Article September 30, 1916 Issue

There are one or two things which our critic's pamphlet...

W. D. Kilpatrick

Decatur (Mich.) Republican

There are one or two things which our critic's pamphlet brings out that accord with the facts. One is that "the growth of Christian Science has astonished the world." Another statement to the effect that "its teachings appeal to a very intelligent, well-to-do class of people of considerable mental independence," may be the truth as far as it goes, but it should be noted that Christian Science is attracting to its fold all classes of people in all walks of life, and in following the admonitions of the Master found in the tenth chapter of Matthew (as well as in the sixteenth chapter of Mark, note you) to "heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils," it is counting among its followers thousands upon thousands of all classes of people in all parts of the world who have been raised from their beds of pain, have been relieved from the bondage of sin and sinful habits, and have relief from the inharmonies of want, woe, and misfortunes of every name and nature.

Christian Science is based exclusively on the teachings of the Bible, and at no point, under a reasonable and spiritual interpretation thereof, can it be said that Christian Science diverges in the least therefrom. The burden of our critic's articles is to the effect that sin, sickness, and death are realities with which it is useless for us to attempt to cope at the present time, but which he says we will at some future time in some future state be able to overcome. Christian Science finds nothing in the Bible to uphold such a contention, and believes that the words and works of Jesus were meant for our present guidance and form the only basis for a proper solution of all the problems with which humanity is confronted. Jesus healed the sick, fed multitudes (and thus gave a rebuke to the sense of poverty and want), and raised the dead through the understanding that these conditions are not God made or God ordained, and stated that all who believe on him shall do the works that he did. Regardless of whether or not Christian Science is the truth, if this critic is not healing the sick and following the example of the Master in the way of his appointing, he has little excuse for criticizing others in their honest endeavors so to do.

Christian Science teaching is based on the understanding of a perfect, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent God, and man as created in His image and likeness, and on that basis it is endeavoring to prove its faith by its works in casting out sin and healing the sick. There is but one standard by which any religion can be judged, and that is the standard of "works." Christian Science can be judged on no other basis than this, and on this basis it cheerfully invites comparison.

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