Article August 27, 1927 Issue

Permit me to correct a few of the mistakes appearing in...

Cecil S. Bellairs, Committee on Publication for the Transvaal, Union of South Africa,—Pretoria (translation)

Die Herder

Permit me to correct a few of the mistakes appearing in an article on the subject of Christian Science in a recent issue of Die Herder. Mrs. Eddy was at no time secretary to the magnetic Dr. Quimby. Mrs. Eddy's teachings are based on the Bible and the understanding of the power of God. In the Quimby manuscripts recently published, Quimby himself states, "I found that by the power of my own mind I could change the minds of my patients." Again and again in her writings Mrs. Eddy warns her students against the use of the human mind in this manner. "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" is not the Bible but the textbook of Christian Science. Mrs. Eddy's writings outweigh the whole output of Bible commentaries in making that grand Book an expression of the living Word, as given out by prophets and teachers.

Students of Mrs. Eddy hold services on Sundays and Wednesdays, as laid down by her. Christian Science does not differ from other branches of the Protestant church in having definite rules and a defined teaching. Naturally the followers of a church follow the teaching and rules of their church. Mrs. Eddy does not differ from the example of Calvin or Wesley in this respect.

The real objections of your correspondent to the Cause of Christian Science appear to be the following: that Mrs. Eddy was a woman; that Christian Science teaches the unreality of matter; that God is Principle (not a Principle, as stated in the article); that Christ Jesus was the "incarnation of Truth" (Science and Health, p. 501) or, as John states it, "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us;" that sin is a product of the carnal mind. These would appear to summarize the chief points of attack on Mrs. Eddy and her teachings, made by your correspondent. Christian Scientists have no greater objection to taking their religion at the hands of Mrs. Eddy than they had to being taught their first prayers at the knees of their mothers. Most people frankly recognize that women, generally speaking, are less bound by the lusts of the flesh than men; that they are, on the whole, less selfish and more loving. They are certainly compelled to be close students of human nature and its vagaries. On the whole, they have greater capacity for spiritual-mindedness. Why deny these qualities to Mrs. Eddy? Even physical scientists have abandoned the reality of matter. Mrs. Eddy may have been a pioneer in exploding theories on this subject, but there is no need to labor such a question nowadays, in the manner of your correspondent. Matter is temporal, unreal, destructible, and no amount of talk can alter that fact. The Standard Dictionary defines Principle as the "moving cause, force, or power by which being manifests itself." Moses defined God as "I AM THAT I AM," or as we might paraphrase it, "I am all that is." Mrs. Eddy also defines God as "infinite Person" (Science and Health, p. 116), but not as a finite personality. It seems a waste of time to try to limit the limitlessness of God, as your correspondent seeks to do. Mrs. Eddy also says, "God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love" (ibid., p. 465). There is something large and satisfying in such a statement. As Isaiah says, "The liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand." "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory)" as John says. Let us then see that glory which is of the Spirit and not of the flesh, as the Master so often urged, a power that dwells in the hearts of men and nations and is not embodied in dead rites and worn-out dogmas.

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