Article March 11, 1916 Issue

The methods pursued by an evangelist in attacking Christian Science...

B. W. Oppenheim—Boise, Idaho

Idaho Statesman

The methods pursued by an evangelist in attacking Christian Science and its Founder, as reported in a recent issue of your paper, are typical of that form of religious zeal which defeats its own object. The weapons of religious intolerance, perversion, abuse, misrepresentation, and ridicule are too easily recognized to deceive intelligent people.

Christian Science has no quarrel with other creeds, and has not been built up by attacks upon them. Its marvelous growth is due to its achievements. It should be judged, if at all, by its works, which are of such a character as to entitle it to share in that charity exemplified in the golden rule, which permits brethren to dwell together in harmony and which is one of the characteristics of a Christian. Mrs. Eddy was exceptionally endowed with spiritual vision, and her life was one of purity and unselfish consecration. She is universally recognized by fair-minded people as one of the great women of history. Not only did she during her lifetime establish a great religious organization of world-wide scope, but her life and works have had a marvelous influence in leavening and spiritualizing the thought of the entire world. Her achievement speaks for itself. Her teachings, as well as her methods of spreading them, were and are simple, direct, righteous, rational, and as far removed as possible from charlatanism. Her followers are not ignorant, deluded, or deceived people, but intelligent men and women, whose faith is not founded upon accident or sentiment, but upon a sure knowledge of the practicability of her instructions.

The esteem in which Mrs. Eddy is held by her followers is not a blind worship or a deification of her personality, but rather a sense of gratitude such as one feels toward the bearer of good news. They recognize her as a wise, logical, and spiritually-minded interpreter of the Scriptures, who through her explanations has made the Bible a source of new inspiration and has brought God nigh unto them in their daily lives. By what warrant an ordained minister reads Christian Science out of Christian fellowship and classes it as unbiblical and unchristian, it is difficult to understand, unless he measures it by the narrow standard of a particular creed or dogma.

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