Article September 30, 1916 Issue

There recently appeared in the News two letters signed...

S. T. Downs

Fort Wayne (Ind.) News

There recently appeared in the News two letters signed "Common Fellow" which discussed Christian Science, and because they acknowledged that benefit was to be derived from its study and were favorable in their tone, they brought forth a criticism signed "Great Selfless One." This critic raises a question about Christian Scientists accepting fees for their services, and also touches upon some other matters.

We agree that Christ Jesus was the great Teacher and Wayshower, and Christian Science is based upon his teachings as found in the New Testament. In the history of the ministry we find that he sent forth his students without scrip or provision for their expenses; indeed, he specifically told them, as we read in the tenth chapter of Matthew's gospel, to depend upon the return made for their healing work, saying, "The workman is worthy of his meat." Some might argue that this referred only to their food, but the record shows plainly that their clothing, lodging, and general expenses were also to be provided in this way. The present-day disciples of the great Master find in these instructions ample precedent for accepting a reasonable fee. The great economic changes within a comparatively few years have caused personal services and all values to be reckoned on the basis of government currency, and funds are absolutely necessary to pay rent and buy clothes and food. Since one cannot engage in Christian Science practice without giving his time, it would be no more possible for him to meet expenses without the ordinary medium of exchange than it would for any other person to do so.

Christian Science defines God as "Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love" (Science and Health, p. 465). It does not try to prove anything about matter or the physical except that it must yield to the government of divine Mind. Investigation would reveal that Christian Science has been successful in quite a large percentage of the cases that have turned to it for freedom from physical suffering, and in most instances this has been after material means of treating disease had failed. These healings are the proof of a demonstrable understanding of spiritual law, which is the opposite of suggestion. This spiritual understanding of God destroys sin and sickness, while suggestion simply exchanges one error for another, and its malicious form, as Mrs. Eddy says in Science and Health (p. 103), "ultimates in moral idiocy."

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