Article October 28, 1916 Issue

In a recent address an evangelist made the following statement,...

Robert S. Ross

Troy (N. Y.) Times

In a recent address an evangelist made the following statement, referring to Christian Science: "It was known in the days of John the apostle as Gnosticism." Now Gnosticism was a heretical teaching of the second century. One of its doctrines was that the world was created by a god named Demiurge, who brought into existence two spirits called the æons, who in turn became the parents of a large family, chief among whom was Christ Jesus.

Christian Science teaches that God, divine Mind, is creator of the universe, and that Jesus was the offspring of Mary's "self-conscious communion with God," as Mrs. Eddy tells us on page 29 of the Christian Science text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." There is therefore as much analogy between Christian Science and Gnosticism on this and other points as there is between Christ's Christianity and Gnosticism, and that is none at all, for Christian Science and original Christianity are one both in statement and in practice.

In his final instructions to his disciples, Jesus said that certain "signs" would follow them that understand his teachings. Among these he named the healing of the sick. In other words, Jesus said that spiritual understanding would have to be proved by demonstration. Christian Science lays emphasis on healing because Jesus laid emphasis on it.

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