Article September 30, 1916 Issue

In a recent issue appears an article under the caption,...

John L. Rendall

The Prairie City (Iowa) News

In a recent issue appears an article under the caption, "Christian Science versus Christ," in which a clergyman takes occasion to present his viewpoint of Christian Science. He makes the statement that "Christian Science is neither scientific nor Christian." Perhaps if he were as well acquainted with Christian Science as are those people who adhere to its teachings, he would find that it is preeminently Christian and absolutely scientific in its teachings and in its practice. His mere abstract statement of opinion becomes of little importance when confronted by the firm conviction of hundreds of thousands of Christian people to the contrary; people who have found that Christian Science presents demonstrably certain teachings of Truth, who have experienced the Christian healing which its teachings exemplify, who have been raised from beds of pain and whose lives have been redeemed, and who have been immeasurably benefited by these scientific teachings.

Our critic objects to the statements which he cites from "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, among them being, "All that we term sin, sickness, and death is a mortal belief" (p. 278). He must recognize the fact that without the mortal belief there could be no sin, sickness, or death; also that all that is called sin or disease is part of the sum total of sinning mortal thought and has no existence apart from it. Seemingly it finds its expression in what is called mortal body. Mrs. Eddy does not teach that sin and disease are not "real" to the human sense of things. As a matter of fact, she emphasizes the necessity for overcoming sin and disease on the basis of Jesus' teachings, namely, scientific right thinking. When Jesus said to the woman, "Go, and sin no more," and when he said to the sick of the palsy, "Thy sins be forgiven thee," he recognized clearly the indissoluble link between sin and sickness. It is to be noted, however, that he did not satisfy himself merely with making these statements, but in each instance he healed the sick and reformed the sinner.

Our critic cites from Matthew that "Jesus went about . . . healing all manner of sickness;" and I might call his attention to the statement in Mark which reads, "These signs shall follow them that believe." He also cites from Acts that Dorcas "was sick, and died," and from John that a certain nobleman's son was sick, and so on. He, however, stops at this point and entirely omits to state that in each instance those mentioned were healed through the demonstration of God's power as understood by Jesus and his disciples.

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