Article March 26, 1927 Issue

Your report in a recent issue of a sermon delivered in St. John...

Arthur E. Blainey, Committee on Publication for the Province of Ontario, Canada,

Hamilton Herald

Your report in a recent issue of a sermon delivered in St. John Presbyterian Church by a minister, contains statements attributed to that gentleman which are in need of correction. To any person with even a slight knowledge of Christian Science, the heading, "Christian Science Stiffly Attacked," might very well have read "Christian Science Ignorantly Attacked;" for an honest, even brief, study of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, would convince even a mediocre investigator of the utter absurdity of some of the statements attributed to this minister of the gospel of "on earth peace, good will toward men." The time-worn statement that Christian Science is unchristian and unscientific should not be made in public, because it is so obviously erroneous. Christian Science is founded on the Bible, and especially on the teachings of Christ Jesus. This being a positive fact, no amount of negative criticism can ever alter or obscure its truth. A Christian is one who believes in Christ, and the truth as taught by Jesus. Christian Science, being founded on this teaching, must be, and is, Christian, in the highest meaning of that word. Science is knowledge of facts, or true knowledge; in other words, a demonstrable and practical understanding, in this instance, of God and man's relation to God. The Scriptural test, "By their fruits ye shall know them," when honestly applied to Christian Science, finds innumerable healings of sinful and sick humanity resulting from an intelligent application of divine law as promised by Christ Jesus when he said, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." This clearly establishes the fact that the use of the word "Science" in conjunction with "Christian" is wise and correct.

The topic of our critic's sermon, "Why I am not a Christian Scientist." could very well be answered by "Why I am a Christian Scientist." But this would fill your paper and still leave more to tell. Suffice it to say that years in churches of other denominations, including the Presbyterian, where lots of good was gained, have been followed by thirty years' experience in Christian Science, during which I have found the truth as there explained to be equal to every emergency when honestly applied; and I have been healed and have benefited physically, morally, and spiritually through a satisfying understanding of God, of Christ, and of man. Regarding the statement that Christian Science is a contradiction of Scripture, it is a well-known fact that some critics declare the Bible to be contradictory in itself, and to substantiate their claim texts are torn from their context and placed in incompatible comparison. But such unfair manipulation, like all destructive criticism, can never affect the Christian's faith in or reliance on the Bible. And so those qualified to pass judgment on Christian Science by reason of having proved its teachings to be true, know positively that under intelligent investigation, it does not contradict the Bible, but, rather, has the effect of illuminating and explaining the Scriptures, so that in thousands of instances the Bible is understood and loved as never before. To suggest that Christian Science is based on paganism is another very unfortunate statement, because the words and works of the beloved Master, the basis of Christian Science, never can be referred to as pagan.

And now let me say a little in regard to mistaken statements relative to the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mrs. Eddy, whose life of unselfish devotion to her Father's business has made possible to the world a demonstrable understanding of Truth, that has brought surcease from sin and suffering to hundreds of thousands. To all who are in a position to know the facts, the opinions regarding Mrs. Eddy as voiced by our critic are positively incorrect, are mistaken concepts of an almost inexcusable nature, in the light of the availability of proved facts. No statement could be farther from the truth than the suffestion that Mrs. Eddy attempted to paint herself as Deity. To those who knew her best, the following is characteristic of her loving, selfless humility: "Finally, brethren, wait patiently on God; return blessing for cursing; ... and follow your Leader only so far as she follows Christ" (Message to The Mother Church for 1901, p. 34). In connection with our work in the Father's vineyard, love is the real incentive; and when all professing Christian adopt and consistently apply the laws of divine Love as expressed, for instance, by the Golden Rule, then we may reasonably and with joyous expectancy ask ourselves, What will the harvest of such Christian practice be?

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