Article August 5, 1922 Issue

If the statements regarding Christian Science teaching...

John W. Harwood, Committee on Publication for Lancashire,

Eccles (England) Journal

If the statements regarding Christian Science teaching made by the critic were as he writes them, they would not only be repudiated by every other thoughtful man, but also by every Christian Scientist. To understand such sentences which speak of mortal mind, then of there being no mortal mind, because mind is immortal, would, of course, be impossible. But Mrs. Eddy, by using proper capitalization, is able to convey the true meaning, in so far as material language can express spiritual truth. For instance, when she speaks of immortal Mind, she capitalizes the word, and uses it as a synonym for God. In this infinite, divine Mind, which is omnipresent and all-inclusive, there is nothing but good. If, as Paul declares, "In him we live, and move, and have our being," then real existence must be spiritual, for God is Spirit; and this is what Christian Science teaches. Evil, disease, and death can no more exist in the divine Mind than darkness can exist in light. Now so-called mortal or material existence is included in what Mrs. Eddy has termed mortal mind, which mind Paul names carnal, and which he states in Romans is "enmity against God." This is the so-called mind in which seem to exist just such opposites as the critic mentions.

When he says, "In life as we know it," he refers to that which Christian Science terms mortal or material existence. This false state of existence does indeed include such opposites as pleasure and pain, sickness and health, good and evil, life and death. The experience of mortals makes it appear that evil is as real as, and can master, good; that disease is as real as, and can destroy, health; that death is as real as, and can destroy, life. The teaching that God has originated such a state of existence, and that he permits it to continue for some good purpose, has caused more agnosticism and atheism than anything else, for there could be no hope of salvation, if it were all in accord with the will of God. But Christian Science emphasizes the teaching of Scripture, and shows that eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil results in death.

Jesus taught that a "good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit": he said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Paul wrote, "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other." James asked if the fig tree could bear olive berries or a vine figs, and said that no fountain could yield both salt water and fresh. He condemned double-mindedness; and so does Christian Science, which teaches that the so-called mortal or material mind or life, which is made up of such opposites as our critic names, is not a true or real state of existence, but is of the same nature as dreams, where the experiences are admitted to be illusions. Then the question arises as to how we are to be saved; and Christian Science answers by saying that the only way is by Christ, or Truth, which is awakening mortals from this dream of material living and dying, and revealing man's real existence as a child of God. Mrs. Eddy writes on page 230 of her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures": "If sickness is real, it belongs to immortality; if true, it is a part of Truth. Would you attempt with drugs, or without, to destroy a quality or condition of Truth? But if sickness and sin are illusions, the awakening from this mortal dream, or illusion, will bring us into health, holiness, and immortality. This awakening is the forever coming of Christ, the advanced appearing of Truth, which casts out error and heals the sick. This is the salvation which comes through God, the divine Principle, Love, as demonstrated by Jesus."

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