Article November 19, 1927 Issue

The report of a lecture on Christian Science, which appeared...

Miss Kathleen O'Connor, Committee on Publication for Somersetshire, England,

Bath & Wilts Chronicle & Herald

The report of a lecture on Christian Science, which appeared in your recent issue, has evidently caused misapprehensions in the mind of your correspondent, "Distressed"; for he writes that Christian Science seems to him "to contradict our Lord's statements at every turn." If such were the nature of the teachings of Christian Science he would indeed have grave reason to be "distressed." Attendance at the lecture in question, however, or a further study of the subject (beyond what is possible to glean from the one-column report in your newspaper) would no doubt have dispelled these misgivings. The truth is that Christian Science, when properly understood, in no single instance deviates from the teachings of Christ Jesus, as any unprejudiced person can prove for himself by borrowing the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, from any Christian Science Reading Room or public library, and reading it. He would then see that Christian Science is founded squarely and without reservation on the words, works, and commands of our Lord and Master. I am sure your correspondent will be glad to know this, as he is evidently working, as are Christian Scientists, for the establishment of Christ's kingdom on earth.

Your correspondent has a further misgiving that Christian Science seems to "imply that neither sin nor Satan has any existence." The Bible teaches, however, that God is infinite, is All, and that He made all that was made, and that His creation is "very good." From this it would logically follow that evil in its final analysis must be recognized as unreal; and on this basis it should be given neither presence nor power in our thinking, thus proving it to have no real existence, no foundation in Truth. Did not our Master say in referring to the devil or evil: "He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it"? These statements, however, should not be construed to mean that Christian Science does not recognize the paramount necessity of overcoming the myriad claims of sin in human experience, as the following quotation shows (Science and Health, p. 447): "To put down the claim of sin, you must detect it, remove the mask, point out the illusion, and thus get the victory over sin and so prove its unreality." Again, one of the tenets of the Christian Science church further elucidates the subject (ibid., p. 497): "We acknowledge God's forgiveness of sin in the destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding that casts out evil as unreal. But the belief in sin is punished so long as the belief lasts."

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