Article May 29, 1926 Issue

Extracts from Reports of Christian Science Committees on Publication for the Year Ended September 30, 1925

Southern California.

Newspaper editors in Southern California continue to show a kindly attitude toward Christian Science, and rarely are any articles published that misrepresent our religion or our Leader. If a mistaken reference or inference appears, it is seldom difficult to have the newspaper pring an appropriate correction. Most of the editors of religious publications in our district are careful not to print antagonistic or incorrect statements concerning Mrs. Eddy and our religion. When wrong reports do appear, religious editors are also sometimes willing to publish letters of correction. Pamphlets and tracts published or sold by religious organizations constitute a large source of printed misrepresentation of our religion, and have required much attention. We are grateful that a religious "league," active for a number of years in attacking Christian Science, is now closing up its affairs, according to its president. Our rights to practice our religion and to depend on its practice have not been abridged during the past year. As a whole, the members of the legislature have shown a just attitude toward remedial liberty. During the last session of the legislature, a number of bills needed careful attention, but no measure was enacted which tended to restrict our rights. A forward step was taken by the amendment of Section 270 of the Penal Code. The words "or other remedial care" were added to a bill which was subsequently enacted, so that Section 270 of the Penal Code now requires that a father shall provide his child with the necessary food, clothing, shelter and medical attendance or other remedial care.

During the past year a textbook on hygiene, which misrepresented and attacked our religion, was excluded from Pasadena Junior College and Santa Barbara Teachers' College. In the former, the books were taken back and the amount paid by students was refunded to them in subsequent purchases at the school bookstore. Especially noteworthy has been the unity and harmony manifested among the Christian Science churches and societies, and among individual Christian Scientists in our district during the past year. On three occasions when joint noonday lectures were given in Philharmonic Auditorium, Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Record published special editions containing the full reports of the lectures, and the newspapers were on sale by newsboys at the conclusion of the lectures. In the classified portions of telephone directories and city directories of Southern California some persons are listed as Christian Science practitioners who have no right to use that term. Through the courtesy of the Southern California Telephone Company the list of Christian Science practitioners in the classified portion of the Los Angeles telephone directory was divided; and those practitioners who are members of The Mother Church were given a special heading, separate from those who are not members. Special attention was given by Assistant Committes on Publication to the lists of practitioners in telephone directories in other cities in Southern California; and usually members of The Mother Church alone are listed as Christian Science practitioners in those telephone directories. The Los Angeles Directory Company, which publishes the city directories for Los Angeles and a number of other cities of Southern California, permitted the use of a special designation in classfied sections to indicate those Christian Science practitioners who are members of The Mother Church.

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