Article January 24, 1920 Issue

James Moore Hickson is in our city under the auspices...

Lee White

Chicago (Ill.) Post

James Moore Hickson is in our city under the auspices of the Episcopal church, for the purpose of healing the sick through faith. It is interesting and encouraging to note that Mr. Hickson and his church are recognizing that healing the sick was an essential part of the work of the early Christian church and that it should be done to-day. He is reported to have said: "Christian Science denies the reality of sin, sickness, and suffering," and "Deny the existence of evil, and you deny the need of confession of sin and a forgiving Savior."

That statement conveys a misconception of what Christian Science teaches about the reality of sin and suffering. Christian Science does not ignore sin or sanction it. It does declare that evil is not of God, and that it is therefore unreal and can be destroyed. If evil could be of God, it would be real; it would exist throughout eternity; it would be impossible to overcome it. Christian Science teaches that evil is unreal, with the same meaning that a mistake in numbers is unreal to a mathematician. Jesus taught, "If ye continue in my word, ... ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

The third tenet of Christian Science, found on page 497 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, states: "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."

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

James Moore Hickson is in our city under the auspices...

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access