Article May 22, 1915 Issue

An evangelist in your city has been making persisitent...

Ezra W. Palmer

Alamosa (Col.) Courier

An evangelist in your city has been making persisitent attacks on Christian Science, apparently with the intention of creating in the minds of the public a feeling averse to this church. To attack, pervert, and abuse the religious convictions of other Christians is hardly a recommendation for a religious leader who comes presumably to upbuild the kingdom of Christ Jesus on earth. In fact, a device well known among disputants is to attack another vigorously if your own case is weak. Christian Scientists have no occasion for attacking and criticizing other denominations. They can consistently point to the growth and progress of Christian Science as demonstrable evidence that if the true idea of God is presented to the people, they will rally to its support, and this without railing against the religious views of others. "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth," said Jesus, "will draw all men unto me," showing that divine Love when trusted is sufficient for all the needs of humanity.

In attempting to justify his attacks on Christian Science, this evangelist is reported to have declared that "Christian Science is not a Christian denomination." It would be interesting to know by what authority this critic thus reads Christian Scientists out of the Christian fellowship. Does he do this according to the standards of his particular creed, or by authority of the Founder of Christianity? Jesus provided a test of Christianity when he said, "By their fruits ye shall know them." Christian Scientists are willing to be judged by this test, since they have in their own lives proved that God is able here and now to heal all manner of disease and destroy all forms of sin. A classification of Christians on any other basis than that of results is wholly artificial and without Scriptural authority.

The critic did not hesitate to cast aspersions upon the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mrs. Eddy. Fair-minded people cannot agree that difference of views on religion constitute a reason for abuse or ridicule. This critic indulged this propensity of personal abuse frequently during his stay in your city. Mrs. Eddy's place in history, her blameless life, her remarkable achievements for the uplift of humanity, are too well known and too strongly supported by enduring benefits to mankind to be set aside by partizan attacks. The constructiveness of good works, not the destructiveness of evil, marked her career, a standard of life and character her critics might ponder upon and emulate with profit.

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