committee on publication has had much to do, and has done it so efficiently that it has largely checked the publication of ignorant and malicious attacks upon Christian Science, and upon Mrs. Eddy as its Discoverer and Founder. The work of this committee, in the very nature of its functions, has been somewhat personal and specific in character, and has been practically confined to the preparation and publication of articles in newspapers and magazines, in response to and in refutation of statements in contravention of Christian Science which had previously appeared in these same periodicals. This work has been particularly effective, in that it has so largely reached the great body of people who are not Christian Scientists, and therefore not students of its official literature.

Greatly different from the work of this committee has been the work of the board of lectureship, because the lectures are not intended to be in reply to the specific statements of any particular person or persons, but rather to meet in general the misconceptions and misapprehensions of Christian Science which have kept so many from turning to this Science in their dire need. Through devious ways many persons have been led to believe that Christian Science is neither Christian nor scientific; that it is godless and prayerless; that it denies the divinity of Christ; that it does not heal the sick as did Christ Jesus, and that it is intimately associated with mental suggestion and other occult and harmful means of influencing those who come within its range. The members of this board have worked well and faithfully to counteract these false beliefs, and as long ago as 1899 Mrs. Eddy was prompted to say of their work, "I have only to dip my pen in my heart to say, All honor to the members of our board of lectureship connected with The Mother Church. Loyal to the divine Principle they so ably vindicate, they earn their laurels" (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 125).

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