Article April 15, 1922 Issue

In a recent issue there was a letter headed "Christian Science...

Clifford P. Smith

Kansas City (Mo.) Sun

In a recent issue there was a letter headed "Christian Science and Race Prejudice," which expressed a number of misapprehensions.

The Mother Church of Christian Science, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, admits duly qualified colored people to membership without discrimination on account of color. In its local congregation colored people are seated without distinction. On the other hand, this church recognizes that color, like sex, is a human condition as to which there are or may be social usages. Furthermore, this church, which is of world-wide scope, recognizes that such usages may be different in different countries and in different parts of the same country. Therefore, while it does not discriminate against colored people, yet it does not attempt to change the social usages regarding color which prevail in the various localities where there are Christian Science churches. With reference to another part of the same letter, I emphatically deny that the genuine practice of Christian Science prevents furnishing separate seats for colored people and for white people in the Christian Science churches or at Christian Science lectures. Although Paul said, speaking from the spiritual viewpoint, "there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female," yet, speaking with reference to the human plane, he said, "I was free born." Likewise, Mrs. Eddy has taught the application of Christian Science to human conditions as follows: "Wisdom in human action begins with what is nearest right under the circumstances, and thence achieves the absolute" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 288).

Consistently with her precepts, Christian Scientists do not attempt to force the public to disregard local usage with regard to such a subject as color. Not long ago the President of the United States expressed a similar view of this subject in his address at Birmingham.

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