Article September 6, 1924 Issue

In an address reported in a recent issue, spiritual healing...

Stanley M. Sydenham, Committee on Publication for Yorkshire, England,—Keighley

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In an address reported in a recent issue, spiritual healing is compared with Christian Science, and erroneous statements are made about the latter. Christian Science is also wrongly stated to have started in 1802. Mrs. Eddy discovered Christian Science in the year 1866, and published the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," in 1875. It was also stated that Christian Science teaches that ill health is impossible. Christian Science does not teach that ill health is impossible to mortals. It reveals the fact that every physical disorder is the effect of mortal thought. Sickness is due to ignorance of the nature of God and spiritual man. Because sickness originates in the so-called human mind and not in the body, healing can come about only by spiritually-mental means; for the human mind cannot cure what the human mind causes.

Also, the speaker made a clear distinction between what he termed "spiritual healing" and Christian Science; and rightly so, as the former, according to its exponent, limits the power of God in some directions, as expressed in the statement, "Spiritual healing would not touch a decayed tooth, for instance." Christian Science does not limit the power of God in any direction, but teaches that "with God all things are possible." Whereas "spiritual healing" teaches that "the cause of ill health might be mental, physical, or spiritual," the Christian Science textbook states (p. 411): "The procuring cause and foundation of all sickness is fear, ignorance, or sin. Disease is always induced by a false sense mentally entertained, not destroyed. Disease is an image of thought externalized. The mental state is called a material state. Whatever is cherished in mortal mind as the physical condition is imaged forth on the body."

Christ Jesus did not limit the power of God at all. He did not use or recommend surgery, drugs, dieting, suggestion, or any material means, but taught absolute reliance on God. "Have faith in God," was his injunction; and it is that faith, based on spiritual understanding, which Christian Scientists are daily striving to gain, and which they are proving by their healing work that they have gained in some measure.

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