Article May 26, 1917 Issue

It was C. G. Montefiore, a prominent adherent of Judaism...

Judge Clifford P. Smith

Lawrence (Mass.) Tribune

It was C. G. Montefiore, a prominent adherent of Judaism who could speak fairly of Christianity, that said: "No one must judge any religion by the picture drawn of it by an antagonist." The wisdom of this observation has special application to the assaults of professional antagonists who obtain temporary employment to speak for certain churches against others.

Take, for instance, the comments on Christian Science by one such assailant which the Tribune has just reported. In this report he was quoted as saying, "Christian Science is without atonement." As a matter of fact, atonement is a prominent part of its teachings. Moreover, an unbiased reader of the chapter on Atonement and Eucharist in the Christian Science text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, or of the tenets of Christian Science as found on page 497 of this book, is likely to conclude that Christian Science agrees with the four gospels in a very simple and evident manner. Furthermore, since the first publication of this book there has been a very marked change in the thought of Christendom regarding the atonement, and this change has been in the direction of adopting the view of this subject expressed by Mrs. Eddy. The following sentences are quoted from the beginning of the chapter just mentioned: "Atonement is the exemplification of man's unity with God, whereby man reflects divine Truth, Life, and Love. Jesus of Nazareth taught and demonstrated man's oneness with the Father, and for this we owe him endless homage" (p. 18).

According to the Tribune's report, the same critic also called Mrs. Eddy "a liar" because she said "man is incapable of sin" (Science and Health, p. 475). The propriety of such conduct can be safely left to the intelligence, justice, and decency of the people of Lawrence. I am sure, therefore that they will be interested in the context of the statement thus quoted. The paragraph in which this sentence occurs plainly and explicitly draws a distinction between "the real man" and "a mortal sinner." The context of this paragraph quotes from the first chapter of Genesis, declaring that the real man "has not a single quality underived from Deity," and concludes (p. 476) that "sin, sickness, and death must disappear to give place to the facts which belong to immortal man."

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