Article April 9, 1927 Issue

Extracts from Reports of Christian Science Committees on Publication for the Year Ended September 30, 1926

For Great Britain and Ireland.

There is a gradually increasing recognition in the public press that Christian Science is a force to be reckoned with, and more evidence is becoming apparent of a desire to present true facts concerning it to readers. For instance, the editor of the Manchester Evening News made a request for an article, from a Christian Science standpoint, for a series entitled, "Have We Lost Faith?" Again, a letter of correction, dealing with some aspects of Christian Science teaching, arising from an address given by an eminent churchman, was inserted in full in the Times, and a portion of it was copied into his parish magazine by a vicar. It cannot be said that the religious press is yet without prejudice, but that a change is gradually taking place is seen from this latter fact, and by various other signs, such as a review in the Guardian of an objectionable book upon Christian Science in which the reviewer took our part, and a kindly reference to Mrs. Eddy in a chapter on Christian Science in a recent book by a well-known nonconformist minister. It is interesting to note also that a certain very bitter opponent of Christian Science, who for very many years has taken every possible opportunity of preaching and writing against it, some months ago preached a sermon in which he said: "Christian Science has done this service—if no other: it has helped men to see that suffering is evil, and that it is not according to the will of God. ... We, too, should regard pain as an evil to be fought, and like the Christian Scientist we should fight it by faith and prayer."

Much attention has been given to taking up with authors erroneous statements about Christian Science and Mrs. Eddy in books and pamphlets, and in protesting to publishers regarding the circulation and sale of such books or pamphlets. As a result of this, for example, it is hoped that in the second edition of one of these volumes certain misleading references to Christian Science will be deleted or altered. An interesting and sympathetic correspondence with the writer of this particular article took place, and copies of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy and "The Life of Mary Baker Eddy" by Sibyl Wilbur were gratefully accepted by him.

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