Article February 3, 1923 Issue

Your correspondent, writing in a recent issue, virtually...

Cyril R. Hewson, Committee on Publication for Derbyshire, England,

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Your correspondent, writing in a recent issue, virtually states that because in some respects Christian Science conflicts with the statements of Christian faith in the ancient creeds, it therefore forfeits the right to be termed Christian. Is not this tantamount to denying humanity's right to search the Scriptures for a clearer revelation of Truth? Throughout the centuries from the time of Abraham, humanity has continued to gain a clearer and more spiritual concept of God; and so it came about that when Jesus came, his teaching in some respects quite reversed the old Mosaic law, much to the chagrin of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The Christian creeds referred to were doubtless compiled by sincere followers of Christ, and they presumably stated therein what they then understood of his teachings. Centuries have intervened since then, wherein good men and women have continually striven to gain a clearer light on the Scriptural teachings of Christ Jesus. True, as each one has proclaimed to the world a higher vision, so-called orthodox Christianity has lifted up its voice and proclaimed as rank heterodoxy the works of some whom we now recognize as among the greatest of religious reformers. It is at least open to question if the writers of these creeds themselves, in the light of higher spiritual understanding subsequently gained, would wholly indorse what they then wrote; and it is certain that so-called orthodox Christianity itself has been by no means unanimous in its acceptance of them. May not the churches profitably ask themselves how far creeds, of themselves, have enabled them to follow the command of Jesus to "heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils;" and if a too rigid adherence to creeds, rather than to the spirit of Christ's teachings, may not, indeed, be responsible for obscuring their power to fulfill these commands? Paul said, "The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." These, indeed, are questions which many churches are seriously asking to-day; and in proportion to their sincerity they will certainly obtain the answer. It is commonly admitted that along the line of the so-called material sciences mankind has a right to investigate and discover the hitherto unknown; and as one generation follows another, theories once held as irrevocably true are discarded because of higher discoveries; and once these are demonstrated, no one thinks of questioning their value to humanity. Christian Scientists realize that whatever is absolutely true in Christianity and in Christian Science is eternal; and throughout all time it will stand the supreme test of practical demonstration.

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