Article January 1, 1916 Issue

Unless the council of Constance was right in saying to...

Judge Clifford P. Smith

Poughkeepsie (N. Y.) Star

Unless the council of Constance was right in saying to John Huss that no faith need be kept with a heretic, the anonymous defamation of Christian Scientists, to which circulation was recently given by The Alliance Weekly, cannot be justified. One of the charges was that Christian Scientists in general, and the readers of Christian Science churches in particular, try to kill people by mental attack. A more groundless accusation was never put in print. Most fairminded observers would say that the lives lived by Christian Scientists should furnish assurances to any one that they are not engaged in attempted murder. The early Christians found that their well-doing did not always silence their critics, as Peter said it should, for they were often denounced as enemies of mankind; but enough time has elapsed since then for strife between religionists to have become less violent, and all Christendom has reason to know that Christian Scientists are at least as sincere and successful as other people in their endeavor to make their conduct conform to their profession.

Readers of the Star will be further interested to know that the articles in question contained other statements that were equally groundless. One of them was this: "Christian Scientists do not believe in compassion, and are positively forbidden to sympathize with any one." The fact is, Christian Science inculcates compassion and sympathy, and cannot be practised without these qualities of thought. It is to be observed that the chapter on Christian Science Practice in the text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, begins with a lesson on compassion (pp. 362-367). In the course of this lesson (p. 366) "sympathy for his fellow-being" on the Scientist's part is declared to be essential to "that recognition of infinite Love which alone confers the healing power." It is this same recognition that enables Christian Scientists to bear with some degree of serenity such vilifications as that which The Alliance Weekly has published. it is possible, of course, that the anonymous writer may have had an unfortunate experience with some avowed Christian Scientists, and if so, she was entiltled to sympathy. But it is probable that her recollection of that experience does not bear a close resemblance to the original circumstances, and it is certain that several points in her story have no basis in fact whatever.

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