Article March 19, 1927 Issue

In reply to "Christian," writing in your recent issue, let...

Charles W. J. Tennant,—Worcestershire, England

Malvern Gazette

In reply to "Christian," writing in your recent issue, let me say that the New Testament and the Old support every word of Christian Science, when they are understood in their spiritual meaning. Without this understanding one is in the position described by Paul when he said, "The natural [material] man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Let our critic understand that God is infinite divine Mind, and not a physical, corporeal being, and he will then understand the meaning of the Word as idea or thought.

According to Christian Science, "God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love" (Science and Health, p. 465). Infinite Mind being the creator, creation must be the infinite conception, or idea, of Mind. This conception is spiritual, eternal, immutable, and must include all reality. Hence we have God, divine Mind, the Father and Mother of the spiritual universe, and the Logos or Word, the spiritual conception, idea, or Son of God, which is always with God and is the spiritual manifestation of God; also, the Holy Ghost or divine Science, which explains God, Spirit, and His spiritual manifestation. The words, "The Word was made flesh," can only mean that the spiritual idea was manifested through the consciousness of one pure enough to express it, and this one was Christ Jesus. Mrs. Eddy writes on page 332 of Science and Health: "Jesus was the son of a virgin. He was appointed to speak God's word and to appear to mortals in such a form of humanity as they could understand as well as perceive."

Our critic is mistaken in saying that Christian Science denies the atonement and the resurrection. These are explained fully in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy. Christian Science magnifies the God of the Bible, and it also explains intelligently the meaning of angels. Christian Science denies the reality of sin, disease, and death, because they are not creations of God. When Mrs. Eddy declares, "Man is incapable of sin, sickness, and death" (Science and Health, p. 475), she is referring to man in the image and likeness of God, spiritual man, not to mortal man, who is the expression of sin. Our critic has referred to a work on Christian Science by Dr. Haldeman of New York. It would be difficult to get a more unreliable authority on the subject. May not this account for the critic's misunderstanding of it? Christian Science is fulfilling the command of our Master to preach the gospel and to heal the sick. It is doing this throughout the civilized world, through the knowledge of God and His Word, or spiritual idea.