Article November 11, 1916 Issue

The letter from a Congregational minister which was...

Judge Clifford P. Smith

Watertown (Mass.) Tribune-Enterprise

The letter from a Congregational minister which was headed by the words "The Claims of Christian Science" in quotation marks, presented his own claims, or those of persons who think as he does, rather than the claims of Christian Science. It was written, however, in much better temper than most letters of its kind. Of this I would speak thankfully. His refusal to give any credit to Mrs. Eddy for the beneficial changes in the beliefs of Christendom which have occurred since the teaching of Christian Science began, though intrinsically strange, is not unprecendented in the history of religions. The Roman Catholic church has not yet honored Martin Luther, and many Jewish rabbis have said that Hillel was a greater teacher than Jesus.

If the Emmanuel church movememnt has disappeared, as this gentleman asserts, probably it has come to an end because it depended on suggestion, not upon spiritual understanding of the truth of being. Whether this particular movement has disappeared or not, it can be said that the interest in Christian healing, that is, interest in truly spiritual power over all evil, including disease, has not come to an end, but is greater today than yesterday. Recent developments in this general direction are furnished by the following items.

Last July the Anglican Synod of New Zealand adopted the following motion: "This Synod desires to draw the attention of the clergy and laity of the diocese to the importance of the study of the subject of spiritual healing." And in New York City a Universalist minister has been delivering on Sunday afternoons weekly sermons on the application of religion to health. A few weeks ago one of the periodicals of his denomination reported that he was speaking to "eager congregations."

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