Article May 22, 1920 Issue

A canon in his sermon, as reported in the Chronicle,...

T. E. Davidson

Newcastle-on-Tyne (England) Chronicle

A canon in his sermon, as reported in the Chronicle, speaks of what he regards as the differences between the teaching of Christian Science and of the orthodox church. All Christian Scientists will appreciate the Christian spirit in which he approached the subject, and also his kindly words toward those who differed from his views.

On the subject of matter Christian Science teaches (Science and Health, p. 468): "There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter. All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in-all. Spirit is immortal truth; matter is mortal error. Spirit is the real and eternal; matter is the unreal and temporal." Not long ago Mr. Balfour, speaking at the University of Cambridge, said that modern natural scientists had not only explained matter but had explained it away. Christian Science accepts the teaching of such idealistic thinkers on natural science as Plato, Berkeley, and Kelvin, in so far as they agree that all natural phenomena are either the subjective condition of the human mind or the result of energy, but goes much further and accepts the teaching of the New Testament as given in Hebrews: "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." The canon's statement that the Christian faith taught them "that matter was the means by which God expressed His majesty, glory, and creative powers," places him in the position of having to explain the evil and suffering expressed through nature and humanity, as having been created by God. Against this view we have the definite words of Jesus, "The flesh profiteth nothing," and of Paul, "They that are in the flesh cannot please God." The idea of a good God creating something which profiteth nothing and is not pleasing to Him, is not accepted by Christian Science, and this is claimed to be more in accord with Scripture teaching than the dualistic theory as taught by the orthodox church.

The canon also refers to the difference between prayer as understood by Christian Scientists and by the orthodox church. Mrs. Eddy devotes a whole chapter in her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," to the subject of prayer. It is certainly, as the canon says, "spiritual communion," but it is much more. Christian Science does not regard prayer as a kind of medium of exchange between God and man, nor a process of pleading with Him for favors either for one's self or others. It regards prayer as a mental process by which man meets the divine requirement, a realization that God is the Giver of all good, and that man is the image and likeness of the Father. Right thinking based upon divine Principle is prayer.

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