Article August 12, 1922 Issue

We wish to correct the misstatements of a critic which...

V. B. Perry, Committee on Publication for the State of South Dakota,

Artesian Commonwealth

We wish to correct the misstatements of a critic which appeared in your issue of a recent date, lest others be misled. Christian Scientists are not particularly interested in healing or convincing the skeptical and scornful, nor was Jesus, who never healed them, and rarely, if ever, healed in their presence. He put out of the house those who scorned, before he raised the ruler's daughter. In a certain province he could not do many mighty works among the people because of their unbelief. The multitudes whom he healed had come with earnest, loving, and believing hearts in search of healing and teaching; and find such healing to-day in Christian Science.

Christian Scientists do not merely tell the sick that there is nothing the matter with them, and that their ailments are imaginary, as our critic asserts. In most instances, the first step in our healing work is to remove fear, which is the false belief that God is afar off and unwilling to aid, and that some other power opposed to God is present and able to create discord. We show that this is impossible and contrary to the Scriptures. From them we teach that God is ever present, all-powerful, and unchanging. "God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.... There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." To a mind filled with the love of God and a realization of His presence, power, and mercy, and a sincere desire to be worthy of that love by obeying all God's commands in thought and deed, there is no room for belief in or fear of that which is unlike God and His heaven, and healing is inevitable.

Every truth of Christian Science is contained in the Bible, whose fundamental truths are sometimes buried in history, veiled in examples, allegories, and figures of speech, and frequently lost sight of because of ignorance and sectarian prejudices. Christian Science aids one to understand and apply God's laws in everyday life, with the signs following promised by Jesus, who commanded his followers to "heal the sick ... and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." If all men would trust God to carry out Jesus' assurance that "every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up," would love their neighbors, and sincerely endeavor to heal the sick and obey the rest of Jesus' commands, they would have neither the time nor desire to attack or misrepresent others who are sincerely endeavoring to be about their "Father's business."

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