Article February 18, 1928 Issue

During the course of a lecture delivered in Woolsey Hall...

Frank J. Linsley, Committee on Publication for the State of Connecticut,—New Haven

Journal-Courier

During the course of a lecture delivered in Woolsey Hall on the subject of "Vital Religion and Health," the Dean of the Yale Divinity School repeated many of the unfair statements regarding Christian Science that have appeared in his public addresses and writings. Very misleading is his claim that because he received instruction in Christian Science some forty years ago and was given a certificate, he is at the present time qualified to speak about and practice Christian Science. To speak with authority on the subject of Christian Science, one must be able to demonstrate its healing power. To qualify as a practitioner of Christian Science one must possess its spirit as well as its letter, and be able to prove through faith and spiritual understanding the power of God to heal both sickness and sin. One of the By-laws of the Christian Science church refers to healing and contains the following words (Church Manual, p. 49): "All who understand the teachings of Christian Science are privileged to enter into this holy work, and 'by their fruits ye shall know them.'"

The Dean's statement that he has never known a case of organic disease healed by Christian Science is not convincing, and only indicates his failure to gather information from reliable sources. Testimonies of healings of organic as well as of functional disease are given at the midweek meetings in Christian Science churches. Signed statements of such cures are published monthly in The Christian Science Journal and weekly in the Christian Science Sentinel. These statements, which have been verified, are on file in the office of The Christian Science Publishing Society in Boston.

The following extract from an address by the Bishop of Kensington, England, is interesting: "Why do we not heal the sick in Christ's name as did the early church? It is to find an answer to that question that I ventured to suggest this conference to-day. And in my invitation I draw your attention to the challenge which the action of that body of Christians called Christian Scientists makes. It is to me indisputable that they do heal the sick both in mind and body. That notable miracles have been wrought by them we cannot deny. It is idle to dismiss the evidence in an offhand spirit of increduility, still less to be 'offended' because the work of healing is being done in Christ's name by those who follow not with us. We must, rather, thankfully hail the guidance which such experience supplies as a means of recovering that truth which has either been neglected or overlaid by us."

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During the course of a lecture delivered in Woolsey Hall...

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