Article January 8, 1916 Issue

In reply to the statement of a physician, permit me to...

Robert S. Ross—New York, N. Y.

Journal of Medicine

In reply to the statement of a physician, permit me to assure the critic that at no time have Christian Scientists, either individually or collectively, endeavored "to assail legitimate medical practice." Although Christian Science and materia medica are diametrical opposites in both precept and practice, it should be understood by the medical profession that no class of people have greater regard for the upright, noble-hearted physician than the Christian Scientists have. On page 444 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy writes, "Students are advised by the author to be charitable and kind, not only toward differing forms of religion and medicine, but to those who hold these differing opinions."

Christian Scientists realize that if obliged to choose between Christian Science and materia medica, many people would choose the latter. To expect help from Christian Science without a sincere desire for that help, would be useless. To attempt to force Christian Science upon the public would, of course, be madness. Therefore, so long as there is a single individual who prefers materia medica, Christian Scientists not only believe that he should be permitted to have that form of treatment, but they believe that he should have the best there is. Viewed from this standpoint, Christian Scientists are perhaps as desirous as the profession itself to see the standard of medical practice steadily raised.

What the Christian Scientists object to is the tendency on the part of a certain element in the medical profession which seeks the enactment of laws that would prevent Christian Scientists and others from enjoying the same degree of personal liberty that physicians and those preferring medical treatment would fight for if anything threatened to deprive them of that liberty. If the phrase "practice of medicine" means treatment by material methods, Christian Science is not a practice of medicine, and it would be chimerical to think of permitting a material system to interfere with or supervise a spiritual system.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

In reply to the statement of a physician, permit me to...

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access