Article July 25, 1925 Issue

Several days ago your columns carried a book review...

W. Clyde Price, Committee on Publication for the State of Utah,—Salt Lake City

Desert News

Several days ago your columns carried a book review wherein the reviewer described the book in question as a "Christian Science novel." The heroine was represented as being a free thinker in love, entirely heartless, unmoral, always unhappy, and at the same time interested in Christian Science and believing she was living up to the teachings of Mrs. Eddy. In order to correct any false impressions your readers may have gained from reading a statement that associates Christian Science with such a situation, I beg leave to advise that, in the first place, the book in question is not "a Christian Science novel," neither does its author claim these words as a title. In fact, there is no such thing as a Christian Science novel, for publications unauthorized by The Christian Science Publishing Society, of Boston, Massachusetts, cannot be rightfully considered Christian Science literature. This society does not publish or authorize the publication of so-called novels bearing the name Christian Science.

Nothing is more foreign to Christian Science than this so-called "free thinking in love" commonly described as "free-love." Proof of this may be found by reading Mrs. Eddy's own words on the subject contained in her book, "Miscellaneous Writings." Beginning on page 285, she writes: "It was about the year 1875 that Science and Health first crossed swords with free-love, and the latter fell hors de combat; but the whole warfare of sensuality was not then ended.... In the present or future, some extra throe of error may conjure up a new-style conjugality, which, ad libitum, severs the marriage covenant, puts virtue in the shambles, and coolly notifies the public of broken vows. Springing up from the ashes of free-love, this nondescript phœnix, in the face and eyes of common law, common sense, and common honesty, may appear in the rôle of a superfine conjugality; but, having no Truth, it will have no past, present, or future.... It is seen in Christian Science that the gospel of marriage is not without the law, and the solemn vow of fidelity, 'until death do us part;' this verity in human economy can neither be obscured nor throttled."

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