Article July 29, 1916 Issue

There appeared in a recent issue of your paper a review...

Warren O. Evans

The Providence (R. I.) Journal

There appeared in a recent issue of your paper a review of "A History of American Literature Since 1870," in which reference was made to Mrs. Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science. In the review a quotation is made in which a parallel is drawn between Walt Whitman, the poet, and Mrs. Eddy, in that they "both were mystics."

To say that Mrs. Eddy was a mystic or entertained the doctrine of mysticism is very far from the truth. While those who may have held such views were no doubt above the average, and sincere and honest in their convictions, yet there is no association between mysticism and the teachings of Christian Science. A superficial reading of Christian Science literature might possibly give one such an impression, but to one who has given the matter any serious thought and study there is no connection whatever. The mystics were men of high ideals and of great faith, but their faith was blind and without understanding.

Christian Science is based upon the simple yet profound teachings of Jesus. It begins with the faith of a little child and goes on to understanding, so that a Christian Scientist is as sure of himself in the working out of his life—problem as is the mathematician. If God is Spirit, as Jesus said, and God is All, then all must be Spirit; and if so, where is matter? It is on this positive statement that "to infinite Spirit there is no matter,—all is Spirit, divine Principle and its idea". (Science and Health, p. 475), that Christian Science stands; and such is very far from mysticism or the doctrine of the mystics, who were very sure that man was matter.

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