Article May 15, 1926 Issue

May we be permitted to express appreciation of the...

August Fritsche, Committee on Publication for the State of Minnesota,

Mabel Record

May we be permitted to express appreciation of the broad-minded spirit of the Mabel Record as well as of the kindly attitude of its editor. At the same time may we state that to speak of "the occult understanding of Christian Scientists" might be misleading, inasmuch as the word "occult" connotes "mysterious" and "mystical," or secret knowledge not available to the average man. As one comes to understand Christian Science, it is found to be in no way mysterious or mystical; rather does it make the teachings of our Master of practical use in daily life, and enable any one who so desires to attain in some measure that Mind "which was also in Christ Jesus." It will be readily seen that the attaining of the Mind of Christ Jesus, who said, "I can of mine own self do nothing," is the very opposite of the system mentioned in connection with Dr. Hudson's book. Suggestion, or the power of human thought, rests entirely on the action of the so-called human mind and would appear to say, I can of mine own self do everything. This is not Christian.

Christian Science is based on the understanding of God as the only power; it includes the recognition that the human mind can no more heal than a man can lift himself by his boot straps. In the Preface to the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. xi), the author, Mary Baker Eddy, says, "The physical healing of Christian Science results now, as in Jesus' time, from theoperation of divine Principle, before which sin and disease lose their reality in human consciousness and disappear as naturally and as necessarily as darkness gives place to light and sin to reformation." And nowhere in Science and Health is it stated that all ills are imaginary. On the contrary, on page 460 of our textbook we read: "Sickness is neither imaginary nor unreal,—that is, to the frightened, false sense of the patient. Sickness is more than fancy; it is solid conviction. It is therefore to be dealt with through right apprehension of the truth of being."

To say, "We never found an instance in the Bible where Christ accepted a fee for healing," implies, of course, that Christian Scientists are wrong in making a charge for their time and service. In the tenth chapter of Luke, when Jesus sent forth the seventy, he said, "The labourer is worthy of his hire." It is generally supposed that as Jesus "went about doing good" his followers and those who were benefited by his ministrations looked after his needs. We know that he stayed at the house of his friend Lazarus. It is no longer customary for clergymen to live at the houses of their parishioners; they are paid, as are physicians, for their services. Why should Christian Scientists not be remunerated for the time they devote to the service of others?

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