I shall be grateful for the privilege of commenting upon...

The New York Times

I shall be grateful for the privilege of commenting upon the discussion of Christian Science by the contributor as reported in a recent issue of The New York Times. I assume that his erroneous assertions regarding Christian Science were due to a misunderstanding of its teachings and practice. Christian Science does not, as is implied, ignore evil, sin, and disease in human experience, but it does hold that sin, disease, worry, and evil are states of belief to be corrected; that is, destroyed by applying the truth about God and His perfect creation, including man. This is by no means a policy of noncombativeness toward evil, such as he suggests, but rather is it a recognition of the fact that since evil is primarily mental it is necessary to correct the thought in order to destroy evil.

Equally mistaken is the implication that one is necessarily following a line parallel to Christian Science in preaching happiness, optimism, and "don't worry." While Christian Science teaches that since man as the image and likeness of God has not fallen from his natural state of perfection, there is accordingly no occasion for the fear, worry, and doubt which darken human existence, yet it holds that happiness, optimism, and confidence are the natural results, the "signs" following an understanding of the truth about God and His perfect universe.

The statement that within the ranks of Christian Science are to be found many well-to-do and intellectual people is true; but it is manifestly unfair to insinuate that the healing work of Christian Science is confined to what he calls the "imaginary ills of the rich." Christian Science reaches all kinds and classes of people and to-day countless thousands from all walks of life bear grateful testimony to the fact that they have been healed through the teachings of Christian Science.

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