Article March 23, 1918 Issue

Our critic who signs his letter "Past Master" may lay...

Violet Hay—Cape of Good Hope, South Africa

Port Elizabeth Advertiser

Our critic who signs his letter "Past Master" may lay down the law as to what are or are not specific doctrines of the Christian creed, but I would point out that he has no right to infer that any individual is not a Christian because he is not a believer in some particular man-made creed or doctrine. A Christian means a follower of Christ. Our Lord formulated no creed. What he did enjoin was the necessity for his followers to do the works that he did, and the Christian Scientist turns with relief from that which is "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" and rejoices in the simplicity of the teachings of Jesus Christ himself, which Christian Science so illumines that they are found to be vital and practical to-day wherewith to preach the gospel and heal the sick.

As the well-known hymn says: "Creeds and dogmas all may perish; Truth Herself can never die," and the day will surely come when the standard of the Master, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do," will be the only criterion whereby a man will be adjudged to be a Christian "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."

The critic states, among other things, that the central doctrine of the Christian creed is that God came down from heaven and suffered pain on the cross. Now we do not learn from the Bible that Jesus ever called himself God. He never did. He spoke of himself as the beloved Son and of God as the Father, and said: "My Father is greater than I." "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." He furthermore said: "I and my Father are one," and his prayer for his followers for all time was "that they all may be one."

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