Article March 28, 1925 Issue

Your anonymous correspondent considers that Christian Science...

Miss Evelyn L. Webb, Committee on Publication for County Antrim, Ireland,—Belfast

Witness

Your anonymous correspondent considers that Christian Science will not bear investigation in the light of the Scriptures; and I am quite willing to admit that it may not agree with the correspondent's interpretation of Scriptural teaching. For instance, Christian Science does not teach that Christ Jesus is the creator of the universe, nor do Christian Scientists believe that Christ Jesus ever taught such a thing. On the contrary he said, "I can of mine own self do nothing." "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." He also said, "I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." The correspondent protests against the quotation given from Mrs. Eddy's book, "Science and Health with Key to the SCriptures" (p. 54), "If that Godlike and glorified man were physically on earth to-day, would not some, who now profess to love him, reject him?" Your correspondent might refer to the eighth chapter of John for Scriptural authority for the use of such language. Jesus refers to himself there as "a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God." Christian Scientists believe in the divinity of the Christ, and understand the Christ to be the Son of God as Jesus himself said. The writer of the letter appears to have a great contempt for those who come to the Christ for healing; and yet is not the Christ's invitation, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"? One is sorry that your correspondent's relatives were unsuccessful in their attempt to demonstrate Christian Science; but that they were unsuccessful does not disprove the Principle of Christian Science healing, any more than the disciples' failure to heal the epileptic boy disproved the teachings of Christ Jesus. We have the record that in some localities even the Master "did not many mighty works" "because of their unbelief." One wonders why your correspondent should consider the practice of Christian healing "a modern and novel idea." As a matter of fact, nearly nineteen hundred years ago Christ Jesus commanded his followers to "preach the gospel" and "heal the sick." He also said, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also." Christian healing was carried on for about three centuries after the ascension, when, on the Emperor Constantine's becoming a Christian, Christianity became fashionable in Rome, and large numbers of pagans, hastily and without preparation, joined the faith, bringing with them many of their practices and beliefs, including that of the pagan deity which had served for centuries as a personal devil. It was then that Christian healing began to be lost to the church, healing which is being restored to the world to-day through Christian Science. The correspondent criticizes a Christian Science practitioner for making a charge for his services, and does not consider it in accord with the teachings of Christ Jesus. If he will turn to the tenth chapter of Luke's gospel he will find that, when sending forth the seventy, Jesus told them to carry neither purse nor scrip, and that the house into which they brought their message of healing would provide them with hospitality, for "the labourer is worthy of his hire." We also read of the women who ministered unto Jesus of their substance. In times past payment was more often made in kind than in money, and until comparatively recent times our clergy were paid in this way. Mrs. Eddy realized that the human mind seldom values what it gets for nothing, and saw the wisdom of her students charging a fee for their time and labor. Nevertheless, a large percentage of Christian Science work is done without charge.

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