In spite of the fact that adherents of Christian Science,...

Observer Dispatch

In spite of the fact that adherents of Christian Science, accepting the precepts and practices of Christ Jesus as their guide, are to-day accepting his divine theology, healing the sick and reforming the sinner by purely spiritual means, there seem to be members of the Christian faith who delight in denouncing this system of Christian metaphysics in language not always becoming to a professed follower of the humble Nazarene.

Jesus, it will be recalled, invariably cited his healing works, rather than his doctrines as proof of his divine authority, and commanded his followers to heal the sick as well as preach the gospel. Ignoring this, however, a certain type of religionist, failing to comprehend or refusing to obey the Master's command with respect to spiritual healing, persistently strives to depreciate its practice by Christian Scientists and loudly condemns them for including it as a part of their Christian ministry. Religionists of this class should not be confused with, nor accepted as reflecting the views of, those earnest and unselfish members of the ministry whose deep and conscientious love for God has lifted their thought above religious prejudice. Such as these, by a devoted interest in the welfare of mankind, extend the hand of Christian fellowship to all who are sincerely striving to follow in the footsteps of the great Exemplar and thus bring some measure of the Christ to human consciousness. The attitude of Christian Scientists towards those who follow not with them is clearly put by Mrs. Eddy when she says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 444): "Students are advised by the author to be charitable and kind, not only towards differing forms of religion and medicine, but to those who hold these differing opinions. Let us be faithful in pointing the way through Christ, as we understand it, but let us also be careful always to 'judge righteous judgment,' and never to condemn rashly."

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