Article February 24, 1923 Issue

"Christian Science," says Hastings' Encyclopedia of Religion...

Van Buren Perry, Committee on Publication for the State of South Dakota,

Kimball Star

"Christian Science," says Hastings' Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, "is a clear and definite system, based on certain fundamental propositions defining the nature of God. Every deduction from beginning to end of the system is the logical outcome of these primary statements concerning the divine nature." Christian Science is founded squarely upon the Bible, with which it is entirely consistent, and is a rediscovery of the primitive Christianity by which Jesus and his followers performed the so-called miracles of healing "all manner of disease." And this healing continued until about the end of the second century. There are thousands of living witnesses that sin and all manner of diseases (including many which are otherwise incurable) are being healed to-day by the Christ, Truth, revealed in Christian Science. In half a century the Christian Science movement has spread over all the earth. Its rapid and continuing growth has been the wonder of the medical and religious world. The authorities of many leading denominations have recently held conferences to consider the necessity of devising ways to restore to their churches primitive Christian healing, that they may again obey Jesus' commands to heal the sick. Jesus said, "By their fruits ye shall know them," and, "These signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; ... they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." These are the fruits, the "signs following," which Christian Science produces, and by which we are willing to be judged.

Christian Science is not mere faith-cure. It is not mental suggestion or mesmerism. It does not deny or ignore the manifestations of sin and disease in mortal man, but it destroys them, as Jesus did, by prayer and understanding. Those who wish to know how this is done may learn the way, and prove for themselves that God is indeed the great Physician, "a very present help in trouble," "who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases." All that is required is a sincere study of the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. Through such study, one may reap the promised fruits for himself; but for those in special need, Christian Science practitioners are available, whose loving aid may be had when requested. Preferring that each should follow Paul's advice and work out his own salvation, these practitioners do not solicit or encourage any one to call upon them. Like other ministers to the spiritual or physical needs of men, they rightly ask and receive a small and often inadequate compensation, which relieves them from other employment and permits them to devote their time and means to helping others. They sincerely endeavor to follow Jesus' repeated command to "heal the sick," and to say unto them that the kingdom of God is "come nigh" unto them. They are always loving, and willing to help. They endeavor to be about their "Father's business," making that their only business, and attending to its strictly.

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