Article December 17, 1927 Issue

The statements made in an article by a writer in a recent...

Paul Gassner, Committee on Publication for Germany,—Nurnberg (translation)

Frankischer Kurier

The statements made in an article by a writer in a recent issue of your esteemed paper concerning not only the life of the Founder of the Christian Science religion, but also its teachings, have been taken from widely circulated hostile writings which the writer of the article evidently considers to be the only true source. Just like all religious reformers, Mary Baker Eddy has been subjected to the persecution and slander of her opponents, and a great deal that is erroneous has been spread abroad regarding her life. Mrs. Eddy was always unselfish; she never strove for her own gain or for personal recognition, and most of that which was bestowed upon her she bequeathed to the church she founded. Whoever studies the writings of Mrs. Eddy, especially the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," without prejudice, will recognize that Christian Science is not only a system of healing, but is the Christian religion throughout, and that its aim is to restore primitive Christianity as taught and demonstrated by Christ Jesus, whom all sincere Christians are enjoined to emulate. The healing of the sick is not the main object of Christian Science; but certainly one of the stipulations of primitive Christianity, one of the instructions given by Jesus to all faithful Christians, was to put faith into practice through works.

Christian Science repudiates every practice which involves human will–power. Spiritualism, occultism, animal magnetism, hypnotism, and the use of formulas of every kind are regarded by it as unchristian or unscientific. Can Christian Science be called unchristian when it enjoins us to follow the teachings and example of Jesus, not only in a few ways, but in every way? Christ Jesus taught that he did not do the works of himself, but that it was the Father, the eternal Truth, God, which worked through him. Likewise, Christian Science recognizes that a practitioner of the Christian Science religion is not personally a healer, but that Truth, by virtue of which Jesus worked, remains unchanged to-day, in its power to heal. Our Saviour's recognition of divine Truth enabled him to heal not only some phases of sickness, but all kinds of afflictions. He gave us the promise that all who believed on him should be able to do the works also. Christian Science treatment is entirely different from medical treatment. To the best of their human knowledge physicians strive to bring about physical healing. Christian Science seeks to uplift mankind spiritually and morally, and thus to effect the healing. A Christian Scientist would never prevent anyone from having recourse to medical aid who has confidence in it and who does not yet recognize, or who disputes, Christian Science. Numerous certified testimonies of healing prove that not only a few cases of sickness but sickness of every description has been healed in Christian Science.

The question asked at the end of the article: "When will this gang disappear from the witches' cauldron of human errings?" I should like to answer in the words taken from the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 5, verses 38 and 39. Christian Science often meets with opposition in Germany because its Discoverer and Founder was an American. But it is not right to discard a religion, spread throughout the world, with commonplace sayings such as "American product." A Christian religion cannot be looked upon as belonging solely to one nation. The assertion that Christian Science is American is just as erroneous as the assertion that Christianity is Oriental because Christ Jesus lived in Palestine.

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