Article May 26, 1917 Issue

A contributor goes at some length into a discussion of...

Peter V. Ross—San Francisco, Cal.

Pacific Medical Journal

A contributor goes at some length into a discussion of what he chooses to call "medical heresies," and in so doing gives considerable attention to Christian Science. He predicts that the time will come when this teaching "will take its place in the world as a religion." Christian Science has already taken that place; in fact it has never occupied any other. It has never occurred to those who understand Christian Science to regard it otherwise than as a religion. Even the law of the land, as announced by legislatures and courts, recognizes that Christian Science is religion and that its practice is the practice of religion, not the practice of medicine.

The fact that Christian Science is employed to heal sickness as well as to overcome sin does not deprive it of its character as religion, for did not the Founder of Christianity heal the sick as well as preach the gospel? And did he not command his followers to do the same? Christianity as taught and practised by Jesus, and as understood and observed by Christians generally during the first two or three centuries, embraced healing the sick as well as teaching and preaching. Christian Science is simply restoring the lost element of healing to its original place as an essential part of Christianity.

The physician speaks of Christian Science invading the legitimate domain of medicine. But really it is making no such invasion. In healing the sick as well as reforming the sinner, Christian Science is merely resuming the position occupied by primitive Christianity. Rather it is medicine that has invaded the legitimate domain of Christianity by substituting material for spiritual means of healing. He speaks of the propriety of the "regular physician" referring to Christian Science such cases as are "amenable to suggestion." But Christian Science has nothing in common with suggestion; the two are diametric opposites. Suggestion is another name for mesmerism or hypnotism. Its practice is the bringing of the power of one human mind to bear upon another, the domination of one person's mentality by another person, perhaps of supposedly stronger mind or greater will-power. Christian Science condemns such practice as vicious and dangerous in the extreme.

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