Article May 29, 1926 Issue

In reply to a clergyman, writing in a recent issue of your...

Charles W. J. Tennant, District Manager of Committees on Publication for Great Britain and Ireland,—London

Willesden Citizen

In reply to a clergyman, writing in a recent issue of your paper on Christian Science, let me say that although we are grateful for his kindly reference to the good he recognizes in Christian Science and its fruits, we must take exception to much of his explanation of the subject. He starts with a wrong premise, and therefore draws wrong conclusions. Christian Science is based on the infinitude of God. On page 275 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mrs. Eddy writes, "The starting-point of divine Science is that God, Spirit, is All-in-all, and that there is no other might nor Mind,—that God is Love, and therefore He is divine Principle." Every conclusion in Christian Science conforms to this premise. Christian Science, when understood, will be found to be absolutely logical; it appeals to pure reason, and is the philosophy of Christ Jesus. It is exact Science, and is therefore demonstrable.

Our critic is mistaken when he says that "Christian Science has got hold of a truth which the Christian church used to possess, a real truth, but has exalted it to be the whole truth, and elaborated it to fantastic and extravagant lengths." Christian Science reveals that God is Truth, infinite, omnipresent, and omnipotent. There is, therefore, only one infinite Truth. This Truth must embrace the universe, including man. In other words, the universe, including man, must be the expression of Truth. Since God is Spirit, all truth must be spiritual. There is therefore no material truth. Truth must be eternal, immortal, immutable. This can never be said of anything material. The recognition of man as the spiritual image and likeness of God is the truth that makes men free. It is surprising that our critic argues for the reality of evil, when our Master came to destroy the devil (evil) and its works. The command to overcome evil with good is divine; but if one were as real as the other this would be impossible. Evil is the suppositional absence of God, good. There can be no real absence of the infinite. A simple example in mathematics illustrates this point. The fact that two and two make four is universally true. The belief that two and two make five is error, and is nowhere except in the realm of false belief. So it is with good and evil. Good is omnipresent; therefore, evil can only seem to be in the realm of false belief. The carnal mind, which is "enmity against God," contains the belief of evil, and just in proportion as one gains the Mind of Christ, the divine Mind, does one destroy the carnal mind with its false beliefs. Christ Jesus rejected and destroyed evil in all its forms, and taught his followers to do the same. Our critic is mistaken in thinking that Christian Science teaches that God is "only an exalted Idea." God is the origin, cause, and source of all that really exists—of all true ideas. On page 465 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy defines God as "incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love."

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