Article May 31, 1924 Issue

A supposed authority on Gnosticism states that it ...

W. Stuart Booth, Committee on Publication for the State of Colorado,—Trinidad

Chronicle-News

A supposed authority on Gnosticism states that it teaches that knowledge, rather than faith or philosophy, is the key to salvation. It will hardly be presumed that our clerical critic would call Christ Jesus a Gnostic, and yet it was he who said: "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." The Greek word here used by Jesus and translated "know," was the basis from which the word "gnostic" was derived, and his use of the word indicates that the true knowledge or understanding of God and spiritual law constitutes a mark of Christian discipleship. Such knowledge, however, is not merely of the letter, which killeth spiritual perception, but is of the Spirit, which giveth life or active expression to the spiritual facts. The above-quoted words of Jesus succinctly state the spiritual means and method of Christian Science, irrefutable verification of which is furnished in the great number of authenticated cases of healing of sickness, sorrow, sin, and distress of all kinds accomplished through it. Thus it is that the faith in God inspired by Christian Science is not of the blind, unreasoning sort, but is a faith based on demonstrable spiritual understanding. This should make it clear that Christian Science teaching is not gnostic, as that term is now generally defined.

The critic's slurring reference to Mrs. Eddy, wherein he states that he has not been able to learn whether Christian Scientists put Mrs. Eddy or the Master first, is not befitting a claimed follower of Christ Jesus. If the critic has not read Mrs. Eddy's writings, he is hardly in a position to judge; and if he has read them, he must know Mrs. Eddy's reverential thought toward Christ Jesus. In her Message to The Mother Church for 1901 she writes (p. 34): "Finally, brethren, wait patiently on God; return blessing for cursing; be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good; be steadfast, abide and abound in faith, understanding, and good works; study the Bible and the textbook of our denomination; obey strictly the laws that be, and follow your Leader only so far as she follows Christ."

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