Article March 15, 1919 Issue

To say, as a contributor does, that the fundamental tenet...

John Ashcroft—Kansas City, Mo.

Central Christian Advocate

To say, as a contributor does, that the fundamental tenet of Christian Science is that "physical sickness means sin, and faith will remove it, and it is wrong to have resort to human physicians," is a grave mistake. The fundamental proposition of Christian Science is the allness of God, Spirit. On page 336 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mrs. Eddy has said, "Allness is the measure of the infinite, and nothing less can express God." This fundamental, with its correlative, the nothingness of anything unlike God, is the basis of all activity in Christian Science. This is being recognized and acknowledge as the basic difference between Christian Science and other phases of religious thought.

Considering the allness of God, it is impossible for a Christian Scientist to admit that there is within or without infinity anything unlike itself; and to any and all indications to the contrary he must apply the spirit of the Master's admonition, "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." It is impossible for him to believe that God, who is infinite good, has imposed any of the sicknesses of mankind. John declared that the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil (evil), and it is quite evident in the gospels that Christ Jesus devoted himself largely to the healing of disease as well as of sin. He evidently did not accept the former or the latter as evidencing the will of God, nor did his disciples, if we are to believe the record of the gospels and the narrative of the book of the Acts. The great Nazarene specifically declared, "I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me," and in endeavoring to emulate his example Christian Scientist are daily proving the correctness of their understanding of his promise, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also," and also of their fundamental premise—the allness of God.

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