Article June 6, 1925 Issue

[Under the heading, "Christian Science Presented Correctly,"...

Aaron E. Brandt, Committee on Publication for the State of Pennsylvania,—Uniontown

News Standard

[Under the heading, "Christian Science Presented Correctly," the editors of the News Standard have published an article by the Christian Science Committee on Publication for Pennsylvania, in refutation of statements made by a well-known doctor, which reads in part as follows.]

Christian Science has not given, as alleged, "a new birth to mysticism." On the contrary, Christian Science repudiates every form of mysticism in the usual meaning of that word, and presents the Word of God as infallible, scientific truth, and as the light of men. Mysticism is the darkness which comprehends it not. Mysticism is no more involved in an understanding of Christian Science than in a knowledge of mathematics. As to the admonition to Christian Scientists to put "more emphasis upon reading the Bible for its own sake," it is an undeniable fact that Christian Science has put such emphasis upon Bible reading as to create millions of earnest and devout students who were formerly indifferent to its teachings. The emphasis lies wholly in the spiritual light and manifold benefits derived therefrom. Spiritual truth, when understood, has sufficient attraction to interest all mankind. According to the speaker, "Science should make Christ king, and leave out its queen. Mrs. Eddy has too great a place in its system." Now among thousands of testimonies given and expressions of gratitude uttered by Christian Scientists in my hearing, I have never heard Mrs. Eddy mentioned except as the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science and as a woman of unexampled spiritual vision. No one took greater pains than she did to divert attention from her personality. To her followers she said, "Follow your Leader only so far as she follows Christ" (Message to The Mother Church for 1901, p. 34). That a great multitude of people express profound gratitude to Mrs. Eddy for giving them an understanding of the Bible should not be surprising.

In saying that God had to reckon with sin, the speaker might find it difficult to reconcile the statement with Habakkuk 1:13, which reads, "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity." The importance of Habakkuk's correct understanding of God becomes apparent when we learn what such an understanding enabled Mrs. Eddy to do. She tells it thus in "Unity of Good" (p. 7): "When I have most clearly seen and most sensibly felt that the infinite recognizes no disease, this has not separated me from God, but has so bound me to Him as to enable me instantaneously to heal a cancer which had eaten its way to the jugular vein." I can agree with the learned speaker that "God cannot be engaged in correcting something that does not exist." It was not necessary to correct and reshape a flat earth when millions of people believed it to be flat, but it seemed proper to change their beliefs about it. And spiritual enlightenment is necessary to overcome belief in the reality of evil, that which God never created, and recognize its temporal appearance as being only the subjective state of such belief. When the speaker says, "Sin is a counterfeit, and we admit as much," it becomes apparent that he need go but one step further and admit Spirit and Spirit's creation as the one and only reality, to reach the platform of Christian Science. Evil can never be fully and finally overcome except by the understanding of its unreality. Christian Science verifies definitely the nature of God as manifested and exemplified by Christ Jesus, who visited no sickness upon the people but healed them, who deprived them not of sustenance but fed them, who endangered them by no storms but stilled the tempest, who condemned not the unwilling sinner, and who said, "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Thus Christ Jesus demonstrated the nature of God to be unchanging wisdom and goodness and Love.

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Article
Your correspondents are mistaken in their concepts of...
June 6, 1925
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit