Article January 26, 1918 Issue

Christian Science does not deny that sin exists as a human...

Samuel Greenwood—Victoria, B. C., Canada

The Colonist

Christian Science does not deny that sin exists as a human experience, as even a superficial reading of its literature would disclose. The Christian Science movement, with its churches and other activities literally encircling the globe, exists for the sole purpose of helping men to overcome sin. Mrs. Eddy writes (Science and Health, p. 327): "The way to escape the misery of sin is to cease sinning. There is no other way. Sin is the image of the beast to be effaced by the sweat of agony." Also in the tenets of the Christian Science church we read: "We acknowledge God's forgiveness of sin in the destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding that casts out evil as unreal. But the belief in sin is punished so long as the belief lasts" (Science and Health, p. 497). And again on page 339, "A sinner can receive no encouragement from the fact that Science demonstrates the unreality of evil, for the sinner would make a reality of sin,—would make that real which is unreal, and thus heap up 'wrath against the day of wrath.' He is joining in a conspiracy against himself ... Only those, who repent of sin and forsake the unreal, can fully understand the unreality of evil."

These quotations, which could be continued indefinitely if space permitted, are sufficient to show on what false grounds our critic assumes to judge Christian Science. According to his philosophy, evil will exist throughout eternity, although we have been taught to believe that God is omnipresent, and that in His "presence is fulness of joy." It is self-evident that the eternal presence of evil would make universal peace eternally impossible. It was Christ Jesus who said of the devil, "There is no truth in him," and he spent his life on earth in making good his statement. Christian Scientists will surely be pardoned for preferring the views of the Founder of Christianity.

The charge that Christian Scientists repudiate the authority of Christ Jesus is rather unfortunate, because it is well known that Christian Science accepts this authority to the fullest extent, even to the literal acceptance of the unreality of evil as given in John 8:44, and of his teaching that healing the sick is an inseparable part of Christianity. When this speaker accepts the Master's authority as fully as do Christian Scientists, he will have some show of excuse for making comparisons; certainly not before.

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