Article December 24, 1927 Issue

In his splendid digest of the various activities of the...

Ralph B. Textor, Committee on Publication for the State of Ohio,—Cincinnati

American Israelite

In his splendid digest of the various activities of the Christian Science church, reprinted in a recent issue, it is unfortunate that a certain writer did not terminate his just and appreciative comments without introducing in the very last sentence an uncalled-for and inappropriate aspersion on Christian Science. After suggesting that Methodism utilize whatever there is of value in the Christian Science religion, he concluded with the need of rejecting "its pantheism, alleged philosophy, cruelties." As the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science and the author of its textbook, Mary Baker Eddy, is the final authority for all its teachings, we may properly turn to her writings on the subject in order to determine its relation to pantheism. On page 2 of Mrs. Eddy's message to The Mother Church in 1898, entitled "Christian Science versus Pantheism," she wrote, "At this period of enlightenment, a declaration from the pulpit that Christian Science is pantheism is anomalous to those who know whereof they speak—who know that Christian Science is Science, and therefore is neither hypothetical nor dogmatical, but demonstrable, and looms above the mists of pantheism higher than Mt. Ararat above the deluge."

Regarding the "alleged philosophy" of Christian Science, Webster's New International Dictionary defines the word "alleged" as follows: "To speak of something as alleged implies a measure of doubt of its truth, or at least a disclaimer of responsibility for the assertion." Whether the philosophy of Christian Science can properly be said to be alleged, may be answered best by reading that portion of the above mentioned message of Mrs. Eddy which is under the heading, "Man the True Image of God," beginning on page 9. It is difficult to see just what the author of the original article meant by the term "cruelties" as applied to Christian Science, since nowhere in the teachings of this religion is there anything which might properly be so construed. It is possible that he might have referred to the practice on the part of Christian Scientists of relying solely upon the presence and power of God in cases of chronic or acute illness, instead of turning for aid to material remedies. If dependence on God in times of need is cruel, then we must consider many of the great spiritual Hebrew leaders as persecutors rather than as benefactors, notwithstanding the marvelous spiritual wonders wrought by these men whose names will be remembered throughout human history. Thanks to Christian Science, there is to-day abundant evidence that the spiritual dependence practiced by these sturdy Israelites many centuries ago, is as potent now as then.

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