Article December 27, 1924 Issue

Extracts from Reports of Christian Science Committees on Publication for the Year Ended September 30, 1924

George MacDonald

For the State of Illinois.

The secular press throughout the state is increasingly friendly. It is gratifying to announce that the comparatively few objectionable articles which appeared in newspapers during the year were, in almost every instance, published ignorantly or through oversight on the part of newspaper officials. The following excerpt from a letter bearing the signature of the managing editor of a large metropolitan daily typifies the courteous attitude of newspaper editors in general toward Christian Science: "Please know that it is not the purpose of this newspaper to attack or hold in ridicule an institution that has contributed so much to the lives of so many estimable people as has your Christian Science church." The editor of another daily paper, who formerly manifested a tendency to ridicule Christian Science in his columns, has now become kindly and courteous because a service has been rendered to him by this office. As the result of our protest, officials in the advertising department of one of our largest daily newspapers, have taken a firm stand against spurious religious advertising matter. The columns of this newspaper are now closed to propaganda issued by false claimants of Christian Science. Sectarian publications, claiming to be undenominational, have occasionally commented ignorantly about Christian Science, and editors of these publications have accepted our replies. The editors of strictly creedal organs, those published for or by religious organizations or cults, rarely mention our religion; but incorrect statements with reference to Christian Science sometimes gain these columns through contributors. Corrections of such items are seldom published; but one such correction was printed during the year in a sectarian publication, and nothing objectionable to Christian Science has since appeared in this particular journal. The medical press is perhaps the most difficult to deal with. Official magazines of medical organizations and journals of clinical societies seem to entertain the belief that Christian Science is but a healing cult; therefore a competitor. Editors of such publications apparently do not care for our protests; but it is only justice to record that one medical journal, the editor of which seemed most unfriendly and who printed a contribution which contained a very hostile attack on Christian Science, replied courteously to a letter of Christianly protest and published our correction. This editor has since excluded all objectionable references to Christian Science from his columns. At the request of this office several book publishers have revised incorrect copy, and one publisher destroyed plates containing disparaging references to Christian Science. An unauthorized work on Christian Science was removed from circulation at the Chicago Public Library, and an obnoxious textbook on hygiene, containing derogatory references to Christian Science, has been withdrawn from use in a university. It is also noteworthy that a plan purporting to accomplish the removal of objectionable books from all public libraries is now receiving the attention of Assistant Committees on Publication.

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