Article October 30, 1915 Issue

Not very long ago the writer heard a man publicly denounce...

Robert S. Ross—Oswego, N. Y.

Palladium

Not very long ago the writer heard a man publicly denounce Christian Science because a friend of his had died while undergoing what he understood was Christian Science treatment. When asked to prove that Christian Science was the treatment employed, the critic replied that he knew his friend had died under Christian Science because the treatment did not include the use of drugs. After further questioning, the point was established that the treatment was nothing more or less than osteopathy. This case not only illustrates how ignorant some people are of Christian Science methods, but it also illustrates how Christian Science is sometimes misrepresented by those who are inclined to condemn that which they do not clearly understand. With this class anything that departs from ordinary medical practice, be it osteopathy or naturopathy, hypnotism or voodooism, is believed to be Christian Science.

Now it may be that the religious system known as Tenrikyo, or so-called divine rationalism, referred to in your editorial of Aug. 19, resembles what your editorial writer believes Christian Science to be, but it certainly does not in the least resemble Christian Science as it really is. As I understand it, Tenrikyo is a system of occultism involving mental suggestion, clairvoyance, incantations, and other superstitious practices based upon the so-called human will. Christian Science, on the other hand, is the application of the truth of being as it was taught and practised by Christ Jesus, even the understanding of the allness of God, Spirit, the only Mind or cause, and the consequent nothingness and powerlessness of matter and evil.

"Those individuals, who adopt theosophy, spiritualism, or hypnotism," Mrs. Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 99), "may possess natures above some others who eschew their false beliefs. Therefore my contest is not with the individual, but with the false system." And on page 83 we read, "Between Christian Science and all forms of superstition a great gulf is fixed, as impassable as that between Dives and Lazarus."

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