Article January 29, 1916 Issue

Curiously enough, the failure of men to permit religion to...

Thorwald Siegfried

Granger (Wash.) Enterprise

Curiously enough, the failure of men to permit religion to be the practical dynamic thing in their lives that it is in truth, may be traced in a very large degree to the very practice which our critical friend commends and from which students of Christian Science are freeing themselves; that is, the habit of taking any one's "opinion" about religion as truth. Even Jesus does not offer us his opinions; he tells us what he knows. His words in Scripture do not speak in terms of "I believe," but of "I know" and "Ye shall know." The belief that any one is or can be saved from sin, sickness, or death by holiness which he does not take into his daily thought and action, is a bit of medieval theology which our critic would himself repudiate on careful reflection; yet that is the logical basis of his desire to have searchers after truth permit themselves to be guided by any one's "opinions," in preference to their own practical proofs of God's presence and omnipotence.

The Christian Science text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, is not a collection of opinions; neither is the Bible. In both books the basic spiritual law is unfolded to human consciousness, stated in language and illustrated by incidents comprehensible to the human mind. A knowledge of mathematics, for example, can be acquired by the study of a text-book which does for that subject what the Bible and Science and Health do for all life, namely, state the rule, illustrate its application, and enable the student to reduce it to practical usefulness by conforming his action to it.

Of the Christians Gamaliel said, "Let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to naught: but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God." Christian Scientists are entirely willing to accept this test and to be known by their fruits. These quite generally consist of added trustworthiness, cleaner living, better health, more joy and peace. They are quite certain that these are the fruit of the Spirit and come from God, the giver of every good gift. On that basis they invite every one to share them, without undue persuasion or subtle forms of coercion.

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Curiously enough, the failure of men to permit religion to...

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