Article April 10, 1926 Issue

In a recent issue of your paper there appeared an account...

Arthur J. Chapman, Committee on Publication for the State of Louisiana,

Shreveport Journal

In a recent issue of your paper there appeared an account of a sermon on "Faith Healing," wherein are made certain statements which indicate that the lecturer is not at all familiar with the teachings of Christian Science. Like many other critics, he confounds Christian Science with various other teachings, as if there were a connection between them, when, as a matter of fact, there is no similarity between Christian Science and the other teachings to which he refers. Christian Science is based solely on the teachings of the Bible, interpreted from a spiritual rather than a material standpoint, and this is the main point of difference between Christian Science and other religious teachings. If, as our critic declares, "one is called upon to consume bushels of chaff in order to obtain a grain of wheat," he cannot refer to Christian Science, because Christian Science asks no one to accept anything which does not conform to the teachings of the Master, who said, "The works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." Our critic further states that "the miracles done by God through Moses were duplicated by the Egyptians through the powers of evil." Surely our friend is not willing to admit that God divides His power with evil. If this be true, then we are "of all men most miserable." We do, indeed, "need to clarify our ideas on the whole subject of 'Faith Healing.'" We need to divide the grain from the husks, and to realize that "faith without works is dead."

It is further stated by our critic that "our Father will grant unto us good things—and He will as consistently refuse us bad things, though these latter be asked with all fervor and faith." Christian Science teaches that God is infinite good and knoweth not evil; otherwise evil would be like good—indestructible and eternal. The Bible says of God, "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity." Our critic further states that "God never did relieve mankind of physical ills, excepting when He foresaw commensurable spiritual results resulting therefrom." This would have us infer that God had foreknowledge of evil and permitted it to exist so that He might improve His own creation; and yet the Bible tells us that God "created man in his own image" and likeness. We agree with our critic that God does not "reside in California" any more than in Louisiana; but Christian Science informs us that until He is known to reside in the hearts and consciences of men, He will be to humanity an "unknown God."

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