Article March 1, 1919 ISSUE

An Act of God

MELVA B. MC GLAUFLIN

During the recent epidemic of influenza a young musician was thrown out of employment through the closing of the theaters, and his salary was stopped. On being asked by a student of Christian Science if he did not have a contract with the manager, he said, "Oh, yes; but they call this an act of God." Nothing more was said on the subject, and the Scientist went away puzzled, but all day this expression kept recurring to her,—"an act of God." What did this mean? Later she spoke of the incident to a friend, asking him if he knew what the musician had meant. He informed her that there is a clause in most contracts referring to calamities which are beyond the control of man, such as earthquakes, cyclones, and the like. Epidemics such as influenza would naturally come under the same class and be called acts of God.

The amazement of the Christian Scientist at the thought of such evils being attributed to God can be imagined. We are taught in the Bible that God is "of purer eyes than to behold evil," and on page 140 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, we read, "The Christian Science God is universal, eternal, divine Love, which changeth not and causeth no evil, disease, nor death."

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