Article September 1, 1917 Issue

It is well known that the growth of the Christian Science...

Judge Clifford P. Smith

Ridgewood (N. J.) Herald

It is well known that the growth of the Christian Science movement has been attended by a clamor of opposition, and particularly by a din of clergy. Also, that the utmost efforts of those who have tried to stay the progress of Christian Science have been notable for their futility. For this lack of the desired effect there are at least two evident reasons. In the first place, Christian Science has always deserved whatever it has gained in the estimation of men. The vast majority of those who have sought its benefits according to its own rules have been convinced that Christian Science is all that it purports to be; and other people in a fair proportion to their opportunities for observation have recognized Christian Science as a wholesome influence in the lives of its adherents. In the second place, the opposition to Christian Science by the most of its adversaries has been of a character that does not deserve to succeed. This observation is illustrated in a typical manner by the letter from a clergyman which was published in the the Herald.

One of his statements was as follows : "Christian Science says that marriage may be 'relinquished by mutual consent or legally dissolved.'" There were quotation marks around the last seven of these words, as though Mrs. Eddy had used them. The fact is, however, that Mrs. Eddy never said that marriage may be relinquished by mutual consent. What she did say is to be found on page 297 of "Miscellaneous Writings," and is as follows : "A man or woman, having voluntarily entered into wedlock, and accepted the claims of the marriage covenant, is held in Christian Science as morally bound to fulfil all the claims growing out of this contract, unless such claims are relinquished by mutual consent of both parties, or this contract is legally dissolved." In law and in morals there are certain claims or obligations incident to the marriage relation which may be relinquished by mutual consent. Any fair-minded reader can see that Mrs. Eddy referred to them, not to the contract of marriage, as the subject of relinquishment by mutual consent.

Another statement by the same minister of the gospel was as follows : "Christianity believes that the Bible was given to us by the inspiration of God, the Holy Spirit, and is profitable : Christian Science denies this." There is not the slightest basis or pretext for this reproach. Immediately following it there was a quotation from page 170 of Mrs. Eddy's "Miscellaneous Writings," inserted as though it supported the foregoing statement. The words quoted were these : "The material record of the Bible is no more important to our well-being than the history of Europe and America." The rest of the same sentence was not quoted, and is as follows : "But the spiritual application bears upon our eternal life. In short, Mrs. Eddy was simply speaking in favor of a spiritual rather than a material interpretation of the Scriptures. The sentence thus garbled was a part of a sermon by Mrs. Eddy in which she used the words "inspired pages" with reference to the Bible, and said that she found all that she preached within its pages.

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