Article February 10, 1917 Issue

All devout Christians are agreed that the secret of happiness...

Avery Coonley—Paris, Ill.

The Beacon

All devout Christians are agreed that the secret of happiness and salvation is contained in the Bible and in the words and works of the Founder of Christianity as set forth therein and therein only. Most Christians would also concede, particularly in the face of a world war among Christian nations, that Christendom has not so far given convincing evidence of having discovered the complete lesson the Bible contains and made its application to daily life.

One might therefore expect that a new interpretation, which through its practical application over a period of nearly half a century has given increasing and very definite evidence of being a valuable key to the secret of the Book of books, by reproducing in surprising degree the works of the master Christian, would be welcomed by all mankind. Particularly should it be welcomed by those who devote their lives to an endeavor to deliver to the world a practical message from the Bible, but unfortunately the very opposite has been consistently true in human history. In fact, the value of a religious movement might almost be measured by the volume of misrepresentation it calls forth. Every religious pioneer has been the subject of the most unmerited and vicious attacks, and Mary Baker Eddy was no exception. The most conspicuous example in the world's history is furnished by the Founder of Christianity himself. The purest individual that ever lived was charged with being a glutton and a winebibber upon "evidence" satisfactory to those disposed to believe the charge.

Our critic's excuse for assailing Mrs. Eddy is that she was not a private character, but "the most conspicuous woman who has come before the world in centuries." For what was she conspicuous? For restoring to belief in God thousands upon thousands upon thousands who had cast aside religion as inoperative; for turning to the daily study of the Bible a multitude of people who had never read it or who had ceased to read it, and leading them to apply its teachings to their daily lives; for bringing hope and happiness to countless numbers of human beings and making them better, kindlier, and purer than they were before; for restoring to health and usefulness thousands of despairing invalids who had been pronounced incurable; for proving that cancer, tumor, tuberculosis, palsy, and all the dread diseases can be cured today by the same process which Jesus employed centuries ago; for showing mankind how to love their neighbor as themselves, and for proving that it is here and now possible to have that Mind "which was also in Christ Jesus."

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