That Christian Science is making headway in Poplar Bluff...

John M. Tutt

Poplar Bluff (Mo.) Republican

That Christian Science is making headway in Poplar Bluff is evident. When two ministers simultaneously and from pulpits theologically at variance unite in attacking Christian Science, there can be no doubt as to the exciting cause. But one naturally wonders why preachers of the gospel, themselves holding divergent opinions as to the teaching of Christ Jesus, and unable to agree upon Bible interpretation, should seek to destroy the faith of those who have found satisfaction in another Christian denomination. It must be patent to these critics that humanity is not yet ready to become of one mind in the matter of religion. Both John Wesley and Alexander Campbell furnished expositions of Scripture and founded denominations which have greatly aided in advancing the cause of Christianity. Yet these men were traduced and their doctrine declared anti-Christ by the "orthodox" churches of their day.

Mary Baker Eddy gave to the world the spiritual interpretation of Scripture and restored to Christendom the lost element of healing taught and practised by Christ Jesus. Christian Science has healed the sick, brought salvation to the sinner, and given the world a spiritual impetus. Yet religionists have been Mrs. Eddy's strongest opponents, and at the hands of Christian ministers her system has been misunderstood and she herself aspersed. Notwithstanding this, Mrs. Eddy has written in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 111), "I love the orthodox church; and, in time, that church will love Christian Science."

Our reverend friends affirmed, and it is to be noted that the two sermons were strangely alike, that God is a person. Now as an expression of opinion, any one is entitled to hold that God is a person, but when he undertakes to bolster up such an opinion by Bible references his difficulties begin, just as they do if he attempts to apply reason to substantiate such a concept of God. Christian Science does not object to defining God as infinite, incorporeal person. It is the anthropomorphic sense to which Christian Science objects in the so-called personality of Deity. Our critics affirm that "God is a person,—a material body and spiritual body," which is pure pantheism, neither rational nor Scriptural.

Objection is made to Mrs. Eddy's employment of the word Principle as a synonym of Deity. It must be noted here that Christian Science does not teach that God is a principle, but that He is the infinite and only Principle. Employment of this capitalized word Principle is based in part on the fact that God is "the great First Cause," the source of all law, original substance, creator. Thus used the word Principle does not refer to one of a number or series. God is not a principle nor a spirit, but the infinite Principle, Spirit, Soul, Mind, omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient.

The attempt of our critic to prove that St. John did not mean what he said when he defined God as Love would, if successful, deprive one of his clearest and dearest concept of the heavenly Father. " 'God is Love.' More than this we cannot ask, higher we cannot look, farther we cannot go" (Science and Health, p. 6).

Objection is also made to Mrs. Eddy's repudiation of matter's claim to reality. Here our critics array themselves against the best of our physicists, the greatest philosophers, and even against the Bible itself. Jesus said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." Is that which shall pass away God-created reality, or is it a fleeting, sensuous mortal concept? Jesus also said, "The flesh profiteth nothing," and "nothing" is not very real. In I John we read: "All that is in the world ... is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof."

Christian Science teaches that nothing is real save God and the spiritual universe of God's creating—"All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation" (Science and Health, p. 468). Nothing is lost and everything is gained by viewing man and the universe as the spiritual idea of the infinite Mind, God. These ideas of God are the heaven and the earth of Scriptural record, and they are real, substantial, and eternal; moreover they are comprehensible. Erring human material concepts of these ideas are passing away in the experience of every genuine Christian Scientist, and he rejoices in the daily proof of St. John's assurance that they that do the will of God abide forever.

The conclusion that "man [mortal man] would be incapable of sin, as matter and evil are unreal," is not logical. Counterfeit money is not real, and yet men may use it criminally as money. The Government both apprehends the counterfeiter and destroys his false handiwork. Christian Science holds the sinner fully liable, requiring first that sin be acknowledged as such; secondly, that repentance or change of mind toward sin be experienced; and thirdly, that reformation cancel the transgression. Forgiveness of sin is the elimination of it from human consciousness. The unreality of sin and disease is the sole basis upon which error can be eliminated from human experience, for the sovereign remedy for all lies in Christ, Truth, and "there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Christian Science relates divine Truth to human interests, thus healing the sick and reforming the sinner.

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